Moving companies use a 10- or 12-foot truck for studio or one-bedroom apartment moves. Depending on the moving company you use, this van can fit a king or queen size mattress, about five medium-sized pieces of furniture with plenty of space for other boxes. The Best Moving Truck Rental Companies The Best Cheap Moving Truck Rental Companies The Average Cost of Moving Truck Rental What is the right moving truck size? Choosing the right size moving truck is just as important as properly packing your truck. If your truck is the wrong size, big or small, it could endanger everything in you.
Renting a larger truck is also more expensive than a small one, so you also have to consider your budget. What you need is a perfect truck. To find the ideal truck size, you first have to take stock of everything you move and calculate how much space it will occupy (we'll help you there). Next, you'll need to look for a truck with the ideal storage capacity (we'll help you with that, too).
Read on for all the tips and tools you need to find the perfect truck size for your move. If the availability of the truck means you have to size a larger truck, make sure you have mobile blankets to fit between the items and prevent them from moving. If you choose a smaller size, consider adding a trailer to your rental. If you've only moved a handful of times or if this is your first rodeo, you might not know what size truck is right for your move.
It's even more complicated if the company you're renting to advertises only small, medium and large sizes that don't match the exact size of your cargo. While the truck sizes that most companies recommend are useful guidelines, they aren't very accurate. The best way to get the perfect truck is to use an online moving calculator to find out how much cubic space (a, k, a. Volume (or volume) you'll need depending on the number of beds, boxes or even unicycles you move.
Next, find the capacity in cubic feet of each truck size you're looking for. Most companies provide the exact capacity in cubic feet of each of their trucks, so you don't have to make guesses or calculations. Book a truck size that has 10 to 15% more cubic space than your estimated load to ensure you have enough space. Of course, there are other options, such as cargo vans and moving trailers that you can attach to your car or truck.
But we'll focus on vans and vans, as they're the best for most DIY moves. Box trucks are the most common moving trucks you know, the ones you often see parked in front of your apartment building. They're more expensive than other types of trucks, but they're still much cheaper than doing a container-type move or using a full service. If you're moving more than you can fit in a one-bedroom apartment, you'll probably want a cargo truck.
In our opinion, a cargo truck isn't worth it for smaller loads, you'll most likely be able to find a smaller cargo van that's better suited to your move. Truck rental companies usually offer at least two sizes of trucks with a box (depending on the length of the box itself). This is the breakdown of truck sizes that are generally considered small, medium and large. If you're moving to a one-bedroom apartment or smaller, you'll want to start with the 10- and 12-foot sizes.
Queen, full, and twin mattresses fit in these vans, but most king size mattresses are sadly banned. Small truck sizes are where most customers overestimate their needs. Most of the time, if you think you can make it work with one size fits all, you can. Basically, if you pack your truck the right way, you'll most likely be able to get by with the size your instincts told you.
To do that, start with the big things. First load your sofas, beds and other large furniture into the truck. Then pile up smaller pieces of furniture along with the boxes. Trucks with medium-sized (and larger) boxes are best for long-distance moves, and you guessed it for larger loads.
These trucks are also more durable and better suited for long road trips, and there's a lot more space for your stuff. Medium box trucks are best for two-bedroom apartments, condominiums, and small one- and two-bedroom homes. A key difference between small and medium-sized vans is that king mattresses fit inside the latter. If you rent a medium sized truck from U-Haul (15 ft).
Or 17 feet. Do you have a California King mattress? Look no further: a moving truck over 20 feet. These large trucks can generally store items from two- to three-bedroom apartments to three- to five-bedroom homes. In addition, they can withstand the weight of washing machines and dryers.
Enterprise is another truck rental company worth researching. The company has 14 vehicle sizes, but only makes local moves. Read our full review to learn more about what Enterprise has to offer. If you're moving things worth a single room or if you have some bulky furniture, a van is an affordable and easy alternative to a full-service move or renting a larger truck.
It makes sense to use a van if you're transporting a couple of chairs and a table, or if you're moving to a bedroom or small study. If you're between two truck sizes, consider going with the smaller option and adding a trailer to your rental vehicle for more space, especially if you're moving uncomfortable or bulky items. For example, lawnmowers aren't allowed inside a rental truck anyway. If you still need a larger rental truck, consider doing a full-service move or a container move.
Rental trucks are especially good for smaller local moves (and let's face it, for cheaper rates), but if you're moving a mansion or from one coast to another, you'll likely need something bigger. If you're going to make a long-distance move, most of these companies' larger trucks will allow you to tow a car behind them for an additional fee. A general rule of thumb for choosing the size of a moving truck to rent is that you'll need 150 to 200 cubic feet of truck space for each furnished room in your home. However, before you make your move, you can be completely and completely sure that the moving truck you are renting will easily store all your things.
Consider the 26-foot option if you and your family are moving from three to five bedrooms, five to seven rooms in total, or about 15 medium-sized pieces of furniture. The most suitable moving truck size for your move depends on what exactly you intend to relocate and how far you go. Consider a 15- or 16-foot truck if you're planning to move from a one-bedroom house or two-bedroom apartment. Moving trucks are generally classified by the number of rooms they can move or by the cubic feet they can hold.
By listing the sizes of their moving trucks in cubic feet, truck rental agencies calculate all of the space available on the trailer, from floor to ceiling and back to front. .
