Long-Distance Moving Pods: Container Sizes & Services

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You can typically do this by submitting your move details and contact information — as well as how long you’ll need your pods and any add-on services or extra equipment you need — through an online form on a company’s website.

To confirm a date for container drop-off to your current home, you’ll need to put in your credit card information. Your card will not be immediately billed. Some container companies bill you a few days in advance, while others don’t charge you until delivery day.

Make sure to read the fine print when you enter your credit card information before scheduling your move. Some movers have strict cancellation policies. U-Pack, for example, requires that you cancel your move at least seven days in advance to avoid any fees.

You’ll have to clear space in your driveway or near your residence before the container company drops off your long-distance moving pods to your current home. The company should give you detailed instructions and space requirements when you book your move.

For example, PODS specifies on their website that each of their containers, regardless of size, must be placed in a clear space that is 40 feet long and 12 feet wide, with 15 feet of overhead clearance.

If you live in a large city or apartment complex, you’ll want to check municipal or neighborhood restrictions on parking and moving containers. You can also contact the moving container company directly if you need guidance.

Companies like U-Pack and MovingYourself provide strict three-day loading and unloading windows.

Other moving container companies — including PODS and 1-800-PACK-RAT — rent by the month, so you’ll have 30 days, start to finish. If you need more time after that, you’ll have to pay for another month’s rental.

You won’t get help with the heavy lifting like you would with a full-service mover, but you can hire third-party labor-only movers for hourly assistance.

Once you’re ready, you’ll contact the container company to arrange for pickup of your long-distance moving pod. They’ll load your pod onto their truck and transport it to your new home.

Transit times vary depending on distance and demand, but generally fall between four and six days. Cross-country moves can sometimes take up to 10 days. Your container mover should give you an estimated time frame, but keep in mind that it is subject to change due to unforeseen delays like bad weather or truck maintenance issues.

Once your long-distance moving arrives in your new town or city, you’ll either unload your items or ask the container company to take it to a nearby storage facility.

If you’re ready to move everything into your home, you’ll either handle it yourself or hire moving labor assistance. If you’re not quite ready to set up your new home — or you have some items you don’t have space for — moving container companies can typically provide long-term storage. Even PODS operates offsite storage, so you won’t have to keep your long-distance moving pod on your lawn for months if you need the container beyond the 30-day window.

You’ll want to confirm the company has a storage facility that is convenient to your new address. And if you’re storing important documents, artwork, antiques, or other sensitive items, you may want to go with a moving container company like 1-800-PACK-RAT or PODS that has climate-controlled storage.

It will take anywhere from a few days to more than a week for your belongings to arrive via a long-distance moving pod, depending on how far you’re moving and the container company you use. U-Pack has an average transit time of four to six days on long-distance moves, for example. Generally, cross-country moves of 2,500–3,000 miles will take between seven and 10 days to complete once your moving pod has been pickup up.

Your belongings should be adequately secure in a moving pod during transit, provided you followed loading directions and recommendations and the pod is up-to-date and free of damage.

Some moving pods, like those 1-800-PACK-RAT and PODS provide, have interior rails for securing ratchet straps. These help secure items like furniture, particularly if you’re only moving one or two pieces or have a lot of fragile goods. For larger moves, U-Pack uses trailers with bulkheads that secure your belongings behind a solid wall, minimizing movement while in transit.

We recommend loading your pod with the heavier, larger items on the bottom. Most moving container companies make an effort to keep their pods level while loading and unloading onto their trailers, but packing this way will help to keep your items safe.

Yes, you can store your moving short- or long-term through your moving container company. Storage options and rental terms vary, so make sure you ask about their at-home storage terms and policies, as well as whether they operate offsite facilities with perks like 24/7 monitoring and climate control.

It is typically cheaper to use a pod than to hire a full-service moving company. However, semi-DIY moves with a container can get far more expensive when you have to rent multiple containers. For this reason, we recommend booking a U-Pack trailer for any three- or four-bedroom moves or considering a moving truck rental.

You can usually figure out which moving pod sizes you need on a moving container company’s website. The most common moving container sizes are eight, 12, and 16 feet in length. Eight-foot containers can fit a typical studio apartment or single room of items, while 12-foot pods can hold a small one-bedroom or a couple rooms’ worth of furniture and belongings. A 16-foot container can accommodate up to a three-bedroom home, depending on how much stuff you have.