subject: Moving House: How to Load a Hired Van Correctly [print this page] Moving House: How to Load a Hired Van Correctly
Hiring a van is the easiest of ways, not to mention one of the cheapest, of moving house. It does, however, require you to load the van yourself. Here's how to load that van safely and securely, without any damage to you or your back.
(1) Before you load your van, you need to make a few preparations. For starters, you will need to have the smaller goods boxed up in cardboard boxes that will not rip or damage too easily. The bigger items will be going in first, so prepare by having them placed towards the front. The shorter the distance you must carry the goods the better.
(2) Make sure you have enough people to help you. Not enough people may mean you over exert yourself and end up with a damaged back anyway, so get a small crew of strong individuals together to load the van. It is vital that you instruct everyone how to load the hired van correctly and safely and in what order.
(3) Which brings me to my next point; demonstrate to everyone how to pick up heavy goods safely. First, straighten your back, then bend down towards the item and pick up the goods. Make sure you are using the power of your legs to pick up the goods, rather than from your arms and back. This will enable you to get more power and hopefully avoid injury.
(4) Use a dolly. If you have hired a van with a ramp, load the van using a dolly. This should make the whole process much faster and easier.
(5) Pack the van well. Larger objects, like furniture need to be at the back. Cover these with blankets in order to protect them from damage. Medium sized items can be then positioned on top of the larger ones and smaller items can be positioned in any safe left over space. Next make sure everything is safely packed (nothing should wobble) and secure down using rope or lashing straps.
(6) If you have any delicate goods, such as glass, pack these in-between soft items. It may be also worth getting some bubble wrap to wrap the glass in. This will help decrease the risk of damage to your delicate goods.
Always be careful when loading a van, as you can cause serious damage to your back if you do not lift the goods correctly. Pack carefully as well, making sure everything is secure, otherwise you might end up with broken items at the end of your journey.
If you are looking for van hire Coventry for hiring a van anywhere over the U.K (can be delivered to your door for a small fee), have a look at www.binleywoodsservicecentre.co.uk
