You know, I was helping my cousin move last month, and we stood in his driveway staring at this rented truck, having the exact same panic attack you’re probably having right now. “Did we get one too big? Is it way too small?” His wife was already stressing about whether her grandmother’s hutch would fit.

Let me tell you what we learned the hard way, so you don’t have to.

First – why does everyone get this so wrong? Because we’re terrible at mental math when it comes to couches and boxes. That “cozy” living room set suddenly looks like it belongs in a mansion when you’re trying to shove it into a metal box on wheels.

Here’s the game-changer most people don’t think about: you don’t have to move all your stuff at once.

I’ll say that again because it’s important.

When my cousin and I hit that wall of “this will never fit,” what saved us was remembering there’s a Storage Solutions place right down the street from his new house. We ended up loading all the non-essential stuff first – the Christmas decorations, his kayak, the guest bedroom furniture nobody uses – and dropped it at a storage unit on our way. Suddenly, the truck felt roomy again.

Let’s Get Real About Truck Sizes

Forget the technical descriptions. Here’s what these trucks actually feel like:

• The 10-foot truck is basically a large van. It’s what you rent when you’re moving out of a dorm room or a studio apartment. If you have more than one room’s worth of stuff, it’s going to be a very tight squeeze.
• The 16-foot truck is where most families end up. It looks massive when you pull up, but then you start loading and realize your king-size bed takes up a shocking amount of space. This is the size where you’ll find yourself having serious debates about whether you really need that coffee table.
• The 20-foot truck is for when you’re moving a proper house. The one with a garage full of tools and a basement full of… well, whatever we put in basements. Driving this thing feels like you’re piloting a school bus. You’ll need a friend to help you back up, and God help you if you encounter a narrow street.

The Secret Weapon

Here’s what I wish someone had told me before my first big move: Your storage unit isn’t just for long-term stuff. It’s your overflow valve. It’s your “I’ll deal with this later” space.

When we help people at Storage Solutions, we see this all the time. The smart movers get a unit for a month or two – just enough time to handle the essentials at their new place without tripping over boxes of holiday decorations or that exercise bike that’s been collecting dust.

Your Action Plan

1. Do the “walk-through” – but be brutal about it. Are you really going to set up that massive desk immediately? Do you need all your winter coats in the middle of summer? Be honest.
2. Make three piles in your head:
   • The “I need this tomorrow” pile (bed, coffee maker, basic clothes).
   • The “I love this but can live without it for a month” pile.
   • The “why do I even own this?” pile.

That middle pile? That’s your storage unit right there.

When you look at truck sizes, go one size up from what you think. Always. The extra $30 is cheaper than the panic attack when your sofa won’t fit.

Making It Work Together

Here’s how we made it work for my cousin:

We loaded the storage unit stuff first – the kayak, the Christmas decorations, the guest bed. Dropped it at Storage Solutions on the way to the new house. The beautiful part? He didn’t have to rush to unpack everything at once. He got settled gradually, without the stress.

A month later, when he had everything else sorted, we went back for the storage unit stuff. And you know what? He ended up donating about half of it because he realized he didn’t miss it.

That’s the real secret – moving doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing marathon. Sometimes, giving yourself some breathing room with a storage unit makes the whole process actually manageable.

Final Thought

If you’re in our area, stop by Storage Solutions and talk to us about our month-to-month options. We’re not just here to store your stuff – we’re here to help make your move less stressful.

Anyway, that’s what I learned from helping my cousin. Hope it helps you avoid standing in a driveway having a panic attack like we did!