First time loading a van properly? You’ll either wing it and spend the journey worried about everything shifting, or you’ll spend two hours tetris-ing it perfectly and still have stuff left over.
Let me show you how professionals do it. Not because it’s complicated – it’s not – but because there’s technique involved that saves time, protects your stuff, and stops you getting hurt.
The Kit You Actually Need
Forget the fancy moving equipment catalogues. Here’s what matters:
Essential (Don’t Skip These)
Ratchet straps (4-6 straps minimum)
Not bungee cords. Not rope. Ratchet straps. Available from DIY stores or online. They’ll last years.
Why ratchets? Because they don’t stretch, you can tension them properly, and they don’t snap when you hit a speed bump.
Length: 3-4 metres for most van jobs. Get ones rated for 500kg minimum load.
Moving blankets (4-6 minimum)
Protect furniture edges, wrap fragile items, fill gaps between loads. Available from moving supply retailers.
Old duvets work if you’re budget-conscious, but proper moving blankets are thicker and have handles/straps sometimes.
Stretch wrap (1-2 rolls)
Kitchen drawers, cupboard doors, anything with bits that’ll fly open. Wrap them closed.
Also brilliant for bundling awkward items together or protecting upholstered furniture from marks.
Very Useful
Heavy-duty gloves
Your hands will thank you. Splinters, scrapes, bashed knuckles – it all adds up. Well spent on protection.
Trolley/sack truck
If you’re moving appliances or stacked boxes, this saves your back considerably. Available to hire alongside your van for a small daily fee, or you can buy one from most DIY stores.
Cargo nets
Additional security layer for smaller items that might shift. Useful but not essential if you pack properly.
Nice to Have
Edge protectors
Foam or cardboard corners that protect furniture from strap marks. Pros use these, but you can improvise with folded blankets.
Tool kit
For dismantling furniture that won’t fit through doors. Screwdriver set, adjustable spanner, Allen keys.
Moving Equipment
Available to hire alongside your van:
- Trolleys
- Furniture straps
- Moving blankets
Or bring your own – we’re not precious about it.
The Loading Sequence That Actually Works
People load vans randomly. Then wonder why everything shifts. There’s an order to this.
Step 1: Heavy Items Against the Bulkhead
Fridge, washing machine, boxes of books – anything heavy goes right behind the cab.
Why? Weight over the axle improves handling. Heavy weight at the back makes the front light, steering gets vague, emergency braking’s worse.
How? Use the trolley. Strap directly to the bulkhead lashing points. Don’t trust friction alone.
Step 2: Longest Items Down the Sides
Bed frames, sofas, table tops. Stand them vertically against the van walls.
Why? Maximises floor space for other stuff. Furniture’s often stronger on its edge than laid flat.
How? Blanket the bottom edge (protects the van floor and the furniture), lean it in, strap it to the side wall lashing points.
Step 3: Medium Weight, Medium Size
Chairs, small cabinets, stackable boxes – fill the middle section.
Why? Creates a stable core. Locks the vertical items in place, provides a base for lighter items on top.
How? Tetris it. Nestle chairs under table overhangs. Stack boxes heaviest-to-lightest. Use every inch of width.
Step 4: Light/Fragile Items on Top
Lampshades, cushions, bags of clothes, anything soft or light.
Why? They won’t crush anything, they fill gaps, they’re last in so first out (usually your “essentials” box is in this category).
How? Wedge them in. If there are small gaps between loads, stuff them with soft items.
Step 5: Final Loose Items
Mops, brooms, plants – the awkward stuff that doesn’t fit categories.
Why? Because you’ve run out of proper space and now you’re improvising.
How? Lay them diagonally across the top, tuck them down the sides, accept they’ll shift a bit.
London-Specific Loading Tactics
The “I’m Double-Parked” Fast Load
You’ve got 15 minutes before a traffic warden appears or someone starts honking. Priority’s speed over perfection.
Tactic: Load in categories (all boxes, then furniture, then loose items). Don’t try to Tetris it perfectly. Get it in, strap the heavy items minimum, drive to somewhere quieter (supermarket car park, friend’s drive), repack properly.
Seen this save people multiple times. Don’t risk a £130 parking ticket trying to load perfectly on a Westminster street at 10am.
The Multi-Floor Collection
Victorian conversion, no lift, fourth floor. You’re shuttling items down.
Tactic: Stage everything on the ground floor first. Don’t load as you bring it down – you’ll be exhausted by floor two and packing badly.
Stack by category outside, then load the van properly in one go. Takes the same total time but your load will be secure.
The Tight Street Problem
Can only park 20 metres from the door, narrow pavement, people trying to get past.
Tactic: Box everything you can. Boxes stack, stack efficiently, and move faster than loose items. Use the trolley for multiple-box runs.
For furniture, dismantle what you can. Bed frame that’s 2m long assembled? Breaks into 1m pieces. Fits better, moves faster.
How to Strap Properly (Because Nobody Shows You)
Common mistake: One strap across everything vaguely holding it together.
Correct approach: Individual items (or item groups) strapped to specific lashing points.
Lashing Points
Every van has them – metal loops or rails down the sides and across the floor. Usually 6-10 points per side.
Hook your ratchet into these, not random bits of van structure.
The Ratchet Technique
- Hook one end to a lashing point
- Thread the strap around/over your load
- Hook the other end to a lashing point on the opposite side
- Pull the slack through the ratchet
- Pump the ratchet handle until snug (not crushing-tight, just secure)
- Check it can’t lift or shift more than a centimetre
Don’t over-tighten. You want secure, not compressed. Furniture can crack under pressure.
Diagonal Strapping
For tall items (wardrobes standing up, fridge), use diagonal straps. One strap from bottom-left to top-right, another from bottom-right to top-left. Creates a stable X-shape.
