How to Pack a Pod for Moving

Portable moving containers have revolutionized the moving process and created an ingenious middle ground between self-moves and professional relocations.

The containers are dropped off, picked up, and transported by experienced professionals (so you don’t need to deal with renting and driving a moving truck), but they’re packed and unpacked by the clients (so you can pack the pod as you like and don’t need to pay extra for loading and unloading). And the best part is that a pod can stay on your property for as long as you need it – so, you can pack and unpack at your own pace and take good care of your belongings.

 Yet, as careful as you may be when loading and unloading your items, you’re not a moving expert, so you may not know how to properly pack a moving pod – and an improperly packed pod can put your belongings at risk of damage.

When packing a portable moving container, your goal is to optimize the available space and ensure the safety of your items during transit. To achieve this, you need to know how to pack a pod for moving the right way:

Plan ahead

The first step to ensuring a smooth and successful pod moving experience is to plan everything as thoroughly as possible:

• Decide what size moving pod you need – a small container (6,7, or 8 ft. container that is suitable for small moves), a medium size container (10 or 12 ft. container that can hold the contents of two rooms), or a large container (15 or 16 ft. container that is suitable for moving 3-bedroom homes). If you have a 4-bedroom home or a bigger one, you will need more than one moving pod;
• Research moving container companies (PODS, U-Pack, U-Haul, 1-800-PACK-RAT, Zippy Shell, SMARTBOX, etc.) – see what they have to offer, compare costs and conditions, and choose the pod mover that best suits your needs. Reserve a convenient day for the delivery of the portable container;
• Check the city laws, neighborhood regulations, and/or apartment complex rules on placing a portable storage container on a personal property or on the street – you may need a special permit to have a container sit in front of your home and there may be limits to the amount of time the pod can stay on the premises;
• Choose an adequate place for the pod – a large enough place (so there is sufficient space for the container and you have ample room to maneuver around it when loading bulky items and to put boxes and other things outside it while arranging your belongings in the pod) with hard, level surface (so the pod is stable and, therefore, safer and easier to load), as close to the entrance to your home as possible (to reduce the time and effort for getting your stuff into the container). Make sure there is easy access to the location and enough clearance, so the pod company can drop off the container and pick it up without any problems. Needless to say, the area where you intend to put the pod has to be clear of obstacles and obstructions.

Bonus tips for planning a pod move:

1. Think about how much time you’re going to need to pack and unpack the container. You can keep the pod for as long as you want to, but moving container companies usually charge by the month, so it will be best to complete your move within one month in order not to incur additional costs;
2. Be sure to have as many of your items as possible (rarely used items, out-of-season items, etc.) packed by the time the moving container is delivered, so you can start loading the pod right away.

More helpful information: Portable moving containers and pod moving companies

Prepare your belongings for the move

Once you’ve planned for the pod, it’s time to plan for your belongings. You need to decide exactly which of your items will be moved in the pod and get them ready to be packed in the shipping container (provide them with adequate protection and pack them in such a way that they fit in the pod in the safest and most efficient way possible).

1) Decide what to pack in the pod

• Purge your items and get rid of anything you don’t need or don’t like (See also: How to get rid of unwanted items when moving)
• Set aside essentials and valuables – You will need your essentials (medications, toiletries, personal care items, a change of clothes, personal electronics and chargers, etc.) during the trip to your new location and the first couple of days in your new home, so you need to take them with you when you move. Important documents and valuables should also stay with you – so you have the peace of mind that they won’t get lost or damaged during the move (See also: How to prepare an essentials box for moving)

• Know what not to pack in a pod:
  • Things that are not permitted in a moving container for safety reasons – perishable items, hazardous materials, etc.;
  • Delicate items that are better not put in a moving container as they’re too vulnerable to temperature damage – artwork, musical instruments, sensitive electronics, etc. (When moving with a pod, your belongings will likely stay in the container for a couple of weeks – or even a couple of months (unlike when moving with a moving truck when your goods will stay in the vehicle for no longer than several days). This means that your items will be exposed to heat or cold for a long time and may even go through some drastic temperatures changes – so, temperature-sensitive items will be at a great risk of damage);
• Make an inventory of the things you’re going to pack in the moving container. If you’re using more than one pod, be sure to document what goes where.

2) Make sure the items you intend to pack in the pod are clean and dry

Moisture and dirt can have a detrimental effect on items moved in a pod container.

As already mentioned, your belongings will stay in the moving container for quite some time – and moisture can cause swelling, warping, or rotting – or may result in mold and mildew – over time.

Dust and dirt can cause tiny scratches, scuffs, and other damage to delicate surfaces when your items are moved around in the pod during loading and unloading – and debris can attract pests (insects, rodents, and other vermin can get inside the moving container when it is opened for loading and unloading).

It is, therefore, crucial that every item is clean and completely dry before being packed in the pod.

3) Pack as much of your stuff as you can into boxes – strong, standard-sized moving boxes

This way, your belongings will be better protected during the move and you will be able to pack the pod more easily and more efficiently (it will be easy to stack the standard-sized boxes in the pod, creating a compact and tight load).

