How to Pack a PODS Container: Smart Moves for Maximum Space

Making a move soon? Hopefully, you’ve already checked out our packing and moving tips, ticked your way through a few of our moving checklists, and maybe even learned how to score free moving boxes. Next step? Whether you’re ready to load or you’re just doing a little pre-planning research, it’s time to learn how to pack a PODS container — the right way.

How To Pack a PODS Container

Knowing how to properly pack your PODS portable moving container will help you make better use of the space and protect your belongings during the move. Here are 10 steps to achieve optimum loading.

 A life-size diagram can help you strategize how to pack a 16-foot PODS storage container — or any size.

(Source: Katherine Alex Beaven)

1. Make a Plan Before You Start Loading

After you’re done packing up your boxes (or even while you’re packing), make a visual map of how you plan to load your moving container. Sure, it sounds a little tedious, but hey, don’t knock it ’til you try it. When it comes to learning how to load a portable container, diagrams can help you work out kinks well before you start juggling heavy pieces of furniture. Just take into account the specific measurements of items, stacks of boxes, and any cushioning you’ll add while loading. Flag what you’ll need to load first, and have it ready, accessible, and closest to the door on moving day.

Depending on the size of your move, you may also want to consider taping up the floor and wall of an empty room to match the measurements of the available space inside your container to practice your Tetris technique. Another tip? Create an inventory of the items you’re moving and tackle two jobs in one go. You’ll have a list of everything you need to fit in your container — and you’ll be able to cross-check it to make sure everything is accounted for. It’s especially important to have an organized inventory list if you have multiple moving containers: Not only do you have more belongings to pack (hence the need for more storage space), but you also have more opportunities for items to get lost in the shuffle.

 Creating a safe loading path helps to prevent accidental trips and falls.

(Source: Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels)

2. Create a Protected Loading Path

Keep the loading process as smooth as possible by making sure nothing gets in your way — literally. Create a clear moving path to keep a flow going as you load. A good rule of thumb is to make it about as wide as the front door (or whichever doorway you plan on using to move your things out of your house into your PODS container).

Don’t forget to protect the path itself, as well. Move all of your fragile, dentable, or otherwise damageable things out of the way. I like to pave the pathway with flattened moving boxes to protect the floor — just be sure to tape them together so they’re smooth and don’t cause you to trip. Want some packing extra credit? Pad the door frame with blankets, clothes, or bubble cushioning roll in case you bump any furniture against it. Let’s be honest, we all do it, no matter how careful we are.

3. Disassemble Furniture

You want to make the most of your available space as you decide how to load a PODS container. Make sure all furniture that’s able to be taken apart is disassembled. Take tables and beds apart by removing the legs and then storing those legs on the truck.

Place tabletops, sofas, and headboards in an upright, vertical position (usually best on their long side). And be sure to add extra padding or protection around large pieces of furniture. This will help protect your furniture from becoming dented, scratched, or damaged, and will also shield your smaller boxes from being crushed.

4. Place Heavy Items on the Bottom, Lighter Items on Top

When you’re ready to add your furniture and boxes to the storage container, load items in the back first, then move your way forward in small sections.

Create a solid base in each section by loading heavy, sturdy, and bulky things first, like desks, tables, and couches. Then work your way to the ceiling by strategically stacking items, placing heavier pieces on the bottom and lighter items toward the top. Standalones like bicycles and tall lamps should be loaded last and secured to ensure they won’t move around and get damaged in transit.

5. Roll Up Your Rugs

It may seem like a good idea to lay rugs flat on the container floor, but that’s a very tricky situation to maneuver. Instead, roll up each of the rugs and secure them with plastic wrap. Place the rolled-up rugs upright to maximize space. (Pro Tip: Have your rugs cleaned before you start to wrap them.) 

Evenly distribute the weight of your belongings throughout the PODS container.

6. Determine Proper Weight Distribution

With moving containers, it’s recommended to keep the weight evenly distributed throughout the container in order to maintain stability over the truck’s axles. Moving with PODS? Congrats! You’ve got the added bonus of the unique PODZILLA® machine, which helps to keep things level during loading, transport, and unloading — greatly reducing the possibility of damage. Another PODS plus? The portable containers stay at ground level while you fill them up. No ramp means hassle-free loading. Just ask Michele over at Hello Lovely. She found it so easy to strategize how to pack a PODS container with her son’s belongings that she didn’t even feel the need to disassemble some of the heavier, bulkier furniture pieces.

7. Keep Valuables Out of the Container, if Possible

If you have sentimental jewelry, important documentation, or other irreplaceable items, keep them with you for the duration of the move. Even if you follow the best practices for how to pack a PODS container, things can and do happen while belongings are in transit. Great contents coverage is important, but it’s still best to keep your most valuable possessions with you during your move.

It’s time to celebrate when you know how to pack a PODS container.
(Image courtesy of PODS customers Sarah K. & Louis S.)

