Our relationship with PODS began a year ago when we put our house of 11 years on the market and needed to declutter and stage it. There are many self-storage options in my area, but all require renting, loading, unloading a truck; then repeating the process. My wife and I decided to give PODS a try.

The process could not have been easier: a helpful person on the phone, a friendly, skilled PODzilla driver delivering, and then returning the PODS container as needed. Our house sold within a month. A year later, I needed to move furniture from a home in Central NY, to our home in Massachusetts – 317 miles. Renting a truck was easy enough, but who wants to drive a bulky, loud, and uncomfortable truck that far? With the cost of gas and rental by-the-week, my wife and I would have to load and unload quickly. Who wants to drive 317 miles in a truck after spending days loading it? Oh yes, we also have 3 children in tow; should we take our car and rent a truck… Maybe a moving company: someone else does the loading, driving, and unloading. Easy, but WHAT A PRICE!

PODS to the rescue.

Again, a very helpful person on the phone.

• When do you need it delivered in NY?
• When would you like it picked up?
• When would you like it delivered to MA?

Again, a friendly PODzilla arrived on time with a call prior to arrival. My wife and I were able to take our time and load the PODS container over three days; splitting the time between the furniture and our children. Again, the driver called ahead and arrived on time then THANKED ME FOR MY BUSINESS. My family was able to drive the 317 miles home together in our own car. Our PODS container arrived as arranged and it was like Christmas. Twice we have trusted PODS with my memories and twice they have delivered and exceeded all expectations! Thank you PODS for the excellent service: you have trained your crew well and it is clear they care about your customers and represent your company well.

I will use you again and recommend you to my friends and family.

Very Best,
The Metcalf Family

Participating in a home exchange is a really interesting way to take a vacation and act as a local instead of a tourist. It might also be a good way to get a better idea of a new location if you’re planning on moving, especially abroad. The idea that you can take a practice run in a new city or country seems like a great way to get acclimated before you ever even make the move.

(And don’t forget, PODS can help you with some international moves!)

Would you open up your home to a home exchange? Where would you want to go?

What one person may see as four walls, you may see as being a world of memories. It’s those memories that can sometimes make it hard for you to pack everything up and move to a new set of four walls.

So, while you’re packing for a big (or small) move, instead of dreading the work ahead of you, think of it as a trip down memory lane. Get your family and/or friends together and use it as an opportunity to reflect on all of good times that you’ve had in that home.

You can even consider leaving some of your memories behind. Check out this creative project where you can turn a light switch into a time capsule. There’s something exciting about the possibility of someone else finding your story.

Is your home more than just a house with four walls?

Housewarming Gifts:

Usually, housewarming gifts are given to those who are new to the neighborhood to help them feel welcome. Why not switch it up a bit? Offering your two direct neighbors a gift will most likely go a long way. The gift doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Some good ideas may be a nice plant from your local florist, or even a gift basket with assorted items in it. If you’ve noticed that they have children, it may  be something to keep in mind while purchasing a gift.

Conversation Goes a Long Way:

There’s nothing wrong with a casual “Good Morning” or “Hello,” but digging a littler deeper is also a good way to show your new neighbors that you’re a great addition to the neighborhood. On the same note, some people just aren’t fans of small talk. Finding a balance there can be easier than you think. Asking simple questions like, “which supermarket do you prefer?” or “where is the nearest movie theater?” can not only start a conversation, but your neighbor may also feel good about their knowledge of the neighborhood.

Housewarming Party:

If you happen to be hosting a housewarming party at your new home for your friends and family, don’t hesitate to invite your new neighbors. Not only will you be able to get to know them a little better in a social environment, but it’ll also prevent any hard feelings regarding complaints being made and being left out.

Sometimes, for what ever reason, some neighbors make it impossible to break the ice. When I asked our Facebook fans how they’ve dealt with unpleasant neighbors, I got some interesting responses. The general consensus was to kill them with kindness.

