FollowPod moving and storage is a concept that revolutionized the moving process with convenience and flexibility. The system is simple and effective: your belongings are securely transported while you and your family travel to the new home in the family’s car, by train, or by plane. Another agreeable option when choosing portable units to pack your items is storing them for a few days or weeks until everything is ready at the new home.
How Pod Storage Works
Although many companies offer pod rental services, the routine involves the same steps:
- Make an appointment.
- Wait for your storage pods to be dropped off.
- Load your belongings in the pod and lock it.
- OPTIONAL: Have the portable storage unit taken to a secure indoor facility until moving.
- Have the pod delivered to your new
Portable storage units come in a variety of sizes and materials. They usually have a steel frame and aluminum or lumber walls, but plastic pods are also common. While on your property, wooden or plastic storage pods are protected from weather damage by a cover, while metal ones do not need protection.
Customers can choose to store their pods in a secure and temperature-controlled warehouse while moving at their preferred location. Items can be retrieved by visiting the storage facility between pickup and drop off, if necessary.
Advantages of Pod Storage
Security: Storage pods are locked by their renters, who keep the key until their contract is finished. After being loaded, the portable storage units are kept in a safe warehouse, far away from intruders and heat, cold, or weather damage. They are always stored in an upright position which ensures items’ safety.
Convenience: Storage pods are delivered and picked up by the company with no effort required from clients. Unlike self-storage facilities, there is no need to load and unload your belongings between homes. Transportation for the family also becomes easier since portable storage units are delivered by the company.
Flexibility: Rent a pod services can accommodate any moving situation: keeping the pod on your property, keeping it in your current city until moving, or transporting and storing it in the new city.
Ease of use: Being a few inches off the ground, pod storage units are easier to load and unload than trucks or vans.
Sizes: Pod storage containers usually hold a room’s worth of belongings which makes it easier to organize while moving, but they show diversity in dimensions. Bigger or smaller storage pods are available in most companies’ offers.
Disadvantages of Pod Storage
If not planned right, portable moving and storage services can be burdensome: packing indispensable items in a pod and storing it, sending needed items to a cross-country warehouse, or not properly securing your things are a few of the most common mistakes you need to avoid by carefully planning everything.
This solution is not suitable for long-distance moving if you have many items to transport, since every pod increases the price considerably. For small homes, however, pod rental can be more convenient than vans or moving trucks. Plastic or metal storage units can lead to condensation, mold, mildew. If you plan on storing your items in a pod for more than a few days, choose a wooden pod.
Pod Storage Prices
Most portable moving and storage plans offer a month of free storage in their facilities included in their rental fee. Some companies offer additional services like packing materials, help with loading and unloading, additional equipment.
Moving storage pods are cheaper than moving vans or one-way moving trucks for local moving, but can cost more for long-distance. Best value for local moves from small homes or apartments is not more than $500 for a large home; Coast-to-coast, on the other hand, can surpass $10,000.
How to Find Reliable Storage Pods
When analyzing your options, here are the most important aspects you need to pursue:
Find a company that offers steel and aluminum or construction grade lumber – they are more resistant than plastic or other materials. Lumber storage pods are recommended for items sensitive to heat or humidity, while metal pods are best used for heavy and more resistant possessions.
Approximate the space your belongings will take to decide which are the best pod storage containers for you. Every company has its own pod dimensions, so size should matter when looking for storage pods. To reduce moving costs, choose larger pods to fit two or three rooms worth of belongings into one.
Tips for Moving with Pod Storage
Although an easy and straightforward process, using pod moving and storage involves some planning and care to eliminate stress while moving. Here are the most important aspects to consider:
- The customer is responsible for parking. Before renting a pod moving and storage service, make sure parking is permitted in the area.
- Do not store your essentials in a pod. Paperwork, bathroom items, covers, linens, pillows, some clothes, and kitchen items should stay with you at all times.
- Organize. Do not mix up items that go in different rooms and always label your boxes. If you plan on storing the pods for a few weeks, make an inventory to remind yourself where to find what.
- Use cushioning packing materials. Although the portable storage units will remain upright at most times, they will sometimes tilt a few degrees during transportation on slanted roads. Make sure you protect your items from damage.
- Strap in large items. Furniture, bikes, or kitchen appliances should be well-packed and secured to avoid breaking.
- Get moving insurance.
- Work smart, not hard. The most efficient way to use the space might not be the most convenient. Load your most important belongings last, so they can be taken out first at your destination.
These are the facts. Pod storage is a worthy moving solution, especially for short distances and small apartments or homes. It’s up to you to research your alternatives and decide if it’s a convenient choice for you, or if renting a van or truck would be more fitting.
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