You pull up at the drop-off and the customer walks round the back of the truck. The first thing the eye goes to is the corner of the dining table, and the second is the wardrobe door. If either has a fresh scratch, the rest of the job no longer matters. Padding is cheap, and a scratch is the thing customers remember.
This guide is for Sphere drivers with a truck or pickup van who carry household furniture. It covers what to keep in the vehicle and how to use it, so your Sphere jobs end with happy customers.
The small kit that pays for itself
You do not need much, but you need it every day.
- Old blankets, duvets or thick bedsheets (moving blankets if you can get them)
- A roll of stretch wrap or strong cling film for drawers, doors and glass
- Cardboard sheets cut from old cartons for flat surfaces and corners
- Rope or ratchet straps with a soft pad where they touch the furniture
- A few rags or old towels for wedging gaps
- Strong tape for doors and drawers
Keep them dry in a plastic bag or a sealed box. A wet blanket does more harm than none.
Protect the corners first
Most damage happens at corners and edges, because they are the first thing to touch something. Fold a piece of cardboard over the corners of tables, wardrobes and headboards and hold it with tape or stretch wrap. Then wrap the whole piece in a blanket.
Do not tape directly onto painted or polished wood. Tape on the blanket or the cardboard, not the surface. Cheap tape can lift varnish.
Doors, drawers and glass
Open doors and drawers swing and slide when the truck brakes. Tie them closed with stretch wrap or a soft strap, or remove the drawers and carry them separately. Take out glass shelves and mirrors, wrap them in blankets and carry them upright, never flat under other items.
If the customer has a glass-top table, ask who is carrying it before you lift. Our guide on lifting heavy items safely explains how to share the weight and when to stop and call for help.
Mattresses, sofas and soft items
Soft furniture needs to stay clean as much as undamaged. A sofa carried through a dusty compound and loaded straight onto a dirty truck bed will arrive dirty. Lay a blanket or a clean sheet on the truck floor first, wrap the sofa in a sheet or plastic covering and load it on its end or on its back, as the customer's piece allows.
Mattresses are best loaded flat on top of the pile, or standing against the side wall and tied, never bent in the middle. Follow the manufacturer's guidance for mattresses with springs or memory foam. If the customer has a plastic cover, use it.
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Accept move requests in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan on your own schedule. Free to join, and you keep 90% of every job.
Load order and separation
How you load matters as much as what you wrap with.
- Heavy, flat-backed pieces such as wardrobes go against the cabin wall, standing upright.
- Put a blanket between any two pieces that touch.
- Place tables upside down on a blanket with legs wrapped, or take the legs off and bag the screws.
- Light and fragile items go last and on top, not underneath.
- Strap or rope the load so nothing slides, and check again after the first few minutes of driving.
For the full order of work, our guide on how to load a van or truck efficiently goes through the sequence step by step, and the piece on securing a load covers ropes and tarpaulins.
Take photos before you load
If a piece already has a scratch or a loose leg, photograph it with the customer present before you lift it. A quick photo protects you from an argument at the other end and shows the customer you are careful. It takes ten seconds.
Say what you see in plain words: "this corner is already chipped, I am noting it." Most customers appreciate it.
Pack your own space too
Keep your padding in one place near the rear of the vehicle so you can grab it quickly. When the job is done, shake out the blankets, fold them and keep them dry. A tidy truck looks professional before you have said a word.
How to do this on Sphere
- Read the job description and photos before you accept an offer or send a counter-offer. Note furniture type, number of pieces and stairs.
- Confirm in the chat that the customer will help carry the delicate or glass items.
- Agree loading and offloading help with the customer before you accept.
- Bring padding for the items listed, and photograph existing marks before you lift.
Drivers who want to join can start from the drive and earn page and the driver app at sphere.ng/download-driver.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to buy proper moving blankets?
No, but you need something thick and clean. Old blankets and duvets work well, and moving blankets are a good buy if you move furniture often.
Should I wrap everything in stretch wrap?
Use it on drawers, doors and loose parts. Do not wrap leather or polished wood tightly for a long trip, because it can trap damp and mark the finish. Put a blanket between the wrap and the surface.
What if the customer says the item was already damaged?
Photograph it before you lift, in front of the customer, and agree what you see. Note it in the chat so there is a record.
Where do I put mattresses on a pickup van?
Flat on top of the load or upright against the side and tied. Do not fold them, and keep them off the wet floor of the vehicle.
Is padding the driver's job or the customer's?
Agree it in the chat before you accept an offer. Many customers expect the driver to bring blankets, so say clearly what you will bring.
Start driving
Turn your truck or van into steady income
Accept move requests in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan on your own schedule. Free to join, and you keep 90% of every job.
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