How do you pack the moving truck step by step?
-
Step 1: Place everything that needs to be moved near the door, sorted by heavy, long, fragile and boxes. our advice
-
Step 2: Empty the larger cupboards and only leave light, unbreakable items in the drawers.
-
Step 3: Load the heaviest items first and low, so that the centre of gravity is near the middle of the car.
-
Step 4: Fill up with boxes, heavy at the bottom and light at the top, and pack tightly so that nothing can slide. our advice
-
Step 5: Secure the load with tie-down straps in the load loops, one row at a time.
3 chapter 80 § traffic regulation (1998:1276), checked 5 October 2026
-
Step 6: Put the fragile items and what you need first last, closest to the door. our advice
-
Step 7: Check that no straps are hanging outside and that protruding loads are marked before you drive.
3 chap. 82 § traffic regulations (1998:1276), checked 5 October 2026
Source: Transportstyrelsen: Load securing, Traffic Ordinance (1998:1276) (riksdagen.se), Guldhedens Flytt: Packing tips for moving, Guldhedens Flytt: How to move with Guldheden?. Steps 1, 4 and 6 are our advice. 3 chap. 80 to 82 §§ Traffic Ordinance.
What should be loaded first when packing the moving van?
The heaviest. Transportstyrelsen writes that the center of gravity of the load should be as low and as close to the middle of the car as possible. Guldhedens Flyttexpress, a removal company in Gothenburg, describes the same procedure: heavier objects first and then lighter boxes, so that the transport becomes stable.
In practice, this means fridge, freezer, washing machine, bureaus and bookshelves first, placed against the cargo compartment walls. Mats are rolled up and tied, and curtain rods and other long items are bundled together so that they can be carried and placed along the side. Bed bases, table tops and mattresses are placed upright along the sides. The boxes fill in the gaps, and the fragile items are placed last and on top. The order is our advice, the mats and long items come from Guldhedens packing tips.
Source: Transportstyrelsen: Securing loads, Guldhedens Flytt: How to move with Guldheden?, Guldhedens Flytt: Packing tips for moving
How do you secure the load in a moving truck?
The Road Traffic Ordinance states that a load must not be transported in a way that could pose a risk to anyone, damage property, fall off or obstruct driving, and that it must be secured if the load space or load requires it. Lashing straps hold the load in place against the substrate, and for loads on a trailer, Transportstyrelsen recommends lashing straps with tensioners. The heavier the load, the stronger the straps. Ropes are suitable for lighter loads if they have the right dimensions and are intact. Use the load loops if the car has them.
Bands, ropes and tarpaulins must not hang loose outside the car or drag on the ground. Tighten one row at a time instead of the whole load at once, so that what is loaded first is fixed even when the car is half full. That is our advice, as well as stopping after the first few kilometers and checking the bands. Transportstyrelsen tips on having a reflective vest in the car for the person who needs to get out on the hard shoulder and check the load.
Source: Trafikförordning (1998:1276) (riksdagen.se), Transportstyrelsen: Securing of loads. Chapters 3, sections 80 and 81 of the traffic regulations.
How do you protect the furniture in the moving truck?
Empty larger cupboards. Guldheden states that even locked doors can open during transport. Pack glass and porcelain standing in the boxes, with plenty of protective material, and protect paintings and mirrors with thick cardboard. Place blankets or cardboard between furniture that stands against each other, and wrap table legs and corners. This is our advice. How the boxes are packed and labelled is stated in step 3, pack, and where you can get boxes in the guide on moving boxes.
Source: Guldhedens Flytt: Packing tips for moving.
What applies if the load sticks out?
If the load protrudes in front of the car, or more than one meter behind it, the outermost part must be clearly marked, for example with a red flag. In the dark, twilight and dawn, it should be marked with a lantern and reflectors, white forward and red backward. Load that protrudes more than 20 centimeters to the side must also be marked. If it does not fit inside the moving truck, it is usually better to drive twice. It is our advice.
Source: Trafikförordning (1998:1276) (riksdagen.se), Transportstyrelsen: Load securing. 3 kap. 82 and 83 §§ of the Traffic Regulation.
How much can you load in the moving van?
Transportstyrelsen states that licence B is sufficient for a car and a light trailer with a light trailer vehicle, where the total weight of the vehicle combination is at most 3,500 kilos. The extended B licence applies to combinations where the car and trailer together weigh at most 4,250 kilos. Transportstyrelsen also reminds you of the car's technical limitations. Ask the landlord how much the car can load, and count on the fact that furniture and boxes weigh more than you think. The last is our advice. Driving licence and trailer in detail can be found on the page about renting a trailer or van.
Source: Transportstyrelsen: Load securing, Transportstyrelsen: Car with trailer.
Where should the moving truck be parked while you are loading?
As close to the door as the rules allow. Loading is not considered parking, so you can stop to load even where there is a parking ban, but not on the pavement. What applies in Gothenburg, and how you apply for a dispensation if the car must be parked where it is otherwise not allowed, is stated in the post about where the removal van can be parked in Gothenburg. Include picking up and dropping off the car in Your moving plan.
Source: Trafikförordning (1998:1276) (riksdagen.se). 3 kap. 48 § trafikförordningen.
Common questions
What should you load first in the moving van?
The heaviest furniture and appliances, low and against the walls. Then boxes, heavy under light, and finally the fragile. Transportstyrelsen writes that the centre of gravity should be as low and close to the middle of the car as possible.
Who is responsible for securing the load?
The driver. According to the traffic regulations, the load must be secured when the cargo space or load requires it. Transportstyrelsen writes that the driver can be prosecuted for example reckless driving if things go wrong.
Should the outgoing load be marked?
Yes, if it protrudes in front of the vehicle or more than one metre behind it. In darkness and twilight, it should be marked with a lamp and reflectors, white forward and red backward.
The law behind it
3 chapter 80 § traffic regulation (1998:1276), checked 5 October 2026
The load must not be carried on or in a vehicle so that it can pose a danger to people, cause damage to property, drag behind or fall off the vehicle, cause disturbing dust formation, hinder driving or produce unnecessary noise. The load should be secured if necessary with regard to the cargo space or the nature of the load, and if necessary, covered.
3 chap. 82 § traffic regulations (1998:1276), checked 5 October 2026
When driving on the road, the outermost part of the load must be clearly marked when the load protrudes in front of a vehicle or more than one metre behind a vehicle. In the dark, at dusk and dawn, the load must be marked with a front light showing white light and white reflectors, and at the back with a light showing red light and red reflectors.