How to Move With a Rental Truck

How to Use a Rental Truck When Moving to a New HomeMoving companies are the answer for many people who are selling their home and relocating, but there are plenty of reasons why a person might want to do the move personally with only a rental truck. Most notably, this option is generally more affordable, although the larger the household, the more complicated DIY moving becomes.

Research Vehicles

There are a lot of options today for people looking for a moving truck, including U-Haul and Budget. Find out what each option offers as well as how much it costs. Things to consider include:

  • Size of truck needed. Trunk rental companies can offer estimates based on how big the previous home is
  • Ability to rent a truck one-way. This is not a problem for a person moving across town, but it is a huge issue for those moving across the country, be it to a new Admiral's Cove home or elsewhere. Having to return a truck to its point of origin can be both time-consuming and expensive.
  • Availability of insurance. Neither car insurance nor home insurance generally covers possessions being transported in a rental truck, so an additional policy will likely be necessary. There is also the issue of liability insurance to protect the renter from being responsible to the rental company for the truck if something happens.

Different brands offer different options in truck rental. Doing research beforehand can ensure that that the best truck is picked for the move.

Get the Right Tools

Packing up a truck involves more than just carrying boxes out one at a time. Professional movers use various tools to make the move easier, such as moving pads to protect furniture and hand trucks to move heavy items or many smaller, lighter items. These can often be rented from truck rental companies.

Ask for Help

No matter how small the job, moving a home requires more than one person. Find friends or family who are willing to take a day out of their busy schedules to assist. Also, remember the process has to be done twice: Once for packing, and once for unpacking.

Packing the Truck 

There are techniques to packing trucks which encourage safety, protect valuables, and generally make the process easier. Make a game plan before loading begins so work does not need to be undone and done again.

  • Place heavy items in the front end of the truck, for stability.
  • Distribute weight evenly between the left and right sides of the truck. 
  • Use packing straps to keep items from shifting, which can both damage goods and unbalance the truck.
  • Be wiling to turn furniture sideways or upside down to get it to most efficiently fit.
  • Disassemble furniture when possible. It makes them easier to carry and more efficient to pack.
  • Fill spaces left between large items with smaller items.
  • Put a single person in charge of packing the truck. Other people can carry items inside, but the lead person should be making decisions as to where things should be set.

Consult moving guides and websites to learn which strategies are safest and most efficient during a move within the Jupiter area.

Be Familiar with the Truck

Take a test drive with the truck before jumping onto the freeway fully loaded with possessions. Get used to turning with it, its blind spots, reversing and other situations which can be quite different from experiences in a car.

Nothing stops a person from moving their possessions themselves. However, it is a large task and should be attacked with a plan. Research truck options, get the right equipment, be willing to enlist friends and family and come up with a plan on precisely how to load the truck. Come moving day, things will go much more simply with this bit of forethought.

Dylan Snyder is a seasoned real estate professional serving the Jupiter real estate market, Palm Beach real estate market, Palm Beach Gardens real estate market, North Palm Beach real estate market, and the surrouding Palm Beach County area. Along with being a top producer in Jupiter real estate, Dylan's professionalism and expertise in luxury and waterfront real estate sets him and his team of real estate experts apart from the competition. For more information on Jupiter and Palm Beach real estate for sale, contact Dylan at (561) 951-9301.

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