The customer has a chest freezer on the first floor, a narrow stair and two helpers who have already said they cannot carry it. A driver with a sack truck and a pair of straps can solve it in ten minutes. A driver with nothing is standing at the bottom of the stairs, calling for a friend.
Good loading gear makes jobs shorter and safer, and it helps you accept bigger bulk moves with confidence. You do not need to buy everything on day one. Start with what pays back soonest.
A sack truck (hand truck)
This is the first thing to buy. A sack truck takes the weight of a fridge, a cooker, boxes of stock or a cabinet, and lets one person move it on a flat floor. Choose one with solid or good pneumatic wheels, a strong steel frame and a toe plate wide enough for your usual loads.
Strap the load to the frame before you tilt it. Do not use it on soft sand or loose gravel, and do not try to take it down a flight of stairs unless the load is light and you have a helper. For stairs, read moving furniture up and down stairs in a block of flats.
A flat furniture trolley
A four-wheel moving dolly, the low flat kind, is ideal for sofas, wardrobes on their side, mattresses and heavy boxes across a smooth floor. It is also useful when you load a truck from a long corridor or a warehouse. Put a blanket on it first so the furniture does not slide.
Ramps
A strong loading ramp saves backs, especially with a high truck bed. It must be rated for the weight, wide enough for the wheels and fixed so it cannot slip. Never put a ramp on a steep slope or soft ground. If the compound is uneven, see loading on a slope or soft ground.
Straps, ropes and blankets
Ratchet straps and good rope hold the load, and moving blankets protect the furniture. Carry more than you think you need. A tarpaulin goes in the cab too. The full routine is in our guide to securing a load.
Gloves, boots and a back support
Gloves and closed boots save hands and toes. If you lift often, follow the habits in lifting heavy items safely: bend the knees, keep the load close and never twist while carrying. A belt does not replace good lifting, so use it only as a reminder.
Drive with Sphere
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.
Small tools that save a job
- A screwdriver set and a spanner for taking beds and wardrobes apart
- A torch, because evening offloads happen when the power is out
- Masking tape and a marker for labelling parts
- A tape measure for doors and gate widths
- Plastic bags for screws and fittings
Buy in the right order
If money is tight, buy second-hand strong gear before new cheap gear. A thin frame that bends under a fridge is worse than nothing. Add one item after each good week, and let the jobs you accept guide what you need next. A driver who mostly moves shop stock needs a sack truck first, while one who moves bedrooms needs blankets and a trolley.
Keep the gear in order
Wipe the sack truck and check the wheels every week. Oil any hinge or bearing that squeaks. Tidy ramps and straps so they are ready at the next job. A clean, organised truck tells the customer you take the work seriously, and many customers will pick the driver who arrives prepared. Pair it with a habit of photographing the load.
How to use this on Sphere
On Sphere, drivers who mention their gear in a counter-offer message often give the customer more confidence. Say what you carry: "I have a sack truck, ramp, straps and blankets". Before you accept any job, read the load description and ask the customer about stairs and access, and agree loading and offloading help before you accept. If you are not yet on Sphere, you can drive and earn. Drivers submit their licence, ID and vehicle details for approval, and keep 90% of each job.
Frequently asked questions
What should I buy first?
A sack truck, then straps and blankets. A ramp comes next if your truck bed is high.
Can I carry a fridge on a sack truck?
Yes, strapped and kept upright, on a flat surface. Follow the fridge's manufacturer guidance on moving.
Do I need a ramp for a pickup van?
Not always, but it helps with heavy items and keeps your back safe.
How do I use a sack truck on stairs?
Only for light loads and with a helper. For heavy items on stairs, use more people and take things apart.
Is gear a reason for a customer to choose me?
Often yes. It shows you are prepared and are likely to handle the load carefully.
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.
Get New Guides
Join Sphere's logistics insights list
New guides on moving homes, offices and business goods, sent to your inbox.
