Comparing Self-Storage Units to PODS
Are you trying to decide between renting a storage unit or going with a POD instead? Self-storage vs. PODS – the war rages on! Moving can be a rather bothersome task. There are several things that have to take place.
Getting the utilities moved to the new address, changing your address at the post office along with other important places, and then actually moving your stuff can all take some time.
Two of the options available to help with the moving process are storage pods and self-storage units. Listed below are the pros and cons of renting a pod vs a self-storage unit to give you a better idea of which item will best fit your situation.
Storage Pods
You have likely seen the billboard or TV ads for storage pods. The large, rectangular items that sit in a person’s yard while the owners load up their belongings. Moving with PODS has become a very popular choice among both buyers and sellers due to their convenience.
Some common questions people have about pods are:
- Can a person choose the length of time to have a pod?
- How far will a pod be delivered?
- What is the length of time to get the pod delivered to the new address?
Here are answers to those questions, along with more important details.
Pods Definition
The word pods is an acronym for Portable On Demand Storage. The company will drop off the box at your preferred address on a certain date and then return to pick up the box and deliver it to an address of your choosing on another date.
The address can be within the same city or it can be clear across the country.
Here Are Some of The top Advantages of Using Pods
- You will not be responsible for driving a large, bulky truck across town or multiple states
- Since the pods will contain all your belongings and will be shipped by experienced movers, that part of the work is eliminated for you.
- You get to choose the length of time to have the pods while you pack it.
- The pods will be placed on the ground in front of your residence. No need to climb up or down steps to place your items in the pods.
- The key to the pods will be given to you, allowing you to lock it up and unlock it at your leisure.
- If you need to store the items while you move, or while your home is finished, most pods companies can store your pod for you
One of the biggest advantages of using pods is the fact that everything is done once. You get to move your belonging from your current place to the pods once. Then, when the pods are delivered to the new place, you move the belongings from the pods to its final resting place, one time. This is a big time saver.
When buying a home or selling one, using a pod can be extremely helpful to your move.
Choosing and Renting a PODS Unit
Most of the companies that offer pods have websites. The website will allow you to input your zip code where you currently live. Then, choose the length of time that you will need the pods. Finally, choose the zip code where the pods will need to be delivered. With this information, the website will give you a quote.
Most companies will have a variety of sizes to choose from. The website should indicate approximately how much stuff will fit into a particular sized pod. For example, the website may indicate that one particular unit is good for a home up to 1,500 square feet.
With this information, you can compare renting pods to hiring a moving company or using a self-storage unit.
Most of the places that offer pods will allow you to hold on to the unit for up to one month without being charged any additional fees. This gives you and your family or friends ample time to get the items packed and stored into the pods.
When you are finished loading up your belongings, simply call the pods company and schedule the delivery to the new address.
Transporting the PODS
When you are ready, the pods’ company will pick up your unit and deliver it to the address of your choosing. A large truck will load the unit and then drive it to the destination.
As mentioned before, this removes the hassle of you driving a large truck that is unfamiliar to you and takes away a lot of driving stress.
Overall Cons of Using PODS
Now that we have provided some of the advantages of using pods let’s look at some of the disadvantages.
All of these items will not impact everyone that is considering using pods, but it is wise to be aware of these items.
- If you currently live in a neighborhood with HOA rules, or your new neighborhood has HOA rules, they may not allow pods in the driveway or front yard. When you own a townhouse this is not uncommon at all.
- When you live in an apartment, the apartment complex may not allow you to use pods due to space restrictions.
- If you place the pods in the street, depending on the city or municipality, you may be required to pay for a parking permit.
- After the pods are packed up, it is rather difficult to get inside and retrieve a specific item, especially if the item is at the front of the container.
- Unless you hire help or find some willing friends, you will be doing all the heavy lifting of moving your belongings into the pods unit.
- Pods do not have any air conditioning or heat. While the units will prevent rain and any excessive wind, they do not keep any items at a set temperature.
These are items to keep in mind if you plan to rent a pod unit. Knowing this information can save you some headaches when it comes time to reserve the unit.
Who Are The Best PODS Companies
- PODS
- U-Haul
- U-Pack
- 1-800-Pack-Rat
- SmartBox
Pro tip: To find a Pod near your location use Google as a tool. Search for Pods near me or Pods nearby. You should see some of the best pods companies close to your home.
Advantages For Using Self-Storage Units
Most suburban areas have at least one, if not multiple, self-storage units available to local residents. Finding one is usually super easy. Lots of folks will use Google as a search tool and ask for storage units near me. Doing so will give you numerous choices for local storage facilities.
If you are considering using the self-storage rental as an option, here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to help you make an informed choice.
First Advantage: You are Not Giving up Your Stuff
Most people have more items than they have space. Getting rid of something sounds easy, but many of us have emotional connections to items and we just cannot bear to get rid of them.
A self-storage unit allows you to free up space in your home while hanging on to your beloved items. One rule of thumb is to take anything that has not been used for the past 12 months and put it in storage. If you do find that you need it, you can easily go get it.
If you are selling your home, however, consider doing a donation pickup of the things you don’t need. Your real estate agent will certainly applaud the move as your house will look a whole lot less cluttered. Showing the space in your home will make their job a whole lot easier.
Second Advantage: Can be Used for Short or Long Term
If you are moving to a new place for a temporary job assignment, you can move some items to storage that you will not need for the short term. When the job is over and you come back to the old location, you can retrieve the items and have them close to you again.
