Is a Mobile Storage Unit Right for You?

Undertaking a long-distance move can be a real hassle–especially if your move-out and move-in dates don’t coincide. Movers can find themselves in between apartment leases anywhere from few days to a few months for a variety of reasons. Some are unable to find an apartment in a new city before their old lease ends. Others leave a gap in between rentals to travel. Still others find themselves stuck between an old lease that ends on the first of the month and a new one that begins on the fifteenth. Renters faced with any of these situations need to figure out what to what to do with their stuff in the meantime.
The conventional solution to this problem goes something like this:

1. Rent a moving truck and a traditional storage unit.
2. Pack your things into the truck.
3. Transport your belongings to the storage center.
4. Unpack.
5. Rent another truck.
6. Pack your things into the truck (again).
7. Drive your belongings to the new apartment.
8. Unpack (again).

There’s a simpler solution to this problem: rent a mobile storage unit.

How do Mobile Storage Units Differ from Traditional Storage Units?
When you rent a mobile storage unit, the company will deliver storage units directly to your door. You can request several units if you have a large apartment. If after packing you realize that you have more units than you need, most storage companies will pick up the extra units at no extra charge. “The real advantage to having a mobile storage unit is being able to move at your leisure,” says Will, an entrepreneur in Austin, TX, who has used mobile storage units several times. You can rent the unit for as long as you want, so you won’t have to worry about how to empty your entire apartment over the course of a weekend. When you’re ready, the company will pick up your unit and deliver it to a storage facility, where it remains in the container you packed. When your new apartment is ready, the company delivers the unit directly to your new apartment. Using a mobile storage unit allows you to pack and unpack just once and avoid ever having to drive a moving truck. “Having professional drivers moving the unit is a great thing for people who feel uncomfortable driving big moving trucks,” says Connell.

How Much Does it Cost?
The cost of using mobile storage units varies widely depending on the duration of your rental, the distance of your move and the number of units you need. Here are some approximate price comparisons between moving in the conventional way versus usingABF U-Pack Moving, a mobile storage company:

Move #1: Boston to Los Angeles

	Conventional Move	U-Pack Move
Truck Rental (apartment to storage space)	$80.00	$0.00
Truck Rental (small apartment)	$1570	$1349-$1549*
1 Month of Storage	$150	$195
Gas	$500	$0.00
Total	$2300	$544-$1744

Move #2: New York to Chicago

	Conventional Move	U-Pack Move
Truck Rental (apartment to storage space)	$80.00	$0.00
Truck Rental (small apartment)	$750	$680-$1040*
1 Month of Storage	$150	$195
Gas	$250	$0.00
Total	$1230	$875-$1235

*Range reflects difference in price between a move from U-Pack storage terminal to another U-Pack storage terminal versus door-to-door delivery of storage unit.

Of course, moving truck and storage facility rates vary widely depending on where you live. Most companies provide tools to generate a price estimate on their website.

Will my Stuff be Safe in a Mobile Storage Unit?
Most companies, such as UNITS Mobile Storage and PODS, offer weather resistant units that can withstand water and high winds. Storage facilities protect units from the elements and are climate controlled. Most companies use a hydraulic lift system to move units on and off their trucks to help protect fragile items. Only you have the key to your unit, so you don’t have to worry about anyone entering it while it’s being held at the storage facility.

How Do I Keep Track of My Things?
You specify when and where your unit is delivered. Companies like Door to Door Moving and Storage narrow delivery times down to a three-hour window for receiving your unit from the storage facility. You can access your things while they are being held at the storage facility. Though the storage company can move your unit, only you have the key to open it.

What are Some of the Downsides to Using a Mobile Storage Unit?

• Though the storage company will pick up and deliver your unit, they won’t help you load it. You can load the unit at your leisure, but if you need help packing up your things, you’ll have to make arrangements with friends or professional movers.
• Most mobile storage companies will allow you to store the unit outside your house or apartment building. However, some apartment complexes don’t have the space to allow you to leave a unit outside the building for an extended time.
• Once the unit is dropped off at your apartment building, it can’t be moved until the company returns to collect it. You won’t be able to inch it closer to your apartment to load heavy things or drive it to a furniture store on the way to your new apartment.
• Most companies only rent units on a monthly basis. If you need a unit for two weeks or six weeks, you’ll probably still have to pay for the remainder of the last month.
• Though company storage facilities are climate controlled, your unit isn’t protected from changes in temperature when it’s sitting outside of your apartment. Bryan, a stylist in Austin, TX, used a PODS mobile storage unit for an apartment-to-apartment move in the middle of the Texas heat. “I have some huge paintings that I took out of the unit because it was just too hot in the middle of the day for them to be in the storage unit,” he says. But the inconvenience was worth the money he saved. “The cost of hiring two moving companies and a normal storage unit was going to be around $800. The cost of the mobile storage unit with drop off, pick up, storage and re-delivery was only $400, half the cost.”

More Uses for Mobile Storage Units
Mobile storage units can be extremely handy during renovation projects. Though most apartment renters don’t need to worry about large-scale home renovations, many renters will one day transition into home ownership. Piling furniture from rooms under renovation into the rest of the apartment or house can make your entire home unlivable. Instead, you can move your belongings into a mobile storage unit room by room until the renovation is complete. These units may also be a good option for college and graduate students who need to move their things out of a dorm room or apartment for the summer and move them onto campus in the fall.

Using a mobile storage unit can make your move easier and save you money. When you’re planning your next move, request a few quotes and see whether this option is right for you.

Have you ever used a mobile storage unit for a move? Did it make your move easier? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section.