Are you moving your family of 5 out of your 4-bedroom house soon? As a packrat family, you likely have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years.
Moving an entire household is no easy feat. For a 4-bedroom house, most people’s first instinct may be to reserve the largest truck available.
However, this is often unnecessary, and far more trucks than you require.
The optimal truck size depends on many factors – mainly how much stuff you have and how you pack it.
This article will discuss these key considerations to help you determine the perfect moving truck size for your 4-bedroom house move with Edmonton moving company.
What to Consider When Choosing a Moving Truck Size
When deciding which moving truck size to rent, the main factors to think about are:
- Number of bedrooms
- Square footage of home
- Amount/size of furniture & possessions
- How you plan to load & pack the truck
Properly measuring these elements will ensure you get an adequately sized truck without wasting money on unused space.
Truck Size Recommendations
For a 4-bedroom home occupied by a family of 5 packrats, here are the typical truck sizes needed:
16-Foot Truck
A 16-foot truck has about 370 cubic feet of space. This is best for:
- 3-4 bedroom home under 2,000 sq ft
- Light movers with minimal furniture
- Only transporting essential items
This compact truck works well if you plan to make multiple trips and have limited possessions. But for most 4-bedroom homes, you’ll require more space.
20-Foot Moving Truck
For most 4-5 bedroom houses 2,000+ sq ft occupied by an average family, a 20-foot truck with about 500 cubic feet is ideal.
Benefits include:
- Fits contents of most homes this size
- More maneuverable than larger trucks
Measure your furniture and boxes to calculate the cubic footage needed. If it exceeds 400 cubic feet, consider sizing up.
26-Foot Moving Truck
A 26-foot truck with 680+ cubic feet capacity can accommodate larger homes and families who tend to overpack.
Perks of this extra-large truck:
- Fits 4-5 bedrooms with ample stuff
- Additional space for last-minute items
- More packing flexibility
The catch is that it may be trickier to drive. So unless you have excessive possessions, a 20-footer often works fine.
Key Packing Tips
The way you pack the moving truck dramatically impacts the space needed. Use these packing hacks to fit more with less truck:
Utilize Every Inch
- Pack wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling
- Fill awkward gaps with soft items
- Build a storage platform over the wheel wells
Protect Your Belongings
- Pad and wrap fragile items first
- Use furniture blankets on surfaces
- Secure top-heavy furniture to walls
Lighten the Load
- Hold a garage sale beforehand
- Toss or donate unnecessary items
- Consider portable storage for some possessions
With smart loading and strategic packing, a 20-foot truck can haul even sizable home contents.
When in Doubt, Size Up
Renting a larger truck is almost always better than cramming a small one beyond capacity. A few extra feet provide:
- Breathing room while packing
- Flexibility for challenging furniture
- Added insurance against the acquisition of more possessions
Minimize trips and complications by getting the next size up if debating between two options. Just be sure to measure your home’s contents first.
