How to Unload a Moving Truck Quickly and Easily

When moving house, you will likely be focused on the numerous tasks that need to be taken care of prior to the relocation – and on organizing a safe and smooth moving day. You may not give much thought to anything after that – after all, your move will seem to be over once the moving truck departs from your old home.

Well, almost over. You won’t be able to close the relocation chapter of your life before you unload and unpack your belongings and set up your new home. As drained as you may be by the time the moving truck arrives at your new address, you need to do your best to ensure your items are safely unloaded and taken to their rightful places within your new property.

Here are some expert tips for unloading a moving truck to help you put a successful end to your relocation project.

What to do before unloading the moving truck

To make unloading safer and more efficient, you need to prepare well:

Reserve a convenient parking place for the moving truck

The smaller the distance between the moving truck and your new home, the faster and easier the unloading process will be, so be sure to reserve a parking place for the moving vehicle as close to the entrance to your new house or apartment building as possible.

Mark rooms and locations of major items

If you have created a floor plan of your new place before the move, consult it before you start unloading the moving truck and mark the exact places of major household items within your new home, so that your movers – or your friends helping you unload your goods – can take all the furniture and appliances directly to their designated locations.

If you don’t have a floor plan, walk through your new home and envisage it fully furnished to get an idea of where you want your larger items to be and mark their locations.

You don’t want to rearrange furniture pieces and household appliances several times – you will lose a lot of time in the process and may cause damage to your items and to your new property – so make sure you know exactly where everything needs to go before you start unloading the moving truck.

It is also a good idea to stick large colorful labels (ribbons, pieces of paper, etc. – anything in the right color) to the doors of the empty rooms in your new home – the colors should correspond to the ones you used to label the boxes belonging to the specific room, of course. This simple trick will speed up the unloading process a great deal.

Plan the route of your belongings inside

While walking through your new home, decide on the best route to take your belongings inside. Make sure there are no obstacles along the way and provide as much maneuvering room as possible.

Unless you have already done so while creating your floor plan, measure the doorways to confirm that your bulkier items will fit in. If necessary, consider removing some of the doors from their hinges to free up several inches of extra space.

In case you’re moving into an apartment building, reserve an elevator for the time when your items are expected to arrive. Allow for more time than estimated as necessary as the delivery may be late or some unexpected problems may arise, etc.

Do not forget to remove any debris, dead leaves, or other obstacles from the pathways leading from the moving vehicle to the front door.

Bonus tip: While unloading your items, be sure to store any boxes and items that have already been taken out of the truck away from the main traffic areas.

Protect your property

The last thing you want when moving into your new home is to cause damage to the floors, walls, doors, etc., so be sure to take effective measures to protect the property:

• Protect the floors – Use floor runners, large pieces of cardboard, plywood sheets, carpet film protectors, old blankets, drop cloths or other appropriate coverings to protect the floors and carpets in your new home. Place a doormat in front of the entrance to keep most of the dirt out of the home;
• Protect the stairs – Cover the stairs with protective anti-slippery materials and wrap railings and banisters in moving blankets;
• Protect the walls – Cover the walls with blankets, drop cloths, cardboard pieces, etc.;
• Protect doors and doorframes – Drape moving blankets over the doors and use foam padding to keep the doorframes safe from damage.

See also: How to prevent property damage when moving

Secure unloading help

Unloading your belongings by yourself is virtually impossible – it would require an enormous amount of time and Herculean strength to take all your items out of the moving truck and into your new property on your own.

You need help unloading the moving truck, so you should either pay your movers to take your items directly to their places in your new home or ask reliable friends to lend you a hand:

Option 1. Using professional moving services

Without a doubt, your best option is to let the pros do the job for you. They have the specialized equipment and technical know-how to safely unload your belongings from the moving truck and take them inside your new home in a quick and efficient manner. The experts will save you a lot of time and effort and will reduce the risk of damages and injuries to a minimum. 

If you wish so, the movers will even reassemble your furniture, unpack your items, and dispose of the packing materials. You will be able to resume your normal daily routine the very next day.

Option 2. Asking friends for help

If you have reliable friends who live close to your new home, you can ask them to come help you unload your items. Just be sure to provide all the necessary equipment – a moving dolly, moving straps, furniture pads, personal protection gear, etc. – and be considerate enough to offer some snacks and drinks to your buddies, as well as to invite them over for a housewarming party after you have settled in.

Also, keep in mind that your pals are not professionals and you can’t expect them to do the job as quickly and problem-free as movers would.

