Moving can be a very challenging experience. When loading a moving truck, it’s important to arrange everything properly to keep your items from being damaged or broken during transportation to your new home.

Here are some tips on loading a moving truck the proper way, so you can minimize the risk of damage.

Step 1: Load your heaviest, largest items. If you’re bringing appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators, or stoves, they should go in the truck first, as far back toward the cab as possible. Place furniture pads between heavy items to keep them from bumping against each other.

Step 2: Load your furniture. The next category to load is furniture. Place couches vertically to conserve space and make a tighter pack. If you have furniture with mirrors, cover the glass with blankets or towels. Mattresses and box springs can be placed between headboards, tables, long mirrors, and other furniture to help cushion them.

Note: Make sure your furniture load is balanced, with roughly equal weight on either side of the truck, to smooth out the ride and prevent the possibility of tipping the truck on sharp turns.

Step 3: Load heavy boxes. Once all the large items are packed, you can start loading your boxes. Place the heaviest boxes in first, making sure that the load is evenly balanced. Leave room between heavy boxes and the roof of the truck for lighter items.

Step 4: Load light boxes and fragile items. Stack light boxes on top of your heavy boxes. Any fragile items—which must be carefully packed and well marked with “fragile” to avoid accidental damage—should be packed at the very top, above the light boxes. It can be difficult and time-consuming to properly load a moving truck. You may find it more cost-efficient to hire a professional moving company like EZ Movers to load, transport, and unload your items safely. EZ Movers and, including its team of Minneapolis movers, has been serving the Chicago area and customers throughout the continental U.S. since 1997.