Just horizontal straps? Item can still slide forward under braking.
Common Strap Mistakes
Too loose: Item shifts, potentially damages other things or itself.
Too few: One strap isn’t enough for multiple items. Use 2-3 minimum for a full load.
Wrong angle: Strap going straight up and down does nothing. You need angles to create tension.
No blanket protection: Strap cuts into furniture edge under tension. Blanket first, then strap.
Load Layouts for Common London Jobs
1-Bed Flat Move
Load order:
- Washing machine (against bulkhead, trolley in, strap to floor/bulkhead)
- Fridge (next to washing machine)
- Bed frame sections (vertical down both sides)
- Mattress (vertical, between side items)
- Sofa (diagonal across the middle, might fit vertical if it’s a 2-seater)
- Table/chairs (chairs stack, table top on its side)
- Boxes (stacked in remaining floor space)
- Loose items and bags on top
Van needed: Long wheelbase minimum, possibly Luton if you’re not ruthless about decluttering.
Market Stall Equipment
Load order:
- Gazebo frame (folded, against bulkhead)
- Trestle tables (folded, flat on the floor)
- Weights (in containers, low down for stability)
- Stock crates (stacked)
- Display items and signage on top
Van needed: Medium wheelbase usually plenty.
Key point: You’re unloading this in 20 minutes at 5am in the dark. Load so everything’s accessible fast. Last in, first out principle.
Trade Materials Run
Load order:
- Plasterboard sheets (flat if Luton, diagonal if LWB)
- Bags of cement/sand (low down, against sides)
- Timber (down the side, protected with blankets from scraping the walls)
- Toolboxes
- Loose tools and materials in the gaps
Van needed: LWB or Luton depending on sheet quantity.
Key point: Weight adds up fast. Check your payload capacity. Cement bags are 25kg each – 20 bags = half a tonne before you add anything else.
Protecting High-Value Items
Antique Furniture
Wrap entirely in blankets. Strap the blanket itself so it doesn’t slip off. Create a blanket “nest” around it using other items.
Position in the middle of the load, not near the doors where it might shift on cornering.
Consider hiring a man-and-van service for genuinely valuable antiques. Insurance matters.
Electronics (TVs, Computers)
Original boxes if you’ve got them. Otherwise, blanket-wrap and strap in place lying flat (not on edge).
TVs are surprisingly fragile. Never lean them against things at an angle. Flat or upright in original packaging only.
Musical Instruments
Case them. Then blanket-wrap the case. Position where they won’t get crushed or have weight on them.
Guitars/violins should be in the cab with you if possible. I’ve seen people strap guitars into the passenger seat. Looks daft, protects a £2k instrument.
Artwork/Mirrors
Sandwich between mattresses or blankets. Strap the sandwich together so it’s one rigid unit.
Stand upright, don’t lay flat with weight on top. Glass breaks from pressure, not vibration.
What Not to Do (Seen All of These)
Don’t load with doors open, then try strapping. You’ll waste 30 minutes repositioning things you can’t reach.
Don’t mix heavy and fragile. Box of china next to a toolbox that’ll slide into it? That’s a £200 mistake.
Don’t trust friction alone. “It’s wedged in tight” lasts until the first roundabout.
Don’t block your view in the side mirrors. Load too high and you can’t see traffic. Dangerous and possibly illegal.
Don’t leave gaps. Items shift into gaps. Tight packing prevents movement.
Don’t overload. Legal payload limits exist. Exceed them and your insurance is void, plus you’re driving illegally.
The Pre-Drive Check
Before you leave, do this:
- Bounce test – shake the van (literally, grab the side and rock it). Hear things moving? Restrap.
- Mirror check – can you see both side mirrors? If not, reposition the load.
- Door check – close the doors fully and check they’re latched properly. Seen vans drive off with barn doors flapping.
- Strap check – every ratchet tight? No loose straps hanging?
Adds two minutes. Saves hours of hassle if something shifts mid-journey.
Urban Driving With a Loaded Van
Accelerate gently – sudden acceleration makes everything slide backward.
Brake early and gradually – everything wants to slide forward. Hard braking’s worse with weight.
Corners slow – loaded van’s centre of gravity is higher. Takes corners faster than empty and you’ll feel it tilt.
Speed bumps at 10mph max – seriously. Hit one at 20mph with a load and you’ll hear (and feel) everything shift. Might damage the van, definitely damages your stuff.
Roundabouts with caution – lateral forces. Even strapped items can shift if you’re going too fast.
Basically, drive like you’ve got a wedding cake in the back. Because in terms of how carefully you should be treating your load, you have.
After the Move: Damage Check
Before returning the van:
- Check load area for damage (dents, scrapes, marks)
- Remove all straps and equipment
- Clean out obvious debris (broken furniture, packing materials)
- Check nothing’s leaked (paint tins, cleaning products)
Small marks? Probably fine. Dent in the bulkhead from your washing machine shifting? That’s coming out of your deposit.
Take photos at pickup showing van condition, then at return. Covers you if there’s any dispute about pre-existing damage.
Where to Get Help
Hire a van from us and we’ll walk you through loading basics at collection if you’re a first-timer. We’d rather spend five minutes showing you proper technique than deal with damage claims later.
Also happy to recommend moving equipment hire or point you toward decent ratchet straps if you’re buying. Just ask us when you book.
Bottom Line
Loading a van safely isn’t hard, but there’s definitely right and wrong ways to do it.
Heavy items low and forward. Strap individual items properly to lashing points. Protect edges with blankets. Fill gaps with soft items. Check before driving.
Follow that and you’ll arrive with everything intact and your deposit returned.
Wing it and you’ll be repacking at the side of the road after the first roundabout, wondering why everything’s shifted.