Here’s a link to some more of the answers that came in on Facebook.

Have you ever had to deal with an unpleasant neighbor? How did you approach the situation?

What would be some other advice to give in order to prevent any issues with a new neighbor?

For about a week now, I’ve seen this couch that seems to be stuck in the back stairway on the third floor at this apartment complex. It’s hard to tell if it was on it’s way in or out, but the fact remains, something must have gone wrong in this move. It also seems like whatever is happening here could’ve been avoided. Seeing this day after day led me to write this post.

Moving isn’t always the easiest thing to do. That’s a given. But sometimes, things can go horribly wrong, and those are situations that are best to try and avoid at all costs.

When you first decide to move into a new house or apartment, it’s easy to picture yourself making that house a home. What’s easily forgotten is how to get all of your things in that new house. There a few things you may want to think about before you start physically moving things into your new home:

• How many flights of stairs will you have to walk up with all of your things? Packing more boxes that weigh less may be more practical than having less boxes with heavier contents.
• Is there an elevator that you can use on move-in day? While some buildings have no elevators, other have elevators but can’t always be used for big moves.
• Are all of your boxes sturdy? Tape the bottoms of the boxes you’re using to make sure they don’t collapse during the move.
• Does everything that fits in your current home fit in your new home? Avoid bringing too many items that will  only add clutter in the long run. This is the perfect site to use to plan your home interactively before ever lifting a finger.
• How wide are the hallways? It’s important to think about how your bigger furniture will fit in the hallways, that way you’ll know in advance if you have to take apart.

These are just a few tips to make sure you don’t end up getting stuck in the middle of a move. Do you have any experiences with ways you’ve avoided horror situations like the one in the picture above?

When I left you last, we’d just had our PODS container delivered but I wasn’t quite ready to fill it up.

Interestingly, the day after we got our container, I walked the dog as usual in the morning. As I turned the first corner, I could see another PODS container several blocks ahead.

And then as we turned towards home, I noticed that the neighborhood church now had TWO containers on their parking lot. Were we all becoming PODS people? It would seem so!

I worked hard for about a week, going through our belongings, throwing away what we didn’t need, and finally began loading my container the following week. I started to worry. Would I need more than one container? I’m so glad I didn’t order the 12 foot container. What will I do if I need another container?

This worry was compounded by the fact that I had ordered a 20 yard dumpster for the cleaning out process but they didn’t have one so I ordered, and ended up filling, a 40 yard dumpster! Had I underestimated?

As it turned out, I probably could have gotten away with the 12 foot container. I have plenty of room left to store things. Better to have too much room than not enough!

When I knew I was going to be ready to have the container picked up, I called PODS. I was able to arrange to have them come on Friday like I had hoped. I packed the last few things, locked it up, and she was ready to go.

The driver came and called me before he arrived so I was waiting for him. It was storming really badly but I got a video of the whole pick up. So cool!

I’m not sure why that made me sad but I know that I am HAPPY to be a PODS person.

I spent 24 years of my married life trying to stay out of Oklahoma. Oklahoma is the home of cowboys; OSU Cowboys and all kinds of other cowboys. Apparently, it’s also the home of aliens.

Bartian is the alien-type name that the residents of Bartlesville give themselves. Since living here, I’ve laughingly referred to myself as a Bartian to the unsuspecting listener just to see their reaction. Now, my season as a Bartian is coming to an end and we have moved on to our next alien-style designation: PODS people.

We had been planning our move to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the idea that we would keep our Bartlesville home as a landing spot for returns to the USA. As happens often in life, however, our plans changed when the unexpected occurred. The Friday before the Fourth of July, a man came to our door and offered to buy our house. As our home remains the only one standing on our side of the block in downtown Bartlesville, I knew it was a possibility that somewhere down the road someone would want to develop the block and would approach us to sell our house.

The timing couldn’t have been better as I was starting to wrap my head around who would maintain the yard, adding security to both houses, etc.

