Moving trucks are the most efficient mode of transporting your belongings from one home to the next. While booking a truck for the big day, you might ask yourself, “What size moving truck do I need?”
If you get a truck that’s too small, you will spend all day making trips. However, getting an oversized moving truck could result in spending more money than necessary. If you’re not sure what size moving truck you need, here are three things to keep in mind.
Moving Truck Size Options
Before we discuss tips for choosing a moving truck, let’s review the main sizes commonly offered by moving companies. These sizes refer to traditional box trucks with a large cargo area for moving boxes and furniture. Moving companies often list their available moving truck sizes by the length of their cargo space or their cubic footage.
- 10–12 feet: up to 450 cubic feet
- 15–16 feet: up to 800 cubic feet
- 20–22 feet: up to 1,200 cubic feet
- 26 feet: up to 1,700 cubic feet
1. Home Size
The first thing to consider when choosing a moving truck’s size for your belongings is the size of your new home. The number of rooms in your new home can give you a general idea of what it can fit and the number of belongings you’ll be transporting. Each bedroom and common room has its own furniture and objects in boxes to add together to find your ideal truck size. Moving companies typically list their truck size options along with the number of bedrooms or home square footage they’ve deemed suitable for a particular option.
2. Size of Items
Next, you’ll want to ensure the moving truck you select is large enough to transport your largest belongings. For many people, this would be mattresses, couches, bookcases, or large appliances. You may also own specialty items like game tables, musical instruments, or antique furniture that take up a good amount of space. Ideally, you should fit large furniture along with several boxes to minimize the number of trips while moving.
3. Distance of the Move
Lastly, think about the distance between your current and new home and how many trips you could complete in a day. If you want to avoid taking multiple trips to transport your belongings, invest in a large moving truck. If you expect to be rushing the clock on moving day, you’ll want to take as few trips as possible. You can save money by choosing a smaller truck and taking more trips if the distance is relatively short.
If you are renting a self-storage unit, factor this into the number of trips you are willing to take while moving. Distribution and storage facilities are great for streamlining your next relocation. Consider choosing storage facilities from Capitol North American or our quality moving services for a great moving experience.
