How to Move a 5 Bedroom Home in New Zealand

Moving a five-bedroom home is no small job. There are beds, couches, whiteware, dining tables, wardrobes, boxes, outdoor furniture and probably a garage full of things you forgot you owned.

The good news? With a bit of planning, the right equipment and a truck that is actually big enough for the job, you can tackle a five-bedroom move yourself.

Here’s how to move a five-bedroom home in New Zealand without turning moving day into complete chaos.

1. Start planning before moving day

The biggest mistake you can make with a large house move is leaving everything until the last minute.

For a five-bedroom home, give yourself plenty of time to work through each room and decide what is actually coming with you.

Start with the obvious stuff:

• Bedrooms
• Living rooms
• Dining room
• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Garage
• Outdoor areas
• Storage rooms and cupboards

This is also a good opportunity to get rid of anything you no longer need. There is no point loading something onto a truck, driving it across the country and then deciding you don’t want it after all.

Get your belongings packed and, where possible, moved into an easy loading area before moving day. Having furniture and boxes ready near the garage or front of the house can make a huge difference when the truck arrives.

2. Choose a truck big enough for the job

This is probably the most important decision you’ll make.

Hiring a truck that is too small can mean multiple trips, more fuel, more loading and unloading, and a much longer moving day.

Handy Rentals has a range of trucks to suit different sized moves:

Truck	Approx. home size	Cargo space
Small Truck	1 bedroom	9–12m³
Medium Truck	2 bedrooms	13–16m³
Large Truck	3 bedrooms	17–20m³
Extra Large Truck	4+ bedrooms	21–23m³

For a five-bedroom home, the Extra Large truck is the one to look at. With 21–23m³ of cargo space, it is one of the largest trucks you can drive on a standard car licence and is designed for large household moves.

Of course, every five-bedroom home is different. A five-bedroom home with minimal furniture is very different from one with a packed garage, shed and years of accumulated belongings.

Think of the bedroom ratings as a useful guide rather than a guarantee. If you’re unsure which truck you need, it’s worth talking to the Handy team before booking.

3. Get a truck with a tail lifter

If you’re moving a five-bedroom home, you’re going to have some seriously heavy stuff.

Fridges. Washing machines. Dryers. Couches. Beds. Boxes full of books.

This is where a tail lifter can save a lot of heavy lifting.

A tail lifter raises heavy items from ground level to the height of the truck deck, making it much easier to get bulky items into the truck.

Handy’s Extra Large truck is available with a tail lifter, making it a particularly useful option for a large house move.

For a big DIY move, we’d strongly recommend considering a truck with a tail lifter. Your back will probably be quite happy about the decision.

4. Don’t underestimate the amount of equipment you’ll need

The truck is only part of the equation.

You’ll also want something to protect your furniture and keep everything secure during the drive.

Handy offers moving equipment including:

• Moving blankets
• Tie-downs
• Trolleys
• Heavy-duty trolleys
• Stair-climber trolleys
• Box trolleys

For a large move, Handy’s large moving kit includes 10 moving blankets, 10 tie-downs and two trolleys.

Moving blankets are useful for protecting furniture from scratches and knocks, while tie-downs help stop items from shifting around during the journey.

A trolley is also one of those things you don’t appreciate until you’re standing in front of a fridge wondering how you’re going to get it from the house to the truck.

5. Pack the house before you pack the truck

Trying to organise your belongings while simultaneously loading the truck is a recipe for confusion.

Have everything packed and labelled before you start loading.

A simple system works well:

Room + contents

For example:

• Kitchen – plates
• Kitchen – appliances
• Bedroom 1 – clothes
• Bedroom 2 – books
• Garage – tools
• Bathroom – toiletries

Keep a separate box or bag with the things you’ll need immediately after arriving at your new home. Think kettle, mugs, phone chargers, toiletries, toilet paper, basic tools, medication and a change of clothes.

You don’t want to unpack 47 boxes just to find the kettle.

6. Load the truck strategically

Once everything is packed, it’s time for the giant game of Tetris.

The key is not simply to throw everything into the back and hope the doors close.

Start with your large and heavy items and distribute the weight properly throughout the truck. Beds, whiteware and larger furniture can form the foundation, with smaller boxes and other items filling the gaps.

A good general loading order is:

Start with the big stuff

Load beds, mattresses, couches, tables and large furniture first.

Add your whiteware

Fridges, washing machines, dryers and other heavy appliances should be positioned carefully and secured.

Fill the gaps

Once the big items are in place, use smaller boxes and other items to fill the gaps.

Protect your furniture

Use moving blankets between furniture and other hard surfaces to help prevent scratches and damage.

Secure everything

Use tie-downs to stop furniture and boxes from moving around during the journey.

The aim is to make the load secure, balanced and easy to unload.

7. Make moving day an organised operation

With a five-bedroom home, you don’t want six people wandering around the house carrying random objects while nobody knows what’s happening.

Give everyone a job.

One person can stay in the truck and organise the load while others bring furniture and boxes out. Having someone responsible for organising the truck keeps the loading process much more methodical.

You can also work room by room.

For example:

Team 1: Bedrooms
Team 2: Living areas
Team 3: Kitchen and garage
Truck organiser: Makes sure everything is packed, protected and secured

This might sound overly organised, but when you’re moving an entire five-bedroom house, a little organisation goes a long way.

8. Take your time when driving

Even though Handy’s larger trucks can be driven on a standard Class 1 car licence, remember that a big truck is still a big truck.

It’s longer, wider and heavier than the car you’re probably used to driving.

Give yourself plenty of space, take corners carefully and allow extra stopping distance. Use the reversing camera where fitted and take your time when manoeuvring.

You don’t win any prizes for getting the truck unloaded 15 minutes earlier.

9. Unload strategically

Once you’ve made it to your new home, don’t just unload everything into the garage.

If possible, take furniture and boxes directly into the rooms where they belong.

Get the big items out first while you’ve still got some energy left, then work through the boxes and smaller items.

It might take a little longer at the start, but it can save you hours of moving everything around again later.

So, what truck do you need to move a five-bedroom home?

For a large five-bedroom move, the Extra Large truck is a great place to start.

It offers:

• 21–23m³ of cargo space
• Space for a large household move
• Automatic transmission
• Easy-to-drive design
• Reversing camera
• Standard Class 1 car licence
• Available with a tail lifter

It’s a big truck, but you don’t need a heavy vehicle licence to drive it.

Every five-bedroom home is different, though, so if you’re moving a particularly large amount of furniture, have a packed garage or have lots of bulky items, talk to the Handy team before booking. They can help you work out which vehicle makes sense for your particular move.

Ready to move?

Moving a five-bedroom home is a big job, but having the right truck can make it considerably easier.

Handy Rentals has been helping New Zealand move since 1989. We’re 100% locally owned and operated, with a range of trucks and vans designed for everything from smaller moves through to large household relocations.

We’re also happy to help you work out which vehicle is right for your move. If you’re not sure what you need, give the team a call and talk it through with us.

Ready to get moving? Check out our truck range or book your truck online