What to Know About PODS
Are you going to be moving from your house? Do you need a storage container? Were you considering using PODS to store your things? Moving from your home is a challenging experience; a moving container can make things easier and could save you a lot in the process. A PODS moving container can be a quarter of the price you would expect to pay to professional movers for longer-distance moves.
Using a portable moving container gives you more space to store your items through the move and allows you to take your time to pack up your possessions. The use of services like PODS makes sense on many levels when moving from a home, and is understandably a more common choice for people on the move nowadays. Quite often, people decide to either use a local storage unit or choose to go with a POD instead.
PODS has been in business for twenty years, having done over four million deliveries in fourteen thousand cities. PODS is the most recognizable name in the moving container business.
Let's take a look at what PODS has to offer to home buyers and sellers as well as people who need extra storage.
Renting a Storage Container
When you choose to use a container for your move, there are a few options you need to think about. Do you want to store your stuff or move it? Perhaps you need to store it for a while before moving it to your new home. How long will you need the container for? If you are using it for storage, will you keep it at your home or the PODS facility?
Usually, those who are using a POD may also opt to use a moving truck rental company and do the move themselves without the help of a professional. There are pros and cons to going this route. One of the advantages is cost saving for doing most of the work yourself. By going the DIY route, you avoid paying and tipping a professional mover, which can be very expensive. The downside is moving can be a difficult challenge without the help of professional assistance.
You can't really go wrong with where you want the container to be delivered, but the date and the length of time you need it for can be challenging to judge. Another issue is the size of the container you are going to need with 7, 12, or 16-foot containers to choose from.
When you select the container, you need they will deliver it to your home on the date required. You then have the time you need to fill it up with your possessions before they will collect the container and take it to your new home or their facilities. The business also offers to connect you to local packing and loading companies if you need help filling the container.
PRO TIP: Lots of people take things to their new place that they don't really need. Did you know there are companies that will take your donations for free? You can get rid of stuff at your place that you don't need or want. Why spend the money bringing it to your next home when you don't really need to?
Which Container Size to Choose?
The moving containers from PODS are steel framed and are manufactured to withstand winds of up to 110 mph winds. They have locks to keep your stuff secure and are weather-resistant to make sure your things don't get wet. Loading is easy, and you don't need to use a ramp to fill up the container.
PODS has three sizes to choose from:
16-Foot
The most substantial container should be enough for people moving 3 or 4 rooms of furniture. It provides over 850 cubic feet of storage space and is equivalent to a 20-foot long rental truck. The larger container is available for interstate as well as local moves and storage needs.
Typical uses for this size container include:
- Three or four bedroom moves
- Large restorations
- Office moves
12-Foot
PODS middle option provides 689 cubic feet for your furniture and should be enough room for a two or three-bedroom home. They say that this is the equivalent size to a 15-foot truck. This size container can only be used for local moves.
Popular uses for this size container include:
- Large apartments
- Two or three-bedroom homes
- Remodeling and construction projects at your home
7-Foot
The smaller sized containers provide 385 cubic feet of storage. This is said to be the same usable space as you would find in a 10-foot truck. This sized container is offered by most PODS locations and can be used for long-distance moves in the US and Canada.
The 7-foot container should be large enough for the following uses:
- Student moves
- Studio apartments
- One or two-bedroom homes
- Storage for small scale renovations
- Moving to a second home
When in doubt about what size pod you should choose, go with a larger size. The last thing you will want is to rent a POD and then find out it is too small. If you have a little extra space - so what! You will pay a little bit more but it will be worth it.
What Do Storage Containers Cost
The cost of a PODS container will vary depending on the size you select, the time you need it for, and then the distance you need it moved to. A typical long-distance move can start from as little as $800, with local moves costing less.
If you need a container for storage at your home, the costs will start from $110 for a 12-foot container and $120 for 16-foot per month. This is only a guide price and location, as well as rental length, which will alter the cost.
Other Storage Companies Besides PODS
PODS isn't the only game in town; there are other businesses offering similar services. Perhaps they are more local to you or can provide you with a better deal, let's take a look at some of the other options.
Here are the other well-known storage companies worth considering besides PODS. Each of these companies has a stellar reputation as well.
U-Haul
The U-Box service from U-Haul offers flexible moving or storage options. They have a single size container, and you choose how many you need. You can choose to have professional movers pack your storage containers for you or even move the U-Box yourself. When the container has been filled, they will collect it and store it in their secure facilities until you need it delivered.
Their containers have a capacity of 257 cubic feet and can accommodate up to 2,000 pounds of your possessions. If you are looking to store things, they offer monthly rental and 24-hour access to your container.
U-Pack
U-Pack has a service called ReloCube. Their ReloCube moving containers are made of metal and waterproof. They allow you to use your own locks on the container if you wish for extra security.
This service is a good choice if you don't know how much storage you need. They let you reserve as many as you believe you will need, but only actually charge you for the ones you fill-up. You only pay when you have filled up the containers without the need for a deposit for them.
UniGroup
Subsidiaries of the UniGroup, United, and Mayflower, offer steel framed containers which are 16 feet long. The roof of the container allows the light through to make packing your container easier. They claim that you can store the contents of a 1,500 square foot home in one of these containers.
1-800-Pack-Rat
Portable storage containers from 1-800-Pack-Rat are available in three sizes; 8, 12, and 16-foot. The containers are weatherproof steel structures, with climate control options and video surveillance available. Their containers are designed to withstand the elements and make sure your possessions are secure while in storage.
Final Thoughts on Renting a Storage Container
Renting a storage container for your move is something that should be planned out carefully. Getting the right size container will be your number one priority. Make sure you adequately figure out what type of storage POD to choose.
Hopefully, you have found this information on PODS along with the other leading storage companies to be useful.
Best of luck with your move!
Other Helpful Real Estate Resources
See more excellent guidance on what you should be thinking about before planning your next move.
- Do you need to tip a mover - is tipping a mover a must? Lots of people wonder if they need to tip a mover or not. Get some guidance on when you should and should not tip a mover and how much.
- What to understand before moving - There are a significant amount of considerations to think about before preparing for moving. See some of the vital things to know in the article at Realty Times.
Use these additional moving articles to make the best decisions possible.
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