Using old boxes from supermarkets and retail stores is not a good idea even though it will save you money on packing supplies – these boxes won’t provide good protection to your items (as they will be weakened from previous uses) and won’t stack securely on top of one another (as they will be different sizes and shapes), making it more difficult to load the pod and increasing the risk of damage to your belongings.

See also: The risks of using free moving boxes

4) Pack your boxes the right way

• Reinforce the bottoms of the boxes with packing tape, fill the cartons to their capacity (so they don’t cave in when stacked on top of one another), fill any empty spaces in the boxes with cushioning materials to prevent the items inside them from shifting and coming in contact with one another during transit, and seal the cartons well. Label the boxes with their contents and any necessary handling instructions (See also: How to pack boxes for moving);
• Wrap fragile items in packing paper and bubble wrap and make sure they’re well cushioned in the moving boxes. Mark the boxes that contain breakables and delicate items as “FRAGILE” and “HANDLE WITH CARE” (See also: How to pack fragile items for moving)
• Pack heavy items in small boxes and lightweight items in large boxes. Be careful not to overload the boxes and not to make them heavier than 45 pounds;
• Divide your packed boxes into two piles – heavy and light. This way, it will be easier to properly distribute the weight of your items when you start loading the moving container.

5) Take care of larger household items

• Disassemble larger furniture pieces to make them easier to load in the pod and less vulnerable to damage during the move (See also: How to disassemble furniture when moving);
• Wrap furniture, appliances, and other larger items in moving blankets to protect them against dust, dirt, moisture, and damage. Use stretch wrap to secure the protective coverings in place (fabric furniture can be wrapped directly in plastic wrap). (See also: How to pack furniture for moving; How to pack appliances for moving)
• Use mattress covers (or plastic wrap) to protect your mattresses (See also: How to pack a mattress for moving)
• Protect TV screens with foam sheets or large pieces of cardboard, wrap the entire TVs in several layers of bubbles wrap, and pack them in their original boxes or specialized TV boxes (See also: How to pack a TV for moving)
• Protect pictures and mirrors with cardboard pieces, wrap them in bubble wrap, and pack them in picture boxes. (See also: How to pack pictures and mirrors for moving)

Once your items are ready to be packed in the pod, you can start the actual loading process.

How to pack a pod

The best way to pack a moving pod is to build tiers, taking care to balance the load and ensure a tight pack:

1) Create tiers (floor to ceiling vertical walls of stuff) and secure them well

Start at the back of the container and pack your items in vertical layers that reach up to the roof. The goal is to create a series of tiers (floor to ceiling walls), so you can maximize the available space and ensure your items are well secured in the pod:

• Start the first tier by placing some large, sturdy pieces of furniture (safely wrapped and padded) flush against the back wall of the container. Put boxes and items of medium weight on top and finish the layer with lighter things;
• Use some large and heavy boxes as the base for the next tier and stack lighter items on top. Keep alternating between solid furniture, heavy boxes, and other sturdy items as bases for the tiers. Stack lighter things on top of the bases and make sure the tiers reach to the top of the moving container;
• Work on one tier at a time, so you don’t need to climb over your belongings as you pack;
• Make the tiers as tight as possible to maximize the space and prevent items from shifting during the move – use small, pliable items (pillows, plush toys, bags of clothing, etc.) to fill any gaps between the items in a tier, put some heavy boxes in the cavities underneath desks, chairs, and other similar pieces, etc.;
• Mix boxes, furniture, and other items in a tier – it will be easy to build an entire tier by stacking boxes from floor to ceiling, but it will be impossible to make a neat, secure tier with irregularly-shaped items only. Therefore, you’re advised to use both boxes and oddly-shaped items in each layer, so each tier can have a solid base and can be made relatively secure;
• Secure each tier with ropes or ratchet straps as soon as you finish it (pod containers have hooks and anchors to hold the ropes). Tie down larger items individually and create an “X” with the ropes (or use a zigzag pattern) to keep the entire tier in place. (The goal is to prevent the items in the tier from toppling over or rubbing against items from another layer during transit.)

2) Distribute weight evenly

When packing a moving pod, it’s crucial to balance the weight – to distribute it evenly throughout the container – so the load is stable and the risk of damages during transit is reduced. (If there are a lot of heavy items on one side of the container and lightweight items on the other, the heavy items may start leaning into the lighter ones when the container is moved, eventually falling onto them and crushing them.)

So, when loading your pod, be sure to distribute the weight evenly from back to front and side to side – place your furniture, appliances, heavy boxes, and other heavy items throughout the unit to ensure a balanced – and safer – load.

Now that you’re familiar with the basics of packing a pod, it’s time to learn some expert strategies that will help you achieve maximum safety and efficiency. Check the clever tips for packing a moving pod below:

How to pack a pod efficiently

To make the most out of your pod move, you need to know how to load a moving container in a safe and efficient manner:

Use the right equipment for the job

Using appropriate moving equipment will help you prevent accidents when loading a pod – and will make the endeavor much easier:

• A utility dolly will help you quickly and easily take stacks of boxes, small furniture, and all kinds of medium-sized household items into the moving container;
• A furniture dolly will allow you to load large and heavy furniture into the pod without much effort;
• An appliance dolly will make the job of loading heavy appliances safe and easy;
• Furniture sliders will allow you to slide heavy pieces across the floor instead of lifting and carrying them;
• Furniture lifting straps will allow you to lift and carry heavy items without straining your back;
• Ratchet straps will help you better secure your items in the moving pod;
• Ropes will come handy for securing tiers.

