1. Search for Options: The best place to start when you are looking for anything is the inevitable search for options. Getting a truck rental or finding a reputable truck rental self service moving company is no different. It is a good idea to look online to see if there are various companies that operate in your area, and then make a list of companies you intend to call.
2. Ask Friends and Family: Word of mouth advertising is a powerful tool these days, and your friends and family can be instrumental in helping you find a mover that is helpful and honest. Ask around to find out what businesses have a favorable reputation in your social circles and add them to the list of places to call for quotes.
3. Call the Companies: After you have a short list of some reputable truck rental or self service moving companies that operate in your area, make a few phone calls. Each company should be willing to give you a free quote that will tell you about how much your move will cost. Beyond this, these moving quotes will let you see if a company is honest and up front. Beware of very low quotes, as they may not be even close to what the move will actually cost in the end, and they may just be bait to get you to sign on.
4. Dig Deep: You should be able to narrow the list down a bit after you make your phone calls, and now you can look deeper into the few self service moving companies that made the cut. Make sure that you check their reputations online and see if anyone has had an issue with the equipment in the past. Take the time to verify their license numbers as well.
5. Request a Binding Quote: Finally, request a binding quote from the companies that will offer it. This quote serves as a legal contract that will give you a set price on the move. Because it is binding, the self service moving company cannot change the price after you have signed a contract, and you can rest easy knowing that your moving budget is set.

Finding a reputable company to help you move yourself can be a difficult task in a world where there are so many scams. Keep these tips in mind and you will easily be able to choose a reputable truck rental or self service moving company to help you get all of your things safely from one home to another before looking into recycled moving boxes to save some more cash on your move.

What’s First?

With so many different things, it may be hard for you to find a starting place. Some movers suggest that you load the large and bulky items into the truck rental first, but it simply makes more sense to load your boxes first. This does not mean that you should pack all of your boxes in the front of the truck, but a good majority of them should go there. You will be building a wall inside of the truck as you give yourself more room to maneuver inside your home. This way, when it comes time to move your appliances and furniture, you will have more area to shift things around in.

Loading the Big Stuff

It is important to remember when you load a truck rental that a truck has a center of gravity just like anything else. Due to this fact, it is important that you make sure to balance the weight within the truck. If you have a lot of heavy appliances or half of your boxes are full of books, you need to make sure to space things out on both sides. When you load your appliances, make sure that you protect buttons and knobs with empty boxes or extra padding. Use your mattresses to pad glass or other breakable mirrors. If it is possible, make sure that you load things along the trucks walls so that you can strap things down as they are loaded. In order to protect a couch, consider placing it on end within the truck so that you can avoid stacking boxes on top of it as well as making good use of the space within the truck.

Fragile Things

When you load a truck rental, you will be handing delicate things. Anything delicate or fragile should be loaded on the top of any stacks of boxes. Plants or other boxes that contain breakables should never have anything stacked on top of them. Remember that you can use your existing linens and other pieces of furniture to protect things that may shift and become damaged. Mirrors should be placed between a wall and a mattress. Chairs should be stacked and wrapped in linens or furniture padding to prevent scratches. Heavy and odd shaped items can be loaded between or under furniture as needed. Make sure that you use the best of the space that you have to work with.

Final Considerations

No matter how much you are moving, or how big of a truck you are loading, making use of all of the space you have will always be the most cost effective method of moving. Make sure that you take a test drive of the truck rental before you decide to start your trip, as the truck may feel vastly different loaded to the hilt than it did when it was empty. Take your time and make sure to follow all of the safety requirements and suggestions. If you take all of this into account, then you will be sure to have a easy and stress free move.