We Used PODS for Our Military Move | Here’s What We Learned
File this one under “Posts I Always Meant to Write But Never Got To.” But the questions keep coming, so I figured it was finally time to answer them! Today, I want to share what we learned when using PODS for two of our military moves. Spoiler: moving ourselves is something I swore I’d never do but the PODS made it so much better than I ever expected. Here’s why!
Our First 9 Moves
For our first 9 moves of Greg’s military career, we did what most would call a “standard” move: the government-coordinated effort with a big moving truck and the crew(s) of packers.
These moves are max-efficient but also max-stressful, because with outside movers (and the speed at which they work), you lose a LOT of control.
You rarely know where anything is, how it’s packed, where it’s positioned on the truck, or when you’ll see it all again. The safety and security of practically every item you own is, quite literally, out of your hands.
Never Say Never
When Greg received a 10-month assignment a few years ago, we decided to only bring necessities and put the rest in storage. (Curious what we brought? I expand in this week’s Voice Notes!)
With only half our belongings in tow, we figured this was the perfect time to try what’s called a DITY (do it yourself) move.
We weren’t bothered by the idea of packing and loading, but we really didn’t want to drive a truck or haul a trailer. So after much research, we decided to use PODS.
10 Things We Learned Using PODS for Our Military Move
1. From No Control to All the Control
The biggest surprise for us was how much control we gained. After 9 moves of zero control over when movers would show up, how long it would take, and how long we’d live without our stuff…we suddenly had control over the entire timeline, which was both jarring and totally delightful. We could schedule the delivery and pickup of our PODS so precisely and even get text notifications about arrivals, delays etc. Using PODS, quite simply, eliminated most of the uncertainty we’d grown accustomed to.
2. Scheduling Nuances
That said, PODS does have some unique scheduling nuances to be aware of. They require a minimum amount of days between a drop off and pick up, and they don’t schedule on Mondays. These aren’t deal breakers but can affect your timeline (and therefore, costs!)
3. Smaller Than You Think
I suspect most people don’t know the weight of their belongings, but military families (generally) do. Based on the weight we thought we’d be bringing, we initially reserved a single large PODS. However, we quickly learned that you run out of space before you run out of weight. Even though each PODS holds about 4K pounds, we never got that heavy because we ran out of room first. We ended up needing a second PODS (and filling it!). We found PODS’ size guidelines generally unhelpful, so my recommendation is to assume you will need more space than you think!
4. Loading Is Surprisingly Easy (& Fun?)
There is only one tiny step and no ramp to get into a PODS. You can walk in/out with relative ease. This is a major energy saver that we appreciated every single trip!
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5. Up Before Out
When loading PODS, we recommend going as high as you can (to the ceiling) with each “row” of items you place. You’re going to run out of floor space quickly, and it becomes VERY difficult to crawl over things in the front to try to take advantage of vertical height in the back. Be VERY strategic and load up before out.
6. Loading > Unloading
We assumed we’d need the same amount of time to load and unload the PODS, but that is not the case. Loading takes a lot of thought, care, strapping down, maneuvering. Unloading does not. Although it took 2ish days to load each PODS, we usually had each one unpacked in about 2 hours. Knowing this could have saved days off our reservations (and consequently, some money too!)
7. Price Compare
It’s important to note that of all the storage container options, PODS is on the more expensive side. If you need to stay within a certain budget or are trying to maximize the amount you earn during your PCS move, price comparing by size, location, and distance can be worth your time.
8. They Can Go (Almost) Anywhere
The “PODzilla” machines they use to position the PODS are quite impressive, and we watched them maneuver our PODS into some fairly unusual spots (including a super steep driveway). As long as you have the required amount of open space, don’t worry too much about the technicians getting it into place – they are amazing at their jobs!
9. Don’t Forget the Tickets
If you need to file for reimbursement, it’s imperative that you request weight tickets for each POD ahead of time (during the reservation process). This is an extra fee and you will need to be diligent that the tickets are loaded into your account.
10. Less No-Go
Although PODS has policies against hazardous materials and batteries, we were comfortable loading up some items we typically have to toss (e.g., pantry items, cleaning supplies). This saved us a lot of money and space in our travel vehicles.
Key Takeaway
In the end, our PODS experiences were very positive and we typically recommend them to anyone who asks.
You get all the convenience and control of packing and loading items exactly as you want, but you don’t have the added hassle of driving (and parking!) your own truck.
Moving is stressful no matter how you do it, but we really felt like PODS allowed us to eliminate the worst parts of the process!
Deep Dive Into This Post
Curious what we brought in our PODS for just 10 months of living? I break down everything (that I can remember!) in the Voice Notes below.
Megan
2 Comments on “We Used PODS for Our Military Move | Here’s What We Learned”
We really wanted to use a pod for our 100 mile move but we ran into a snafu. First, our street was too steep. And since our house was elevated from the street the driveway was also too steep and too short. We ended up moving a lot of stuff in our truck that was garden stuff, tools, essentially un needed immediately and hired movers to bring the rest. We really really purged the 40 plus years of stuff but mostly we downsized our furniture knowing most would not fit. It turned out pretty well.
My son is in the Army – he always uses PODS. For his very first assignment right out of college, he sent a POD home. We filled up and he received it on the other end. It was great! And the Pod-Zilla – so so cool!