For most share-house and student moves, the best vehicle is a standard mid-size cargo van. A single room’s worth of belongings, a bed or mattress, a desk, boxes, and a few bits of furniture, fits comfortably in one trip, which is exactly what moving into a share house or student accommodation involves. It is big enough to save you the two or three car loads that turn a simple move into an all-day job, but small enough to stay easy to drive, easy to park on a tight inner-suburb street, and cheaper than hiring a truck you do not need.
If you are travelling very light, with just boxes and no large furniture, a ute can be enough, and if you are moving a fully furnished room or sharing the trip with a housemate, a larger van is the step up. But for the typical one-room move, a standard van is the sweet spot on space, cost, and ease.
Why a standard van is the right size
A share-house or student move is almost always a single-room move, and that is what makes the standard van such a good fit. You are not shifting a whole house, you are shifting one bedroom’s worth of things into a room that often already has some furniture. A standard cargo van swallows a single mattress or bed frame, a desk and chair, a chest of drawers, and a stack of boxes in one go, which means one trip instead of several. That single-trip factor is the whole point, because the time and fuel of driving back and forth in a car is what makes a move drag. At the same time, a van drives on a normal car licence, so there is no special test and nothing unfamiliar about handling it, which matters if you have not driven anything bigger than a car before.
When a ute is enough
Not every student move needs a van, and it is worth being honest about that. If you are moving into a furnished room and taking mostly boxes, clothes, books, a bit of kitchen gear, and maybe a single soft item or two, a ute can do the job and costs less than a van. A ute is also handy if what you are moving is bulky but weatherproof, or if you are making a quick dump run at the same time. The trade-off is that a ute has an open tray, so a load needs tying down and covering if rain is a risk, and you cannot just close the doors and drive as you can with a van. For a light, boxes-only move on a dry day, a ute is the economical pick. For anything with real furniture, or if the weather is uncertain, the enclosed van is the safer choice.
When to size up to a larger van
There are a few situations where the standard van is not quite enough and stepping up makes sense. The first is a fully furnished room you are moving in its entirety, a queen bed, a large wardrobe, a sofa, plus all the boxes, which can push past what a standard van holds in one trip. The second is a shared move, where you and a housemate are moving in together and combining two rooms of belongings into one run. The third is bulky, awkward items like a large couch or a tall bookshelf that need the extra length or height. In those cases an extra large van gives you the room to do it in one trip rather than two. If you are unsure whether your load fits a standard van or needs the bigger one, it is worth a quick call to the depot to talk through what you are moving before you book.
The student catch: your age and licence
Here is the practical detail that catches a lot of students and young share-house movers, and it is worth knowing before you book. Van hire has a minimum age, and a young driver surcharge often applies to drivers under 25. At Turbofleet the minimum age to hire and drive is 21, with a surcharge for drivers aged 21 to 24, and a full driver’s licence is required rather than a learner or provisional one. So if you are 18 or 19 and on your Ps, you cannot be the driver on the hire yourself, and the simplest fix is to have an older housemate, a parent, or a friend who is 21 or over with a full licence do the driving and be the named driver. The full detail is on the age requirements page, and it is the first thing to check, since it decides who in your group can actually drive the van.
What fits, and packing for one trip
Getting your move into a single van trip is partly about the van and partly about how you pack. Box everything you can, since square boxes stack and use the space far better than loose bags and odd items. Load the heavy boxes and the flat items, like a disassembled bed frame or desk, first and low, then build up with lighter boxes, and slot soft things like bedding and clothes into the gaps. Take the legs off a desk or bed if they come off, as flat-packing what you can is what makes a room fit a van rather than spilling into a second trip. A standard van will typically take a single mattress standing on its edge along one side, which frees up the floor for everything else. Bring a couple of straps to stop things sliding, and you will usually find one well-packed van run does the whole room.
Getting it done cheaply and easily
The reason the standard van wins for this move is that it balances the three things a student or share-house mover actually cares about: cost, space, and hassle. It is cheaper than a truck you do not need, roomy enough to avoid repeat car trips, and simple to drive and park on a tight inner-city street near uni or a share house. Book it for the shortest time you need, since a focused one-room move is often a half-day rather than a full day, and have your load packed and ready before pickup so you are not paying for hire time spent packing. Return it clean and empty and your refundable bond comes straight back. For the vast majority of moves into a share house or student accommodation, that standard van is the smart, low-fuss choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best van for moving into a share house?
A standard mid-size cargo van suits most share-house moves, since one room of furniture and boxes fits in a single trip. It drives on a normal car licence and parks easily on tight streets. Size up to a larger van for a fully furnished room or a shared move, or use a ute for a light, boxes-only move.
Do I need a van or is a ute enough for a student move?
A ute is enough if you are moving mostly boxes into a furnished room and the weather is dry, and it costs less. Choose a van if you have real furniture like a bed, desk, or drawers, or if rain is a risk, since the enclosed load area keeps everything dry and secure without tying down and covering.
Can a student under 25 hire a van in Melbourne?
The minimum age at Turbofleet is 21, with a young driver surcharge for drivers aged 21 to 24 and a full licence required. If you are under 21 or on a provisional licence, you cannot be the driver, so have a housemate, friend, or parent aged 21 or over with a full licence hire and drive it. See the age requirements page for the detail.
Will a mattress fit in a standard hire van?
Yes. A single or double mattress fits a standard van, usually standing on its edge along one side, which leaves the floor free for boxes and furniture. For a queen mattress plus a full room of furniture in one trip, a larger van gives you more room to work with.