The same goes for any longer changes. Most self-storage units can be rented from one month to the next without the need for a specific contract term. This makes the option flexible for most people’s schedules.
Third Advantage: Convenience with Security
One of the major appeals of self-storage units is the fact that the companies usually invest heavily in security. Lots of light, around the clock video cameras, and industrial-strength gates with limited access are used to give customers peace of mind that their items will be protected from criminals.
Also, many self-storage units are climate controlled. This means that your belongings will be kept at a regulated temperature, just like it would be at your house.
Couple this security with the fact that the unit will likely be close to home, and you can see why so many people are using self-storage units to remove some of the clutter from their homes.
Fourth Advantage: Staging a Home is So Much Easier
As previously mentioned, when you have your home on the market to sell, experts advise removing as much as possible. Having just a few pieces of furniture in the home, along with a few items hanging on the wall, makes for a more inviting place and sells faster.
Getting boxes for moving and putting them in storage will remove a lot of clutter that can distract potential buyers. This makes the home look neat and allows buyers to envision their items in your home before they purchase.
Having the self-storage unit will give you a place to put the stuff while you wait for the home to sell.
Fifth Advantage: Variety of Storage Room Sizes
If you are moving, you may need to rent a rather large storage room or even multiple storage rooms to handle your stuff. Most rental agencies offer a variety of room sizes.
If you simply need a place to put some stuff away for a temporary time, you may find that one small storage unit will suffice while you make the changes in your living arrangements.
Now that we have covered the major advantages, let’s look at some of the disadvantages of using a self-storage unit.
Disadvantages of a Self-Storage Unit
Let’s take a look at the downsides of renting a self-storage unit.
First Disadvantage: Not the Same as Having Stuff at Home
If you need something that is in storage, you will need to hop in your vehicle, drive to the self-storage unit, enter your password or code to get access to the facility, go to your specific unit, locate the item, lock up your unit, and then return home.
That is not the same as simply going up to the attic or basement to find the item.
Second Disadvantage: Self-Storage Unit is only Local
If you live near the storage unit, getting to an item is not a big deal. But what if you take a temporary job that is 1,200 miles away? Or what if you are in the military and you get stationed somewhere that is 3 states away?
The storage unit is great if you plan to live within the same general area, but a real disadvantage if you move to another state.
Third Disadvantage: Cheaper Units Have More Risk
Some people look at the cost of a climate-controlled unit with high-security measures and decide that a cheaper unit will meet their needs.
However, the cheaper units are cheaper for a big reason. First, they may not have temperature control. This means excessive heat or cold from the weather can damage your belongings.
It also means that the unit may not have strong measures to prevent pests such as ants, roaches, and mice. These varmints can wreak a lot of damage to your items and you will not know about it until you are ready to retrieve the items.
Fourth Disadvantage: You May Have to Hire Help
When people are comparing a self-storage unit to pods, they simply look at the two prices and choose the cheapest option.
However, if you need help moving items from your home to the storage unit, that is an additional cost. Whether it is the price to rent a moving truck, or the price to hire people with their own moving equipment, this will be another cost to consider. This can get especially expensive if you have numerous large objects that need to be moved and you have little to no help.
Going to get your U-Haul moving truck because you didn’t plan properly won’t be a lot of fun.
Fifth Disadvantage: Moving Items Multiple Times
If you decide to use a storage unit, you will be handling your items multiple times. You will first have to load the item into your car or truck. After driving to the storage unit, you will have to move the item from the car or truck to the storage unit.
If you need the item at a future date or decide to bring it back home, you will have to repeat all these steps again. When the item is large and bulky, like a piano, or couch, or some other heavy item, this can be quite a hassle.
Best Self-Storage Companies
- U-Haul
- Public Storage
- Extra Space Storage
- Life Storage
- Cubesmart
How to Find Either a Self Storage or PODS Moving Company
There are a couple of ways of finding a storage facility or Pods moving company. Asking for references from family and friends is always worthwhile. Your real estate agent if you have one could also be a helpful resource for all things moving.
Lastly, you should try doing a Google search for these companies. Something like storage units near me or Pods near me should do the trick. There will be numerous local storage options that are displayed.
Summing Up Renting a Pod vs a Self-Storage Unit
As you can see there are pros and cons to both pods and self-storage units. Generally speaking, the pods’ option is good for people that want to move along and pack things at their own pace and only have the need to move the items one time. It is also good for people that wish to have someone else do the hard part of delivering the large pod unit.
The self-storage option is better for people that will need access to their items and only need to put items away in storage for a short period of time. Hopefully, you have found this guide comparing storage units to Pods helpful.
Additional Home Selling Resources and Moving Advice:
Get more helpful real estate guidance in these excellent articles.
Be sure not to do these things when selling your home as they will have a detrimental effect on getting top dollar. Making sure remodeling projects are done, cleaning before showings, and putting those pets away are just a few of the topics discussed.
Learn how to stand out from the crowd when selling your home with these tips. Preparing your home for sale is right up there with pricing it right. Without both, earning top dollar for your home sale becomes that much harder.
If you end up moving your things out of a pod or self-storage facility and hire a professional mover, don’t forget to give them an appropriate moving tip.
Whether you are moving across town or the other side of the country, it is wise to have a plan and follow sound moving tips. There is a ton of exceptional moving advice on the internet. It makes sense to use it. Best of luck with your move!
About the author: This article on “Renting a Pod vs a Self-Storage Unit” was written by Luke Skar of MadisonMortgageGuys.com. As the Social Media Strategist, his role is to provide original content for all of their social media profiles as well as generating new leads from his website.
