Have you considered doing your move with a U-haul rental truck? Whether you have a local move coming up or you’re moving cross-country, moving to a new location requires some serious work.
What are PODS moving containers?
Moving PODS are very popular storage containers that can often simplify the moving process or at least make it cheaper for small and quick moves. These portable, on-demand storage units feature roll-up doors, keyed access, and ground-level entry. In most cases, companies offering this product will leave the container outside your house and give you a certain amount of time to load it.
There is 3 different sizes:
- Small container: This small container is eight feet long. It’s perfect for studio apartments, so college students typically choose this size.
- Medium container: This 12-foot container is ideal for a single-bedroom home.
- Large container: This is a 16-foot container that’s ideal for a two-bedroom home. It’s the length of a standard parking spot and holds as much as a 10-foot by 15-foot storage space.
With PODS, the company will drop off a shipping container on-site. You pack it up, tell PODS where to send it and when, and their professional movers transport the POD for you.
Remember, when you rent a moving container, you’re just getting the container itself delivered to your door house. If you’d rather not deal with all the heavy lifting, consider hiring a full-service moving company to handle the loading and unloading for you. Just be sure to choose a USMPO interstate mover with a USMPO profile to ensure your move goes smoothly.
How do moving PODS containers work?
It’s a simple process, but it requires a lot of work. If you don’t have any experience with moving, we definitely recommend going with a verified carrier. However, if the budget is tight and the move isn’t too big, this can be a good option.
The process involves the moving pod company bringing the storage unit to you. The exact process will differ depending on your storage solution, but containers usually follow this process:
- Delivery: You fill out an online quote with the container moving company, pay, and arrange a delivery location. Once the pod company delivers the container, all you have to do is load your storage unit at your own pace, all from the comfort of your home.
Another option for this step in the process is hiring labor to help. Organizing and loading a container requires some knowledge and creativity to make the most of the space. You’ll want to ensure everything is packed efficiently.
- Pickup: If you requested storage, the moving pod company will pick up the unit and drive it to a secure storage facility. Unlike typical self-storage, the company will move your belongings for you, with no need to load or unload.
- Transportation: When you’re ready to retrieve your belongings from storage, the company will bring the storage unit back or to your new home. This means you only need to unload the unit once and at your own leisure.
Is a moving container right for you?
As we already mentioned a moving container requires all the labor of loading it and unloading it, so depending how much stuff you have is easy to determine if its worth it or not.
- Having firm dates make it easier to organize this type of move.
- If you want to store belongings before moving them or leaving your house.
- You’re single or a college student, with a tight budget; a single moving pod is perfect for a small household.
The Benefits of Using Moving Pods
Moving containers are a secure and safe way to both store and transport your belongings. They also are:
- Affordable: Containers are more cost-effective than hiring a full-service moving company. Plus, there’s no need to rent or drive a large moving truck to transport your belongings.
- Flexible: Containers give movers more flexibility. You can customize your container’s size, quantity, storage options, delivery dates, and much more.
- Less pressure: Unlike traditional moving options, moving containers don’t require you to adhere to a strict timeline. You can pack and unload at your own pace, which makes the process less stressful.
How much does moving container cost?
PODS will cost anywhere from $225 to $850 for a local move and $450 to $7,760 for a long-distance move. Your exact PODS cost will depend on the size of your move and the number of times the moving container needs to be moved.
It’s also important to compare as well different quotes since some of the companies charge monthly, including the time the unit spends in your driveway, in storage, or en route to your new home, and often can end up being super pricey.
