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Steph Mickelson Steph Mickelson Steph Mickelson is a freelance writer based in Northwest Wisconsin who specializes in real estate, building materials, and design. When she's not writing, she can be found juggling kids and coffee.
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Moving is a big job — whether you’re moving across town or across the entire country. To make things easier, there are a variety of moving services, but it can be difficult to choose the right one — especially if you haven’t moved very much.
PODS and U-Haul are two of the most popular moving services for long- and short-distance moves. Both offer different ways to pack, store, and move your belongings, but which one you choose will depend on a variety of factors, and we’re here to break them down for you. So between PODS vs. U-Haul, which should you choose? What are the pros and cons of each service?
How PODS works
PODS has been a trusted moving and storage option for more than 25 years, and, per its website, has supported over 6 million moves. The way PODS works is that you rent a storage container — they come in three different sizes, more on that below — and you can load it up on your schedule.
The three different container sizes fit all types of moves. The largest container is suitable for a two-bedroom home, or for a home up to 1,200 square feet. The smallest container is best for a studio apartment or 500-square-foot space. The medium container works well for packing up two or three rooms.
After you’ve chosen the PODS size you need, PODS will deliver the container to your home, and you rent it on a monthly basis, so you can pack at your convenience. When you’re ready to head to your new place, PODS will load your container onto the truck with PODZILLA, the company’s level-lift system, to prevent your things from shifting. Or, if you need longer-term storage, PODS has storage facilities where they will keep your container until you’re ready for it. This is a convenient option as it eliminates the need for moving your things to the facility because the storage unit comes to you.
Trent Brock, moving and storage solutions expert at PODS, says that what PODS provides is threefold and widespread: a cost-effective, flexible, and convenient moving option with a nationwide network that serves about 85% of the U.S. population.
Pros of using PODS
Brock points out that “PODS is a great option for any type of mover — whether a college student needs to store items during the summer, newlyweds are moving across the country, or a family is renovating their dream home — we can help support it all.”
The three different PODS container sizes mean you won’t pay for storage you don’t need, and they can be delivered to your next location at your convenience.
Another benefit according to Brock is that because you pay for PODS monthly, there is “a month of storage baked in. Users can make the most of their PODS container and move at their own pace.”
Cons of using PODS
With PODS, you have the flexibility to pack at your convenience, but you will still have to rely on its trucks to actually move your belongings to your new place or into storage.
If you want “an entirely-hands-off moving process,” meaning you want someone to do the packing for you, Brock says that “PODS itself does not directly offer packing and loading assistance,” but it does offer help connecting with local pros who do offer the service.
How U-Haul works
U-Haul is a moving service that is fairly simple. The service allows you to rent a moving vehicle to move your things yourself. Depending on your needs, driving skills, and budget, you can choose from a pickup truck or cargo van or a 10-, 15-, 20-, or 26-foot truck. It also offers three trailer sizes that you can hook onto your own vehicle if you are doing a much smaller move.
In addition to a fleet of moving vehicles, U-Haul also offers U-Box containers, which are not totally dissimilar to PODS, in that these containers can be delivered to your home and picked up when you’re ready to move. You can rent U-Box containers and use them as extra, portable storage. They can hold up to 2,000 pounds and about one and a half rooms worth of stuff.
You can bring your U-Box containers to self-storage facilities where you can store your belongings, as well as vehicle storage options for storing a car, RV, truck, or other vehicle.
Pros of U-Haul
U-Haul offers all sorts of different storage solutions for your move. First, it offers a wide range of vehicle type and size with which to complete your move, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your situation.
Typically, U-Haul vans are rented by the day, so if you’re moving across your city, for example, that might make this service the most convenient to you, rather than renting a container and waiting for the container to be picked up and then moved to the next location.
One satisfied customer, Mark Kaley, used U-Haul for moving his daughter to and from college, and chose a cargo van because it was large enough to move the things for her dorm room and “ensure she had all the comforts of home while away at school.”
If you’re comfortable driving a moving truck or van, you also have the flexibility to move on your schedule. And with other options, like self storage, U-Box containers, and trailers, you’ll likely find an option that best fits your situation.
Cons of U-Haul
First, the service itself may not work for everyone. Some people are very comfortable driving a moving truck or hooking a trailer onto their vehicle, but if you’re not, U-Haul may not be the best choice.
If you’re moving across the country, renting a U-Haul would mean you’re driving, rather than meeting your stuff at the end of the move if it’s delivered via PODs. And if you’re paying for the day rather than by the month, you may feel pressured to get the move done quickly, though U-Haul does offer U-Box containers if you need storage for an extended length of time.
Which is best for your move?
The choice between PODS and U-Haul really comes down to individual preference.
Kaley says he chose U-Haul over other self-moving companies “based on the price and the ability to have a cargo van rather than a box truck. In terms of driving safety, I thought the van was a much better choice than driving the box truck sizes.”
For a longer moving timeline — and especially one where you’re traveling long distances — Brock says that “PODS provides significant convenience and accessibility to customers; it delivers sturdy, weather-resistant containers right to customers’ homes. Customers can take as long as they need to pack, load/unload, renovate, or even stage their homes.”
Plus, after you pack up, you can fly to your new home rather than drive there — and have your stuff meet you shortly after, safely delivered by the professionals.
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