But now, I had another problem: what would I do with all of our “stuff”?

As I walked around the neighborhood, I noticed that the First Assembly of God Church had a PODS container sitting in their parking lot. Hmmm, this could work! I could have them bring me the container, I could load it up, and have them take it back and store it. Awesome!

The first thing I did was go to the PODS website.  I requested a quote for a 12’ container. They sent me a quote for both the 12’ and 16’ containers which was great because I ended up getting the 16’ container and it was nice to have all of the information to make a decision.

I didn’t make my decision straight away. I know I’m moving but still not completely sure of the timing. PODS did not harass me to make a decision! Love it. I think I received only one more email from them after the two quotes. When I was ready to make a decision, I called and spoke to a very knowledgeable lady. She had used the PODS containers twice before herself and was getting ready to use one again. It was kind of like the cherry on top to hear an actual personal experience.

She was patient in helping me to understand every part of the process and we made a scheduled delivery. Prior to the delivery, I received another email confirming when they would arrive.

I had arranged to have the driver place the container in the area where we park our cars. I was hoping that if he put it far enough to the right, we’d still be able to park both cars and the PODS container in the three car parking configuration.

The driver came as scheduled. I had to video the process because it was the just the coolest thing. I’m weirdly fascinated by odd mechanical devices.

Once he had the container down, I asked him if he could move it a little further to the right which he did. The container and the cars all fit! Yay!

It’s going to be a little while before I start to fill the container. I realized that I may have gotten the cart before the horse and am not ready yet to fill it. But the good news is I don’t have to be in a hurry.

So far, I really like being a PODS person.

Sometimes, when making a move, the work needs to be completed in a small window of time and often, your time is being split between several different priorities besides packing your belongings.  Especially given that packing can be especially time-consuming and without previous experience or proper materials this can lead to a lot of uncertainty.  Will this box be too heavy to place on top of other boxes? Am I packing my container most efficiently?  It might even be difficult to decide what should be wrapped or how much it should be wrapped.

Depending on how much you have, it might even be too much to handle for one or two people! A great alternative is using a professional moving service* such as those listed below:

• Give yourself plenty of time – If you have the luxury of time, start considering moving companies as much as 8 weeks before moving day. Planning well in advance will make it much more likely you’ll find a moving company you’re going to be satisfied with. It will also allow you to compare many cost estimates, and to build a more solid idea of how much your move will cost.

  As well, always ask if the estimates are guaranteed or variable. Often, estimates from van lines are based on the best-case scenario and can vary widely once your items are loaded on the truck and weighed.  It’s much harder to negotiate a price when everything you own is on some one else’s truck.

• Get feedback from family, friends and the internet – Were these moving companies on time? Were they professional? Did they have the right equipment for the job? What about damage? You can get an abundance of personal testimonials from neighbors, friends, and family about local moving companies. Additionally, researching a moving company on the internet can provide some insight into its reputation and history from a wider clientele. Be sure to check business advocacy sites such as the Better Business Bureau. If your employer is transferring you, ask your relocation agent.

• Determine the size, distance, and timing of your move – How much can you afford to spend on your move? How much work can you do yourself? Be honest, and over-estimate often. Knowing these facts can help you evaluate moving estimates and decide what company is best for you.

  As well, make sure to plan for the unknown.  What if weather delays happen?  Research hotels along your route and make sure you can afford an extra few nights in a hotel if necessary.  How flexible is your departure and arrival date? Have you packed enough in case your belongings are delayed on their arrival due to weather as well?  Make sure to have your options open in case things don’t go according to plan.

• Determine which items the company in question will not transport – Some common restrictions include hazardous items such as paint, cleaners, aerosol cans, or gasoline. Many companies will not move personal valuables such as jewelry, important documents or furs, and many have restrictions involving pets and plants.

Putting some time into making sure you have made the right choice will help you avoid a considerable amount of the stress involved in choosing a moving company. A few minutes of planning is worth avoiding a lot of potential headaches down the road.