Need some help planning a move with PODs

May 23, 2013 1:25 PM

The fam and I are moving in two weeks, and will have two weeks of living in a small rental between closings. Because of this delay, we are going to use PODs for the move, but aren't sure what size we need, and hoping someone can help.

We have a small two bedroom, one bath ranch. 3 couches and a love seat, and the only appliance coming with us is a fridge. We are moving two adults with two preschoolers. Some clothes will be coming to the apartment, and we will also be putting some items in a friends basement...at least our large tv, possibly some other electronics, and possibly other things if we run out of space in the pod. I'm hoping to get the remainder of the house into one 16 foot pod, half for budget reasons, and half because I doubt we can fit two in the driveway of our current house. A friend just moved a 3 bedroom ranch with one toddler in two 12 foot pods with room to spare...am I crazy thinking we can do it in one?

Thanks!

posted by um_maverick to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

Response by poster: Bugger, already remembered something more that I forgot. The moving calculator on the pods website says one 16 footer, but I'm not sure I trust it.
posted by um_maverick at 1:26 PM on May 23, 2013

I have used shipping containers for moving (and I'm doing it again next week).

I don't think you're crazy for thinking you can do it in one, but I really, really suggest you pregame your shipping container situation before the thing arrives so that you don't spend so much time moving everything in there tetris-style.

I've fit everything in my one-bedroom apartment into one of the small ones with room to spare, so I think the 16-footer will work. Just don't be afraid to stand things up and lay things on their sides (although I believe the refrigerator has to remain standing up).
posted by King Bee at 1:30 PM on May 23, 2013

And of course fill that fridge up and use clothes to cushion breakables, put silverware [sized] items inside shoes etc.
posted by Freedomboy at 1:44 PM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]

You should check out ABF u-pack to see if they operate in your area. They don't use different sized pods, just one set size (they're usually much cheaper than "PODS" too). You can request like 4-5 of them, and if you don't fill them up, they don't charge you for them. It's a pretty nice feature.

This allows you to overestimate by a pod, and then if you need it, you have it.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:56 PM on May 23, 2013

The key is to use the space well.16ft should be plent but you must use all the height and fill the spaces as you go.
posted by BenPens at 2:02 PM on May 23, 2013

The couches will be the big problem. They are bulky and spacially inefficient. With 4 of them, I think it will be very close. When we moved with a pod (three bedrooms, one bath, two adults and 1 child) we had one couch and no appliances, and we filled a 12' pod to the brim.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:04 PM on May 23, 2013