Our Jump Box Move Success team is available to answer any questions or offer tips on moving.
Jump Box is a great alternative to a local rental truck for local moving in the Tacoma, Olympia or surrounding areas. With Jump Box, you don’t have to drive a large commercial rental truck. Jump Box mobile containers also enable you to load from the ground level, rather than carrying your items precariously up a walk board. A safe trouble-free move is a priority.
But, whether you choose to have an “Adventure in Moving” with a rental truck or use a Jump Box portable container, you need to know how to properly load it.
Here are some tips and tools on loading your mobile container safely and effectively.
Make sure to get the materials and equipment needed for the move in advance. A few minutes of establishing a schedule will help to reduce stress. When packing, reserve out old towels and blankets as they make good padding materials. Collect cardboard and purchase or rent dollies.
You’ll will need to have the following materials on hand:
Materials List
Padding materials- you’ll need moving pads, blankets or retain cardboard for protecting furniture.
Two-wheel dolly (Also known as a hand truck, the dolly will provide a safe way to transfer items from your home to the container)
Cardboard for creating partitions (This will be important for securing your goods for transport)
Padlock (For security purposes)
Stretch Wrap (commercial plastic wrap to protect upholstered furniture)
Tip: Whether it is a two-wheel dolly to safely move items to the container or padding materials to protect furniture from dings or scratches, each of the items above are needed for a successful move.
Loading: A Jigsaw Puzzle
The loading of a portable container is much like putting together a huge jigsaw puzzle. Unless you have limited item to move, you will want to stack items to maximize the capacity of the container.
There is another reason to stack items that is even more important. During the transport of your loaded container, normal vibration and motion will cause your items to potentially fall, resulting in damage, unless they are properly stacked and interlocked. Movers call this process tiering. Visualize items loaded in rows from front to back. Each row is supported by the next tier.
Boxes: Large to Small, Heavy to Light
Moving boxes are specifically designed with sizes to accommodate items of different dimensions and density. They also are sized so that they can be stacked effectively. Generally, to properly load a shipment, the boxes at the bottom should be your larger heavier containers. This will result in a wider base. Each tier will be more stable. With similar sized boxes, always put the heavier containers to the bottom. Take for example a small box of books versus a small box of hand towels. Book boxes are superior as a base and by placing them on the bottom, it will ensure the boxes aren’t crushed. Jump Box has plenty of points to secure your items with straps or rope.
Here are some additional tips for tiering:
- Don’t be tempted to leave the lid of the boxes unsecured. Always tape the top of boxes to ensure items are not lost or damaged. Fully sealed boxes will support more weight.
- Because your boxes are fully loaded (see proper packing of boxes article), they will support the weight of the items stacked above. (The exception is when you have packed soft goods into your large box. Loading items on top of soft goods will result in the box being crushed).
Loading Furniture, Dressers and Other Items
It is likely you will need to load items on top of tables, dressers or chests. Make sure to properly pad between these items. There is nothing more disappointing than to have scratches, swirls or gouges on the top of your furniture.
Glass or Other Breakable items
Breakable items that cannot be loaded into a box must be properly padded. Glass or marble tabletops should be fully padded and loaded on edge (or consider moving them in the car). Big screen TVs should be repacked into the original container. TV cartons can be purchased should you no longer have the original box.
Last to First
Because your Jump Box, like all mobile containers, have one door at the back of the container, you’ll want to load the last items you will need first, toward the front. That way, last loaded items like rugs, toys, cribs and parts boxes will come out of the container first. Placing rugs on the floor before you move furniture into a room will help you avoid having to move the furniture multiple times.
Reducing the Stress of Move Day
One of the benefits of a mobile storage solution for moving is that you have the option of taking several days to load your belongings. Unlike rental trucks and professional movers, everything doesn’t have to happen in one day. Take your time, loading at a pace that works for you. Make sure to padlock the container each time to end for the day.
We hope that these suggestions were helpful. Feel free to contact our Move Success team should you have further questions or want to schedule a Jump Box container from an office near you.
Want to learn more about Jump Box? Watch our video or check out our FAQ page.
Questions? Contact Jump Box at 855 633 7701
