GoMini's - Bay Area Modular Moving & Storage

For questions or assistance, call us at 866-421-6464

Load Tips

Before you Begin

Before making final arrangements for your move, confirm the ability for a MINI to be positioned in the street in front of your residence, in your driveway, in your apartment complex or wherever you like.  Contact local authorities to obtain any necessary parking permits, check for tight turns and low clearances where a delivery truck may have difficulty maneuvering, and notify neighbors to arrange enough space for parking the MINI.

Contact your local utility companies and arrange to have them disconnect your services after you have completed your load.

Prepare the Home

Remove any interior and/or exterior doors, which may be too narrow to allow for the furniture coming out of them.  Remove the shock mechanism on the storm doors so the door can open fully.  This will allow for easier removal of items through these locations, eliminating the need to open and close the door.

Use old blankets or towels to pad all banisters.  Doing so will prevent your items from being scratched if bumped against the banister. 

Protect hardwood floors by placing flattened cartons on the surfaces.  Secure the cartons together with tape and then to a carpeted area.  Do not stick tape to hardwood floors as it could remove the finish.

Clear pathways for moving items in and out.  For example, remove items from hallways and tie up any low hanging light fixtures.

Disassembling Items

Disassemble furniture such as tables and beds.  This includes removing of table leaves.  Pad table legs together into a bundle, using a paper pad.  To make sure the wood surfaces of legs do not touch each other, roll each leg once with the pad before putting in the next one.  Consider using a third-party service for items such as pool tables and large wooden swing sets.

Place all hardware into a plastic bag.  Label the bag with the item the hardware belongs to.  Place all bags containing hardware into a 1.5 cubic foot carton labeled "Parts Box".  For ease of locating, this carton should be the last item loaded and the first item unloaded.

Preparing Appliances

A few steps should be taken 24 to 48 hours before loading refrigerators and/or freezers.  Disconnect any waterlines and pack glass shelving in a carton.  Place a nylon sock full of charcoal or unused coffee grounds inside to control musty odors.

Turn off the water valve for washing machines.  Disconnect and place the water and drain hoses inside the machine.  Tilt the washer back near a drain to remove any excess water remaining in the drum.  If you have a gas dryer, contact a professional to disconnect it.  Place dryer vent hoses inside the unit.  Before loading these appliances, raise the levelers (feet) to keep them from breaking while in transit.

If you are moving a microwave, pack the glass dish or shelves into a carton.  Microwaves can either be paper padded and placed into a dishpack or paper padded and loaded loose.

Protecting Furniture

Pad all furniture items by covering all surfaces with a paper pad.  Use tape to hold the pad onto the item, but do not let tape stick to the surfaces.  Large cloth furniture such as sofas can be shrink-wrapped first for extra protection.  Remove any pillows and/or arm chair covers and pack them into a carton.

Safety

When lifting, stand close to the item with your feet shoulder width apart, elbows tucked in, and chin down.  Always lift with your legs and not your back, keeping your back as straight and as vertical as possible.  Do not twist your back while carrying items.  Have an available helper to assist in lifting heavy items.  Keep a firm grip on the object using the entire hand.

When using a utility or appliance dolly, make sure the blades are centered and completely under the load.  Always keep the dolly in front of you as you walk.  Keep the load balanced, with heavier items on the bottom, and never load items on a dolly higher than chest level.  We recommend that you do not use dollies to move furniture.

Utilize the strap on appliance dollies to help secure the item.  When going up or down the ramp or steps, we recommend that a second person be used to help support the item.

Load Construction

Construct your load one "tier" at a time.  To maximize space and prevent items from shifting while in transit, load each tier tightly from floor to ceiling.  When done properly, each tier should be self-supporting.  A "wide" tier consists of items that have a larger circumference.  The base of a wide tier should contain items such as washers, dryers, wardrobe cartons, and overstuffed furniture (i.e., couches, high back chairs).  Fill in voids of sofas with cartons or other lighter items.  Sofas should be loaded on end with the legs up against the sidewall of the MINI.

For "wide" mid-tier items, consider medium-weight items such as overstuffed chairs and large plastic storage bins.

To complete the top of the "wide" tier, consider lightweight items such as coolers, small plastic bins, 4.5 cubic foot cartons with comforter blankets, or sofa cushions.

A "standard" tier consists of items that are not so wide.  The base of a standard tier should contain items such as dressers, buffets, credenzas, heavy dishpacks, and heavy 1.5 cubit foot cartons. 

For "standard" mid-tier items, consider placing medium-weight items such as table chairs, car top cargo carriers, gas barbecue grills (without the propane tank attached), and sturdy cartons.

To complete the top of the "standard" tier, consider lightweight items such as small bookshelves, sleeping bags, cartons with lampshades, and outdoor cushions.

Securing the Load

Throughout your load process, we recommend using straps or rope within every 10 feet of the MINI to secure your shipment.  The connection points should be behind the front face of the tier, and you should strategically place two to three straps against the items in the tier.  In addition, any items set on wheels or castors and acting as a base for a tier must be secured to the wall with its own individual strap.  This will keep the items from moving while in transit.

Complete your load by constructing a full tier from floor to ceiling and then by securing it with straps or rope.  Avoid "tiering" down (stair stepping) to complete your load, as this will not prevent movement while in transit.  Mattresses in cartons are an ideal way to complete your load because when strapped, they act as a wall to prevent items from moving backward.  Note that the "Parts Box" is the last item placed in the trailer.

Unloading

When you arrive at destination, prepare your home for unloading in the same fashion you did for loading by protecting wooden floor surfaces, removing doors and shocks to storm doors, and clearing pathways for walking.  To eliminate double handling of goods and to save time, devise a plan for where you will place items in each room.

Once the trailer has arrived and your ramp is securely in place, locate your "Parts Box" containing the hardware from disassembled furniture.  Place the carton in a safe place so you know where it is when you are ready to reassemble items.

When bringing furniture items into the new residence, remove the paper pad once it is in its new location.  Use empty wardrobe cartons to put discarded material into.  Do not place cartons in areas that you have planned to position furniture or where there are walkways.

When you are Finished

Once unloading has been completed, sweep and remove debris in the MINI.  Gather all the supplied equipment pieces and secure them in a safe location.

Contact GoMini's to arrange for removal of the MINI.  We ask that you be present when the driver arrives to remove the MINI.