Keeping your belongings safe in a trailer begins with proper packing and follows through the entire loading, driving and unloading process. In order to safely move your items in a trailer, you need to have all of the right supplies.
Packing a Trailer
For starters, make sure you are using the right moving supplies as you begin the packing process. Glass items should be wrapped using packing paper or bubble wrap. For electronics, you’ll want to use the proper boxes. This means picture, mirror and tv boxes.
Loading a Trailer
Once you’re done with the packing, you can begin the loading process. Regardless of what style of trailer you’re using (open or closed trailer), the same rules will apply. Most importantly you want to load the trailer applying the 60/40 rule. This means you load the 60 percent of the weight in the front of the trailer and 40 percent in the back. It is crucial you do this correctly in order to avoid the trailer from swaying.
In addition to the 60/40 rule, you need to tie down your load in sections to avoid it from shifting during the drive. Use tie-downs and the sides of the trailer to do this. As you tie down your sections use blankets, towels or furniture pads to fill the gaps. Again, this will help prevent the load from shifting.
For more loading tips, check out this post.
Locking a Trailer
Lastly, before taking off it’s recommending that you use a lock to lock the trailer chains to your vehicle. This is to prevent any unwanted persons from disconnecting the trailer when left unattended. The video below can walk you through the correct way to do this.
Remember you’ll also want to use a second lock to lock the trailer door if you’re using a closed trailer. If you’re towing an open trailer, be sure to always keep an eye on the load and never leave it unattended.
What tips can you share for keeping your belongings safe in a trailer? Share in the comments below.
