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5 things not to put in Storage PODS

Five things you should not put in storage PODS or any portable short-term storage containers.

So… it’s been 2 months since we PODS’d in the hopes of putting our house on the market.

And after 2 months – and still not putting our house on the market (we’re building first) I can tell you with certainty that daily I regret what we stored away. Portable storage is a great idea, but you can really make your life h-e- double-hockey-sticks if you don’t think it out before you start stuffing that PODS to the gills.

Here are 5 things you absolutely, without a doubt, should not put into a PODS. Of course, this list could change depending on the length of time you expect to PODS. For us, we knew it would be approximately 3 – 5 months and I THOUGHT I was very strategic about what I put in the storage container.

1)   All of any one collection of things. Case in point, I thought I would not need any of my small purses – until we went to the LSU game in an NFL stadium and discovered that bags have to be 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches, max. I refused to purchase a new purse or carry a quart-sized zip lock bag when I had 3 perfectly great bags in the PODS, so I used the Cupcake’s Disney Princess Purse. Oh, yes I did. Along this same line…. I realize that it’s still 100 degrees in Texas, but I am dying to have my fall boots back. Every single boot that I own is in the PODS. In retrospect, I wish I had kept one small purse and my favorite pair of boots. And I won’t get started on the all the craft supplies I need now that Craft Exchange is right around the corner. Or the Cupcake’s toys…  Major head smack.

2)   Anything seasonal. The thing with PODS is that you can’t just pop in and pick up something that you already boxed up like you can do with a storage unit. Your stuff is in there until you schedule a return delivery and each trip costs money so…. Even if you THINK you’ll be in your new home by Halloween, just go ahead and assume it will be after Christmas just in case so you don’t have to buy new fake pumpkins (sigh). For me, I put our Easy-Up tent and LSU outdoor party stuff in there not even thinking about the start of tailgate season. Whaaaa???? No one wants to buy replacements when you’re about to move. No bueno.

3)   Anything perishable. This may seem obvious, right? Like you’re not going to put a bag of oranges or a package of butter in there, but think this through. You can’t put any plants in there (no light), candles (they’ll melt) and craft supplies like paint or kids play dough (they’ll cook) because they will dry out in that little oven on wheels. And heaven forbid you put your extra wine in the PODS. Not that we ever have EXTRA wine around here. Of course if you live in a climate that doesn’t regularly hit 100+ in the summer – you’re lucky – and maybe this doesn’t apply to you.

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100 Pack Foam Sheets, DAT 12" x 12", 1/16" Thickness, Foam Wrap Cushioning Material, Moving Supplies for Packing Storage and Shipping
Tenby Living Newsprint Packing Paper: 5.5 lbs of Uncoated, Unbleached, and Unwaxed Newsprint Paper, 31" x 21.5" Premium Quality
Modern Innovations 15 Inch Clear Stretch Wrap Roll with Handles (1 Roll-1000 Feet) Heavy Duty Shrink Wrap for Moving, Packing Supplies for Wrapping Furniture, Industrial Plastic Pallet Cling
60 Cushion Foam Wrap Pouches, Protect Mug, Cup, Glasses, China, and Dishes, Packing Supplies, Packing Cushioning Supplies for Moving
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Title
100 Pack Foam Sheets, DAT 12" x 12", 1/16" Thickness, Foam Wrap Cushioning Material, Moving Supplies for Packing Storage and Shipping
Image
100 Pack Foam Sheets, DAT 12" x 12", 1/16" Thickness, Foam Wrap Cushioning Material, Moving Supplies for Packing Storage and Shipping
Price
$17.99
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Title
Tenby Living Newsprint Packing Paper: 5.5 lbs of Uncoated, Unbleached, and Unwaxed Newsprint Paper, 31" x 21.5" Premium Quality
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Tenby Living Newsprint Packing Paper: 5.5 lbs of Uncoated, Unbleached, and Unwaxed Newsprint Paper, 31" x 21.5" Premium Quality
Price
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Title
Modern Innovations 15 Inch Clear Stretch Wrap Roll with Handles (1 Roll-1000 Feet) Heavy Duty Shrink Wrap for Moving, Packing Supplies for Wrapping Furniture, Industrial Plastic Pallet Cling
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Price
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4)   Anything breakable. I know… duh. But until you see how the PODS is unloaded in your driveway, you don’t truly appreciate how important the loading of the PODS actually is. We ordered a PODS probably a little too big, and started packing it very carefully and tightly towards the front. After 2 days of packing we realized that it wasn’t going to be nearly full enough and when the PODS driver came to pick it up, EVERYTHING would shift and fall about no matter how carefully they lifted it. We ended up taking an extra day off from work and throwing things into boxes that we might otherwise not have PODDED just to fill in the extra space. I still anticipate broken, unprotected furniture and boxes tossed about. My advice, pack the bottom of the PODS first, then work your way up. 

5)   Anything of value. Now if you’re married to someone like my husband, his whole attitude towards the PODS was that if we never saw what was inside again, he was okay with it. I – on the other hand — am not. I do not see the PODS as a giant dumpster, I actually get rid of things that I never want to see again, I do not put them into storage. Purchase the insurance option on the PODS – even if you do not have a strong affiliation to what’s inside (like my crazy hubs) — because if anything were to happen to it, at least you could get a monetary compensation for the contents.

storage pods

Expert PODS Packing Tips

Okay, now that you have absorbed my personal tips on what not to put into a PODS, how about reading up on some expert PODS packing tips? Not so long ago, I reached out to my friend Jeff with Berger Allied Moving & Storage and asked him to give some practical PODS packing tips that will be useful for anyone planning extended storage or a house move.

building a home

House Building

And if you are reading up on storage PODS because you are in the process of building a house, then this post titled 10 Essential Things You Need to Know When Building a House is a must-read!

3 Comments

  1. I am storing my pod in hanrahan, LA and we Were told we have access to the clinate controlled facility with 24 hour notice. Where is your pos and why cant you access it?
    I love LSU too, unless the play clemson….

    Reply
    • Hi Michelle, that’s a great question. I believe the reason why you have to give them 24-hours notice is because of how they store the units. I don’t think they’re set up like a storage facility where you have doorway access to all of them. I could be wrong, but if I remember correctly, that was it. They may even stack them, I dunno. We kept ours in the Dallas area.

      Reply

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