All in all, using specialized moving equipment when packing your moving container will save you a lot of time and effort and will reduce the risk of injuries and damages during the process. (See also: The moving dolly; How to use moving straps)

Still, if you have some very heavy items to load in the pod (or if you want to finish the job as quickly as possible), you should not try to do everything on your own – ask friends to give you a hand or hire moving labor, if necessary. Loading a moving pod is much safer, much easier, and much faster when you have help.

Pack the moving container in the right order

So, how to pack a moving pod? While you need to load the container in a systematic and logical way and make sure the weight is balanced, you can still pack your items in a way that’s meaningful for you:

• Do not pack all your furniture and appliances at the back of the pod;
• Load the largest and heaviest items from any given tier first;
• Put heavier items on the bottom and lighter ones on top of them;
• Put items you won’t need for the first couple of weeks after the move in the back of the container and items you will need easy access to at the front. It is a good idea to load non-essential furniture, things from storage areas, specialized items, boxes filled with out-of-season items, and other rarely used items first and pack bathroom items, kitchen items, some clothing and bedding, and other essentials at the front (near the door of the pod) so you can get to them quickly and easily.

Maximize the space in the pod container

When wondering how to best pack a pod, you’re in fact wondering how to optimize the space in the pod. As already explained above, there are two main ways to achieve this – by creating tiers and by packing your items as tightly as possible:

1. Packing vertically – from floor to ceiling – allows you to fill the pod container to its maximum capacity. You can stack your items and boxes on top of one another all the way to the roof, thus using the vertical space in the container to your advantage.

If there remains some room between the tops of the tiers and the ceiling, you can use it to pack some thin, oddly-shaped items that fit the space (like golf clubs and fishing rods, bicycles and folding chairs, etc.). Be sure to wrap these things in moving blankets or bubble wrap to keep them safe during the move and ensure a tight fit.

Good to know: It is best to load long items (sofas, headboards, etc.) upright, perpendicular to the tiers (along the side walls of the pod). This will help you both optimize space and maintain balance throughout the container.

2. Packing tightly is not only the best way to optimize the space in the pod, but also the best way to prevent shifting (and, therefore, damage to your items) during the move.

Even if you make the tiers as tight as possible though (as detailed above), not all items in a tier will be the same width. This means that some gaps may remain between the tiers. Be sure to fill such in-between spaces with small boxes, flat items (safely wrapped), or pliable items like pillows and bags of clothing.

Good to know: Cushioning and padding materials not only protect the items in the pod, but also help ensure a tighter fit. So, the more cushioning you provide, the better.

Ensure the safety of your items

Last, but probably most important of all, you need to do everything possible to keep your items safe and sound in the pod:

• Avoid loading items in the pod when it rains or snows – even a small amount of moisture can cause mold to develop in the moving container;
• Line the bottom of the pod with moving blankets before you start loading your items – to create a cushioning layer that will provide protection against vibrations and shocks;
• Use moving blankets and large pieces of cardboard to provide cushioning between the items in the moving container – and make the pack even tighter;
• Pack mattresses against items with glass surfaces (such as china cabinets, for example). Put mirrors, pictures, glass tabletops, and TVs between mattresses or between a mattress and the back of a sofa;
• Do not stack heavy boxes – or heavy items – over boxes containing fragile items;
• Do not place heavy items on top of thin-legged furniture and upholstered pieces;
• Add moisture absorbing silica gel packets (or other moisture absorbers) throughout the pod to prevent mold and mildew;

• If the pod has a plastic, translucent roof, be sure to put some blankets or pieces of cardboard over your items to protect them from direct sunlight;
• If you don’t have enough items to fill the entire moving container from floor to ceiling, make the tiers shorter, rather than building several tiers that reach the roof and leaving a lot of empty space between the last tier and the container door (if there is empty space in the pod, your items will have plenty of room to move around and may easily topple over or bump against each other during transportation – and get damaged). Either build all tiers to the same height (so items from higher tiers don’t fall over shorter tiers during transit) or make the last few tiers successively shorter (the gradual curve will prevent items from collapsing). This will ensure stability and balance and will reduce the risk of damage to your items during the move;
• Allow enough clearance (a couple of inches) between your items and the door barrel roll, so the door opening mechanism is not obstructed and can function properly;
• Place a mattress (safely packed in a specialized mattress bag) or a large sheet of cardboard (several large, flattened boxes taped together will do) vertically against the items in the last tier to create a barrier between your things and the container door – the barrier will help keep your belongings safely in place during transit and will prevent them from falling against the door;
• Lock the container when you’re not using it;
• Get insurance for your items – just in case.

Now you know how to load a pod so you can make the most of the space and ensure your items stay safe during the move. Are you up to the challenge or would you rather hire professional movers to take care of your belongings?