8. Pack It in Tight

Knowing how to load a portable container to the brim not only gives you more bang for your buck, but it also helps keep your items from shifting. After all, your things can’t move if there's no extra space for them to move into, right?

Now, don’t panic if your container isn’t filled top to bottom, left to right. Though you should aim to stack your items up to the ceiling and snuggly from wall to wall as much as possible, it doesn’t always work out to being perfectly flush. You can use smaller boxes and garbage bags full of clothes, linens, or pillows to help fill in any gaps — and also create a little extra padded protection.

 Knowing how to pack a PODS container with straps or ropes will anchor your boxes and keep your belongings more secure.

9. Secure Everything as You Go

If your moving container rental doesn’t include ratchet straps or ties, it’s 100 percent worth getting some. We don’t have to tell you how dangerous it can be to open the door and be greeted with a waterfall of perfectly placed items that have slightly shifted during transport. Keep an eye out for hooks on the walls of your portable moving container. These are your anchors. As you load, secure straps or ropes to these anchors and create an “X” across the front of each section of packed boxes and furniture, so everything stays snugly — and safely — in place.

Not sure what or where else to secure when you’re strategizing how to load a portable container? Consider how the contents might respond to repeated or sudden braking and bumps in the road. Secure any individual items and sections accordingly. 

Pro Tip: As you secure the last few items closest to the door, tape together a few broken-down boxes to create a barrier between your stuff and the door. This helps prevent anything from falling in front of the door — and jamming it — during transit.

Using a strong disc lock is the final key (no pun intended) to knowing how to pack a PODS container.

10. Lock It Up

You’ve packed it, loaded it, and strapped it in. Now, don’t forget to lock it up. Use a secure lock, like a strong disc lock. These usually come with two keys, so make sure to keep one key on you and the other in a safe place — but never give a key to a moving company or anyone you don’t know or trust. (Note: PODS will never ask you for this key.)

Packing Portable Containers — FAQs

Q: What is the most efficient way to pack a PODS container?

A: Learning how to pack a PODS container efficiently is like learning how to play Tetris: The bigger items go first, with smaller pieces tucked into gaps as the packing progresses. Use furniture pads and straps to secure belongings, and make sure essentials you might need are close to the door for easy access.

Q: What is not allowed in a PODS container?

A: In a nutshell, knowing how to pack a PODS container also means knowing what NOT to pack in a PODS container. The no-no list includes flammable and hazardous materials (like gasoline, bleach, and batteries); motors and engines (including dirtbikes and golf carts); and perishables or living things such as food, plants, pets, and humans (did we really need to mention those last two?). PODS also recommends keeping your valuables and irreplaceables with you instead of inside the container.

Q: How do you load a PODS container?

A: Start with a packing strategy before you begin loading. Make sure to distribute weight evenly, put your boxes close together to minimize shifting, and take advantage of the container’s full height to maximize space.

Q: How do you pack fragile items for a PODS container?

A: Fragile items should be wrapped and cushioned properly before being packed into a PODS moving container. You can use bubble cushioning roll, clothing, or towels; secure with tape; and ideally pack into a box with other fragile items. And don’t forget to label the box as fragile. All your “fragile” boxes should be loaded into the PODS container very snugly, in spaces where they won’t be crushed from the top or sides.

Q: How much stuff can fit in a PODS container?

A: PODS provides three portable container sizes, so you can always find the best fit for your move. The 16-foot PODS containers are the largest — ideal for a two-bedroom home or space that is around 1,200 square feet. The 8-foot PODS containers work great for dorm rooms, studio apartments, or other spaces of about 500 square feet. Both of these are available for long-distance moves. The 12-foot PODS containers can move and store your average 500- to 800-square-foot apartment — but they’re available only for local moves.

Now That You’re a Pro at How To Pack a PODS Container, It’s Time To Make Your Move

Make moving and storage flexible with PODS portable moving containers, designed to work around your schedule and specific space needs. Every move includes one month of storage in the overall cost, so if your new home isn’t ready — no worries. PODS can also refer you to local packing and loading services if you need a hand with the heavy lifting.

Visit PODS online for a free local moving quote or call 877-350-7637 for long-distance moving.

Packing for storage? If you’re using a portable container for storage, be sure to pack the things you’ll need more frequent access to last. That way, those items will be closest to the door of your container, easy to get to when you visit the secure PODS storage unit facility. And remember, if you’re using PODS, one month of storage is built into the cost of every move. The container delivered to your driveway is the same container stored in the secure PODS Storage Center, so you only need to load your items once.

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Alex Keight is a frequent contributor to the PODS Blog who has moved 20+ times because she loves to experience new places.

_{*This article was written on behalf of PODS Enterprises, LLC (“PODS”). PODS does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in this article and disclaims any liability for reliance upon the content herein.}