The Portable storage industry has seen incredible growth. As PODS have become more popular, other brands and other options have emerged giving real estate professional and consumers much more choice and flexibility when considering all of their options. Most of the brands offer a similar concept: the company delivers storage units to the customer's home so they can easily load them without needing a rental truck or having to pack and unpack twice and lug to a traditional storage facility, and then can transport the units to a customer's new home or into a storage facility. The concept is great but the differences in containers distinguish the brands and can make different boxes better for different applications. Here is comparison:
- PODS are the market leader and the most recognizable brand. There product is great but sometimes limited by their size. There most common unit is 8 feet by 16 feet that have to be loaded directly from the truck, limiting where they can be delivered. Customer must also rent the whole thing, making it expensive to rent a smaller space. PackRat offers very similar units.
- Mobile Attic and Mobile Mini offer a variety of sizes from 8' by 8' to 8' by 20'. It is very nice to have a choice but I get nervous about their delivery mechanism: They come on a roll off flatbed truck so to transport the unit, it must be tilted like a car or dumpster and can cause significant damage to the valuables stored inside.
- There is a third choice that we offer that I think combines the best of both worlds. We (FlexBox Mobile Storage) and many similar companies (including Smartbox, Need Space and Door to Door) offer 5' by 8' wooden containers that can hold about a room to room and a half of furniture. We choose to offer this size because it can accommodate large household items including couches, dining room tables, refrigerators and appliances, yet gives the customers the flexibility to choose the amount of storage they need. The smaller containers are also easier to pack securely than larger containers and you have better access to your belongings (you can't pack your checkbook behind 16' of furniture).
You can easily find the companies and the different containers that can serve you locally by visiting the Mobile Self-Storage Association (ms-sa.org) and searching by your zip code. Best of luck and happy storing!
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