Moving is stressful enough. Choosing how you’ll actually transport your belongings from one place to another is an additional headache that you may not want to deal with, so we’re here to offer some practical advice and make the decision a bit easier.
Usually, the choice will come down to two popular options: a traditional moving service, or moving with portable storage units. Both options have notable benefits and drawbacks, depending on your circumstances. If you’re looking for guidance on portable storage benefits as compared to moving services, look no further.
In this article, we’re highlighting the advantages portable storage over a traditional moving service, and why renting moving storage pods is often the better option.
Risk of Damage
Perhaps the most worrying part of a move is the concern that your valuable items will incur damage — nobody wants to arrive at their new home only to find dented furniture, a scratched TV or a broken vase.
In this case, working with a conventional moving service can be a gamble. While some are careful to prevent damage to the homeowner’s goods (they use appropriate floor coverings, packing materials, moving blankets etc.), others may take few or no precautions at all. For most moving companies, the name of the game is speed. If making the deadline means throwing a few boxes rather than placing them carefully or rearranging them to ensure nothing shifts in transport, well then, that’s just what happens.
In contrast with conventional movers, using portable storage containers for moving puts you in control of your own packing. While this means more work, many people find this an acceptable trade off since they can ensure their contents are safe when moving, and are also free to pack at their own pace, rather than stick to a mover’s schedule. This can also be particularly valuable if you have time between when you move out of your old home and into your new one.
Blue Sky’s portable storage services speak directly to these issues: our lift keeps units level at all times when moving storage pods, which helps prevent any damage. For additional peace of mind, we offer climate-controlled storage options to keep your things safe during cold winter months.
Storage
Most traditional moving companies aren’t setup to provide storage during your move. If they do offer storage, you can expect high fees, and limited or no access to your contents, which are likely stored in a remote location.
In contrast, portable storage companies like Blue Sky are naturally all about storage. Customers may choose to store their goods at their own location, or make use of one of our off-site storage options, which cater to a variety of different needs.
Blue Sky also provides base insurance coverage of $5,000 on all units, with additional coverage available at a small cost. This insurance applies from the moment we pick your unit up to the time it’s delivered back to you. Remote storage has never been so easy, or so well-covered.
Timelines and Deadlines
Here, again, we encounter the issue of speed. Conventional moving companies run on tight deadlines. Before long, it can feel like you’re no longer in charge of your own home, as movers rush in and out, boxes and furniture going this way and that, adding more and more to your stress.
The focus on deadlines also means that most moving services are inflexible. Should you need to change your moving timeline due to unforeseen circumstances – a delay in closing, an urgent situation at work, or an untimely bout of the flu – a mover will often charge exorbitant fees for rescheduling.
Price
Conventional movers can make a move happen quickly, and having the labour is nice, but these things come at an added cost, typically in the thousands of dollars per move. By comparison, portable storage units are usually a small fraction of the cost of a “professional” mover. At Blue Sky for example, our rates start at just $164.99/month with added fees and discounts depending on size, location and storage arrangement. Delivery prices are similarly affordable, starting at $69.99 per unit trip. Compare these costs to an average of at least $2,300USD for a traditional moving service (American Moving and Storage Association), and you’re saving more than $3,000 Canadian. Even if you chose to hire a few labourers, or call in a favour with some friends and provide the pizza and pop, you’re still keeping a lot of cash in your pocket.
Blue Sky’s portable storage also offers a clear advantage relative to other portable storage providers: we bill on a monthly cycle, rather than the 28-day cycle often used by our competitors, which is cleverly designed to sneak in an extra bill-cycle every year.
Conclusion
The choice between portable storage and traditional moving services is yours to make. If money is no object, you’re okay with a fixed schedule, and you’re willing to trust others with the protection of our contents, then a conventional mover may be the way to go. But if you want to control your budget, have a flexible schedule and ensure your possessions are protected and accounted for, then portable moving containers like those offered by Blue Sky are your ticket to peace of mind.
