Stuff. We all have it – in fact, most of us have far too
much – and from time to time, many of us need for our stuff to be somewhere
other than where it currently resides.
When we’re getting a new home, we need to move it
permanently, perhaps from one corner of the country to the opposite one or maybe
only a few blocks from where we live now. Sometimes we just want to shove it
aside temporarily while we complete home repairs or renovations, and sometimes
we simply have no space to house belongings that we’re not quite ready to part
with. Whatever the circumstances, when the need arises to displace or transport
a fair amount of stuff, portable storage containers, often called pods, might
be the right solution.
The difference between portable storage units and
traditional self-storage facilities can be found in the name – they’re
portable. Rather than putting your possessions into a unit at a fixed-site
storage facility and securing them inside, a storage pod is delivered to your
home or business and left there. Once you have finished loading your belongings
into the unit, it can be left on your property until you no longer need it or
picked up again and either stored at the company’s facility or moved to the
location of your choice.
Storage pods are particularly useful for people who need to
clear a room or two while they are doing major home renovations such as putting
in new flooring or doing structural work. Rather than crowding furniture and
household items into other rooms where they will be in the way for perhaps
weeks or months, they can be temporarily stored in a pod placed on the
homeowner’s property. This is especially convenient if there are items you
might want to access during the renovation period; simply keep that possibility
in mind when you pack the unit and make sure those items are within arm’s
reach. Of course you’ll want to secure the unit with a good lock even though it
is on your own property.
If you don’t want a portable pod in your driveway for an
extended period, some companies offer the option of off-site facilities where
your unit can be stored for an additional monthly fee. Look for an indoor,
climate-controlled warehouse, preferably with a good surveillance system and
the ability to access your unit if you want to retrieve something or add more
items.
Pods can also be a handy way to transport your belongings
when you’re moving to a new home. They are less expensive than a full-service
moving company, and you can rent only the number of units you need, which is
especially advantageous for those with fewer possessions. Again, the pods are
delivered to your home and left there, and since they typically are rented by
the month, you can pack them at your leisure rather than being confined to the
several-hour window imposed by professional movers or rental trucks that you
drive yourself. Because the units are placed at ground level, there’s no need
to haul heavy furniture up and down a sometimes-precarious ramp, and you don’t
have to maneuver a large truck because when you’re ready to move, the storage
company picks up the units and transports them to your new location. And if you
plan and pack carefully, when you reach your new home, you can unload and
organize one room at a time, again taking several days or even weeks to
complete the process.
One advantage professional movers hold over portable units
is that they provide muscle – a team of experienced people who have the brawn,
equipment and know-how to get your furniture and even breakables from one
location to another efficiently and usually intact. While your pod provider
will take care of the transportation, you’ll be responsible for loading and
unloading your furniture and other belongings.
If a temporary storage unit sounds right for you, here are a
few things to consider:
·
Size. Containers typically are available in
7-foot, 12-foot and 16-foot sizes, said to be appropriate for one room, two to
three rooms, and three to four rooms respectively.
·
Material. Units might be constructed of steel,
wood, aluminum, vinyl or a combination.
·
Cost. While companies attempt to be competitive,
costs do vary, so check around before you make a selection.
·
Extra charges. If you are considering using a
storage pod for a few weeks while doing home renovations, you’ll pay a monthly
rental fee as well as a fee for initial delivery of the unit, but be aware that
there is an additional charge for final pick-up when you are finished with the
pod. If you’re moving to a new home, there probably will be extra
transportation or fuel charges, so be sure you know exactly how much you’ll be
paying – and for what – before you pull the trigger.
·
One more caveat: before you call or go online to
rent a pod or two, check the zoning regulations for your city and neighborhood.
Some impose restrictions on where portable storage units can be placed and how
long they can remain on your property. If you’re moving, of course you should
check regulations at both your current location and your new home.
To provide an idea of what’s available, we
comparison-shopped the leading national companies using the example of one
16x8x8-foot container leased for one month in a mid-sized community in the
Northeastern United States. Based on information available at the time of this writing,
here is a little of what we learned:
·
For home use only:
o
Rental fee of $159.95 per month
o
Initial delivery fee of $87.95
o
Final pick-up fee of $87.95
·
For storage at one of the company’s secure
facilities:
o
Rental fee of $179.95 per month
o
Initial delivery fee of $109.95
o
Redelivery and final pick-up fee of $109.95
o
On-site access to unit available with 24-hours
advance notice
PACK-RAT
·
For home use only:
o
Rental fee of $154.95 per month
o
Initial delivery fee of $79.95 per month
o
Final pick-up fee of $79.95 per month
·
For storage at one of the company’s secure
facilities:
o
Rental fee of $174.95 per month
o
Initial delivery fee of $79.95
o
Move-in fee of $60
o
Redelivery fee of $60
o
Final pick-up fee of $79.95
o
On-site access to unit available with 48-hours
advance notice
Other companies operate on a more limited basis. For
example, Door to Door offers services in fewer than 25 markets and on-site
storage in only four California cities plus Seattle. In addition, larger units
are not available, nor are immediate online quotes. U-Pack specializes in long
distance moving and has limited storage capabilities to help customers as they
are transitioning to a new home, but offers similar services in terms of
delivering, retrieving and transporting smaller portable units that customers
pack themselves.
The bottom line?
Portable storage units are a cost-effective
option for temporarily storing belongings during home renovations, for
longer-term, off-site storage of seldom-needed items, and for moving a couple
of rooms of furniture from one home to another. However, if you’re moving the
contents of a four-bedroom house from Connecticut to California, the time
commitment and physical labor involved might outweigh any cost savings.
Posts
