Stacking boxes and furniture into a moving truck is perhaps one of the most crucial parts of the moving process. Any missteps in this area can result in expensive damages or losses, sometimes involving items that simply can't be replaced.
A good rule of thumb for stacking boxes and furniture into a truck is to place the heavier items as low as possible so that they don't break anything beneath them. While this isn't always possible, it is still a good general rule to follow in situations that don't involve your weightier fragile items. When stacking by weight simply isn't an option, try using stronger items such as dressers or armoires to support the heavy, fragile items that need to be placed as high as possible. Professional movers typically build shelves into their truck loads if there isn't enough furniture to accommodate this need, stacking fragile items up on the shelves where they will be firmly supported and safe during transport.
Although many people enjoy the savings obtained by using old boxes obtained from stores who don't need them anymore, using these weakened freebies isn't always the best plan. New -- or even used -- moving boxes are designed to give extra support where it is needed, holding up in places where weaker boxes might become easily crushed. Not only can crushed boxes damage your precious belongings, but they can also cause the tightly stacked items within a moving truck to become unstable and loose, creating a hazard for the people who unload them. One of the most important cartons to obtain during a move is the dishpack, which is typically constructed with triple-thick, corrugated cardboard that lends the best protection available to your dishes and other heavy items that will probably end up at the bottom of a load.
As boxes and furniture are packed into a moving truck, one of the foremost tasks of the loader is to ensure that everything is packed as tightly as possible without placing too much pressure on any particular item. This is a process that often requires enough extra thought and effort that many professional moving teams keep an expert on the truck throughout the majority of the move for this purpose. The main goal here is to keep the load tight enough to stay put as the truck bounces and turns around corners, but evenly distribute the pressures so that nothing risks becoming broken as a result.
