20-Foot Moving Truck for Family Homes and Full Garages

The 20-foot truck is the family home truck. Once you add kids' rooms, a garage and a backyard to a two-bedroom, the 15-foot truck starts to feel small. A 20-foot truck gives room for the things people forget until moving day: bikes, a grill, holiday bins, garden tools and a garage fridge.

It is typically the right size for:

• A two-bedroom house with a full garage
• A three-bedroom home with average furniture
• A two-bedroom apartment with heavy, oversized pieces
• A move where a second trip is not realistic

If your home is three bedrooms with a packed garage or larger, look at the 26-foot truck.

Keep dirty and oily items away from upholstered furniture. Garage loads bring grease, fertilizer, gas cans and sharp edges into the same box as your sofa. A little planning keeps them separate.

• Drain fuel: empty gas from mowers, trimmers and generators before loading. Do not pack gas cans or propane tanks.
• Bag the dirt: wrap tools and yard gear in old blankets or tarps.
• Load low and to the side: tool chests and workbenches go on the floor, strapped against a side wall.
• Keep chemicals out: paint, pool chemicals and fertilizer should travel separately or be disposed of properly.
• Bikes last: they hang well at the top of a stack or near the door.

If the garage alone is big, an open utility trailer for the yard equipment can keep the truck clean.

Think in walls, not piles. A 20-foot box is long, and a load that is not tied off in sections can shift a long way under braking. Build tight walls from floor to ceiling, one section at a time.

1. Front section: appliances and the heaviest furniture, upright and strapped.
2. Over-cab space: fragile, light items if your truck has it.
3. Middle sections: mattresses on edge, sofas on end where safe, dressers with drawers taped.
4. Rear sections: boxes stacked heavy to light, then garage items.
5. Door area: the first-night box, tools and cleaning supplies.

Tie off each wall to the rails before starting the next. Aim to keep weight balanced between the left and right sides so the truck sits level.

Many families sit close to the line between these two sizes. Walk through your home with this table and count which column describes you better. It is a typical guide, and we confirm current dimensions and capacity when you call.

If most of your answers land in the right column, compare the two on the which truck size page before you call.

A loaded 20-foot truck is a heavy vehicle, and it drives like one. It needs more space to turn and stop, it is taller than many drive-through canopies, and it reacts more to wind on open freeway stretches. Plan your route and give yourself extra time.

• Know your height: read the clearance on the truck before you leave and watch for low signs.
• Plan parking: pick a spot at the new house the day before if street parking is tight.
• Take it slow on ramps: freeway on-ramps and off-ramps are where top-heavy loads feel it most.
• Watch the wind: crosswinds can push a tall truck. Slow down and keep both hands on the wheel.
• Use a spotter: always, when backing into a driveway.

We go over mirrors and controls during the pickup walkaround.

Larger moving trucks are typically the ones set up to tow a tow dolly or auto transport, so many families pair a 20-foot truck with their second car. Confirm the pairing for your specific truck and car when you call.

The type of towing equipment depends on the car. Front-wheel-drive cars often go on a tow dolly. All-wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive and many rear-wheel-drive vehicles usually go on an auto transport. At pickup, we connect everything, check the hitch and lights, and give the 60-second dolly demo when you use one.

Yes. On a tow dolly only the front wheels are lifted, so the towed car's rear tires still roll the whole way. Low or worn tires there can overheat on a long pull, and nobody is watching them from the driver's seat.

Because the repair shop shares this lot, we can look at the towed car's tires, and the brakes on any vehicle you are driving separately, while you pick up the truck. Call ahead so bay time lines up with pickup. You get a written estimate split into need and want, and nothing is done without your approval. Our tire rotation and balancing page explains why wear differs front to rear.

More than a smaller truck, and more than most people plan for. A full family home takes real hours to load, even with a good crew. Bring enough help for the heavy lifting and give everyone short breaks, especially on hot afternoons.

Plan your rental period with the whole day in mind: loading, driving, unloading and refueling before return. If your move runs late, ask about the 24-hour return option at pickup. Photograph the fuel gauge and odometer at both ends.

Reserve early, especially for month-end weekends. Call (909) 608-7699 when your dates are set.