Ensure safety

Safety should be your top priority during the entire moving process – and unloading makes no exception. So, take every possible measure to prevent accidents and injuries:

• Clear the way of obstacles;
• Use appropriate moving equipment that will make it safer and easier to unload your items and maneuver them around;
• Keep kids and pets away – Keep your children and your animal friends in a safe room, away from the moving chaos. Have in mind that kids or pets running around may not only get hurt but may also cause someone else to fall and get injured.
• Dress safely – Put on comfortable, weather-appropriate clothes made of flexible and breathable materials, avoid baggy garments, wear long sleeves and long pants, put on work boots or sturdy sports shoes that will protect your ankles and feet and will provide good friction, wear work gloves, etc.

Related: How to ensure moving day safety

Once everything is ready, you can start unloading the moving truck. Just make sure you know how long the job will take so you can plan your time properly.

How long does it take to unload a moving truck?

The time it will take to unload your items out of the moving vehicle and get into your new place depends on several factors:

• The number of boxes to be unloaded;
• The number of furniture pieces, appliances, and other large and heavy items you have brought along;
• The number of specialty items in the truck;
• The number, physical strength, and experience of the people who are helping you unload;
• The distance from the moving truck to the front door of your new residence;
• The number of stairs – if any – that your items will have to be taken up;
• Access to an elevator and size of the elevator (when moving into an upper-floor apartment);
• The weather conditions.

So, how long to unload a moving truck?

Assuming that the moving truck is parked less than 50 feet away from your house (or first-floor apartment) and no unforeseen problems occur, 2 professional movers can unload:

• a 10-foot truck in less than an hour
• a 16-foot truck in about an hour or so 
• a 20-foot truck in a little less than 2 hours
• a 24-foot truck in about 2 hours / 2 hours and a half

If you’re unloading the moving truck yourself – with the help of several friends – it may take you up to twice the time it will take professional moves to unload your belongings.

Still, it takes much longer to load a moving truck than to unload it, so you should be able to complete the job quickly enough, provided that nothing goes wrong.

How to unload a moving truck quickly and efficiently

If it’s up to you and your family and friends to unload the moving truck, you need to know exactly what to be careful about and what strategies to use in order to complete the task in a safe and efficient manner.

Here are some expert tips for unloading a moving truck to help you out:

1) Fully extend the loading/unloading ramp before you start taking your items out of the truck. Make sure the ramp is dry and in good operating order.

2) Open the truck doors very slowly so you can react quickly and adequately if something is about to fall out. If some of the items in the truck were not well secured in place, they may have shifted during transportation and may topple over when you open the truck doors.

3) Unload your items in the right order:

• Naturally, the first items to unload will be the last items you have loaded. If you have loaded the moving truck the right way, those will be cardboard pieces and other protective materials you can use to prevent property damage in your new home;
• Next should be your open-first boxes that contain all the essentials you need to make your new home livable and some things that will help make unpacking faster and easier;
• Then come various lightweight items that have been placed over larger pieces or in remaining empty spaces. Unload them first, as they will be blocking your access to major items in the truck;
• Unload wardrobe boxes and other boxes that have been loaded in the back and central part of the truck next and get them directly to the rooms where they belong;
• Your household appliances should be the next items to get out of the moving truck. Keep in mind that they’re quite delicate, so unload them really carefully with the help of an appliance dolly and several extra hands;
• Now, it’s time to unload your furniture. Smaller pieces probably take up the central space of the moving truck. Unload them first, take out your mattresses next (remember that there may be paintings or mirrors between them, so be extra careful), and harness all your physical power to get your largest furniture items out of the truck. Make sure there are four people handling each bulky piece to safely unload it from the truck and use a dolly to wheel it to its place within your new home;
• You should be standing in front of a wall of large boxes lining the sides of the truck. To unload your packing containers in the fastest way possible, you’re advised to form a line – one person stays in the moving truck and takes one box at a time to another one who carries it to the entrance where it is transferred to your next helper.

4) Use proper lifting and carrying techniques to take your items off the moving truck and into your home – bend your knees and use the strength of your arms and your legs to lift a heavy piece and carry it. Hold it close to your body, take small steps, and keep your movements slow and steady.

5) Never rush things. When unloading a moving truck, haste makes waste, literally. So, plan every step you’re about to take and avoid hasty actions.

6) Take your items directly to their designated places. Moving large and heavy items several times around your home is definitely not a good idea. Give your friends clear instructions on exactly where each furniture piece, appliance, or box should be in order not to waste time, effort, and nerves rearranging your items afterward.

7) When all your belongings are taken off the truck, have one last look around to check for forgotten items. Close the doors and disengage the ramp.

8) Clean the empty rental truck, fill up the fuel tank, and return the vehicle on time.

9) Remove plastic wrap, moving blankets, cardboard pieces, and any other protective materials you have used to keep your items safe during the move. Store away the packing supplies you intend to use again and be sure to properly dispose of the rest. (See also: What to do with packing materials after a move).

10) Set up appliances and reassemble furniture. Consult the relevant instruction manuals to make sure you’re doing everything the right way.

11) Unpack your items, set up your new place, and make it feel like home!