Packing a moving truck can feel like playing a high-stakes game of Tetris. The difference is that in the game, mistakes can cost you a score. In real life, poor packing can lead to broken furniture, wasted space, or even injury. At Big Bear Movers, we pack trucks daily with precision and strategy, ensuring every inch of space is used efficiently and safely. Whether you’re tackling a DIY move or just curious how the pros do it, this guide will show you how to pack a moving truck like a Tetris master.
Understand the Basics Before You Load
Know the Truck’s Dimensions and Weight Capacity
Before you begin packing, it’s essential to understand the size and limitations of your rental truck. Each truck comes with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), which indicates the maximum amount of weight it can legally and safely carry. Knowing this helps you avoid overloading, which can lead to breakdowns or accidents. Additionally, familiarizing yourself with the internal dimensions of the truck allows you to plan how large items will fit and stack.
Group Items by Size and Weight
Just like Tetris blocks, your belongings come in different shapes and sizes. Grouping items based on their dimensions and weight makes it easier to visualize how they’ll fit together in the truck. Heavier items like appliances and furniture should always be packed first and placed on the bottom, while lighter and more delicate items can go on top or in remaining gaps.
Gather the Right Tools and Supplies
Packing a truck properly isn’t just about stacking boxes. You need the right supplies to ensure safety and efficiency. Use high-quality moving blankets, straps, stretch wrap, and dollies. Professional movers like those at Big Bear Movers never begin loading without these critical tools.
Build a Stable Foundation
Start with Heavy and Sturdy Items
Begin loading the truck by placing your heaviest items toward the front (nearest the cab). This includes washing machines, refrigerators, couches, and dressers. Placing these items at the front ensures better balance and helps prevent tipping while driving. If possible, position large furniture items vertically to save floor space, just like stacking the long blocks vertically in Tetris to clear more space below.
Distribute Weight Evenly
Balance is key to both safe transport and efficient packing. Distribute the weight of your items evenly from side to side and front to back. Avoid placing all the heavy furniture on one side, as it can affect the truck’s handling and make driving dangerous. This is one of the first things our teams at Big Bear Movers are trained to assess when they start loading a vehicle.
Stack and Secure Like a Pro
Fill Vertical Space Wisely
Most people waste the vertical space in a moving truck. Think in layers. Once you’ve built a solid base of heavy furniture and appliances, begin adding medium-weight items like boxes of books, kitchenware, and decor. Make sure each layer is flat and even so that the layer above sits securely. Stack all the way to the ceiling whenever possible to make the most of the truck’s capacity.
Fit Smaller Items into Gaps
As you build upward, you’ll notice small spaces between larger items. Use these gaps for small boxes, bags of clothing, or soft items like pillows and bedding. These items work similarly to those elusive square or T-shaped Tetris blocks that fill the hard-to-reach spaces in the game. Doing this helps prevent items from shifting in transit and protects your fragile goods.
Use Moving Straps and Rope
Professional movers don’t rely on luck to keep items in place. They use ratchet straps or ropes at regular intervals throughout the load to keep everything snug and secure. Tightly securing each section of cargo prevents movement that can lead to breakage. After each major layer of loading, apply straps to keep it locked in.
Protect Fragile and Oddly Shaped Items
Wrap Furniture and Appliances
Before loading, wrap furniture with moving blankets or bubble wrap to protect finishes and corners. Secure blankets with shrink wrap to ensure they stay in place. For appliances, make sure all doors and cords are secured with tape or wrap. If you’re unsure how to handle these tasks yourself, Big Bear Movers offers full-service packing to ensure everything is moved damage-free.
Load Mirrors, Artwork, and Fragile Items Last
Fragile items should be the last to go into the truck and the first to come out. This ensures they’re on top and not bearing the weight of heavier items. Use specialty mirror boxes or wrap them in cardboard and bubble wrap, then slide them upright into narrow spaces where they won’t fall over during the ride.
Make the Most of Every Inch
Disassemble What You Can
Furniture often takes up less room when disassembled. Remove legs from tables, take apart bed frames, and break down shelving units. Place screws and bolts in labeled bags and tape them to the respective items. Flat pieces are easier to stack and place against walls, much like sliding flat blocks along the edge in a game of Tetris.
Use Drawers and Bins for Storage
Maximize every cubic inch by filling drawers, storage bins, and open containers with smaller items. Just make sure everything inside is soft or well-protected to avoid internal damage. Wrap drawers with plastic wrap so they don’t slide open during the move. This technique also reduces the number of boxes needed, saving both space and packing time.
Stack Boxes Strategically
Always stack the heaviest boxes on the bottom and lighter ones on top. Avoid pyramid-shaped stacks, which create instability. Instead, use a brick pattern or consistent column stacking so that each layer supports the one above it. When space gets tight near the end, use soft items like blankets and towels to wedge into remaining holes, keeping everything tight and preventing load shift.
Plan for Unloading as You Load
Load Room by Room in Reverse Order
One of the best strategies to simplify unloading is to load by room—starting with the last room you’ll need in your new home and ending with the first. For example, place out-of-season items or garage tools near the front of the truck and essential kitchen or bedroom items toward the back. This way, when you arrive, the most important things come out first, and you won’t have to dig through the truck to find what you need.
Label Everything Clearly
It may seem unrelated to packing strategy, but labeling your boxes clearly is essential for maintaining organization. Use large, visible labels that indicate not only contents but also the destination room. This will speed up unloading, whether you’re doing it yourself or working with movers. At Big Bear Movers, our team uses a combination of labeling and load mapping to ensure fast and accurate delivery of items to the correct rooms.
Avoid Common Mistakes
Don’t Leave Empty Spaces
Leaving space between boxes or furniture pieces creates room for shifting, which leads to breakage. Always pack items tightly. If there’s space you can’t fill with boxes, stuff it with soft materials like blankets or towels. Remember, just like in Tetris, unused space is wasted opportunity.
Don’t Pack Essentials Too Early
Make sure not to pack essential items like documents, chargers, or first-day clothes deep into the truck. Keep these in a clearly marked essentials box that stays accessible. You’ll want immediate access to them without having to unpack everything else first.
Don’t Overload the Truck
Trying to fit too much into one truck can be tempting, but overloading puts your entire move at risk. It can damage your items, cause mechanical issues, or violate the truck’s weight limit. If you’re unsure whether your load will fit safely, consult with Big Bear Movers. Our team can help assess the right truck size or even recommend multi-trip strategies.
When to Let Professionals Do the Packing
Lack of Experience
Packing a truck like a Tetris master takes experience and training. If you’re unfamiliar with how to stack, secure, and organize a moving truck, consider letting pros handle the job. One small mistake can lead to costly damage or hours of delay.
Tight Deadlines
When time is tight, professionals make a massive difference. The team at Big Bear Movers can complete a load-in or load-out in a fraction of the time it takes amateurs. Their precision and speed help ensure your move stays on schedule.
High-Value or Fragile Items
If you have antique furniture, electronics, or artwork, it’s best to let trained movers handle the packing and loading. We know how to build protective layers and support systems within the truck to keep delicate items safe for even the longest journeys.
Final Thoughts
Packing a moving truck well is part art, part science—and a little bit of Tetris mastery. It requires planning, the right equipment, and a thoughtful approach to stacking and weight distribution. While it is possible to do it yourself, the risk of error, damage, and wasted time is high.
For those looking for a seamless moving experience that’s efficient, organized, and stress-free, Big Bear Movers offers expert loading and packing services designed to make your move feel effortless. We treat your move like a puzzle we’re proud to solve—strategically, carefully, and with your satisfaction in mind.