Packing up shop, storing, and subsequently moving cross country

[Matt Przybylski]

Hey everyone,
I'm facing a bit of a "situation". We're putting our house on the market this week in the Chicago suburbs. I have a two car garage shop that is full of tools/wood/you name it. We are purchasing a new construction home in Arizona so we will not be immediately moving from our house to the new house. I am going to have to pack away my tools, store them, and move them again when the time comes in six months or so. I was thinking about using a PODS-like service to put my tools into a container, store them at their facility, and then have them deliver it to the new home in Arizona when ready.

What do you think of this approach? Can you think of a better one that I may not be thinking of? And what is the most economical yet still reliable PODS type of service available for such an undertaking?

[Bryan Lisowski]

I would go with Pods, I'm not sure if pack rat offers the same warehouse storage option. The thing you should check with pods is are there any weight restrictions. The other option would be having movers move to a self storage facility near where you are moving. This would then require you moving once the house is built.

[David Lawhorn]

Check out ABF, they will drop a semi trailer at your place for you to load. You put your lock on it. If they have a facility where you are moving, or close, they will store it for you at a reasonable price. They then deliver to your new place for you to unload.
They worked very well for us and stored our stuff for several months. Everything went very well.

Good luck.

[Frederick Skelly]

Matt,
Just for grins, you should see if the storage and the transport can be insured against loss/damage/theft and if so, see if the cost is manageable for you. My neighbor was in the moving business until recently, and he said that it was amazing the difference a few hundred dollars worth of insurance made in how your goods were handled, stored and transported - because the shipper knew if there was a problem it would cost them money. Perhaps your POD, etc company has some kind of similar option.(My thinking is that someone who wants to can always find a way to cut off a lock, etc.)

Just an idea. May or may not matter to you.
Fred

[Matt Przybylski]

Thanks David, I'll look into ABF as well.

Frederick, it definitely matters to me and thats great advice, thank you.

[Rich Riddle]

U-Haul has an equivalent/similar item to the PODS. It's called U-Box. Get quotes from both places. The PODS charge a very high monthly fee per pod to store things. Generally people say the U-Box is about 70% the cost of PODS. Also look at ABF. Are you planning to pack up your shop prior to selling your home? I would store them where they are until the closing date.

[Matt Przybylski]

U-Haul has an equivalent/similar item to the PODS. It's called U-Box. Get quotes from both places. The PODS charge a very high monthly fee per pod to store things. Generally people say the U-Box is about 70% the cost of PODS. Also look at ABF. Are you planning to pack up your shop prior to selling your home? I would store them where they are until the closing date.

I'm looking to keep them in my garage until we close. I did a scan of ABF's site but they offer many services. Which ones are you guys referring to for my purposes?

I'll take a look at the U-Boxes, thanks. I know PODS is the "originator" of this type of service so its not necessarily the cheapest which is why I asked in the first place.

I guess another question I have is how to get heavy machinery into these pod type storage containers? I have a 1 ton lift but the wheels on that will get stopped by the threshold of where the pod starts and the ground it sits on, I imagine. Unless they're propped up somehow and you can get the lift under them? I've never used one so I don't know but I imagine a bit of space is left under for when they put it down/pick it back up?

[Wade Lippman]

I sold all my big tools when I moved. If you compare what your net cost will be to sell/buy, you might find it competitive with moving/storage/moving. I upgraded my TS and planer, and downgraded my BS.
I moved my wood because it was relatively easy and it is surprisingly difficult to sell wood.

[Bill Bukovec]

We moved from Minnesota to Tennessee with ABF/ Upack. I highly recommend them. Make sure to strap the heavy stuff securly to the walls of the truck. The drivers were friendly and competent. I wish I had used heavy duty boxes for my heavier stuff from the ship. The worst part is, not having a shop.

[Jim Dwight]

Anybody ever look at using a steel ocean shipping container? You can buy them to avoid the rental and they would be sturdier. Some people use them for a shed. In a rustic/large lot situation there could even be a use for it on the other end.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

There was a thread a couple years ago on this topic which may contain useful information. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...highlight=move

[John K Jordan]

...I guess another question I have is how to get heavy machinery into these pod type storage containers? I have a 1 ton lift but the wheels on that will get stopped by the threshold of where the pod starts and the ground it sits on, I imagine. Unless they're propped up somehow and you can get the lift under them? I've never used one so I don't know but I imagine a bit of space is left under for when they put it down/pick it back up?

Matt, Someone mentioned a shipping container. I bought one for farm use that is 8x8x40'. (I store hay in it) I found this one for about $1500. You might buy one, use it to move and store, then sell it when done if needed. I also bought an 8x9x45' semi trailer with the wheels removed and use it for another storage building.

I've seen complete semi trailers for sale for not too much. Rather than renting a pod would it be cheaper to buy one, get someone to move it, then sell again?

For loading heavy things I have a tractor with forks that I drive right into either the shipping container or the semi trailer. I've got these up on PT lumber to keep them off the ground and the tractor still had no problem going in and out. Eventually I laid down some gravel to make ramps to make this smoother. I can imagine a temporary and portable ramp made of wood but I don't know what your 1-ton lift is like and what it can negotiate. Is it like a roll around crane?

If you can set things down just inside the door on pallets with your lift or a hired equipment, a pallet jack could position something inside the container.

When my storage things were delivered or moved they used a big rollback truck and dropped them (very gently) exactly where I wanted them. If you have them set one on timbers you could leave enough room under to get your lift wheels under. I lay down 8' 4x4 or 6x6 posts but you could use short wood blocks on the sides if needed, at least on the door end. Talk to the hauler and tell them what you need - those guys are good! (I put down flags with 2" of clearance and the trucker set the 40' container exactly between the flags. I told him I had a $25 tip if he could do that. :-)

If you take things apart, removing cast iron tables etc., two healthy movers can move and carry almost anything found in a typical shop. With a pry bar and a couple of furniture dollys I easily moved a 700 lb lathe by myself out of a trailer and into the shop by moving the pieces.

If anyone hasn't packed things to move beware of anything touching unprotected surfaces. The road vibration from a trip can easily wear through paint or powder coated steel.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

BTW, friend and woodturner John Lucas moved and stored his entire shop in a rented container while he built a building and new shop at a new house. (It was packed to the ceiling!) I think he got friends to load and unload everything including a heavy lathe, cabinet saw, huge bandsaw, milling machine. I don't know if he follows SMC but I could ask his opinion if you want.

JKJ

[Matt Przybylski]

Thanks for the details on the moving, John, much appreciated!

[Robin Frierson]

I would consider selling as much of your shop and wood as possible as its hugely expensive to haul the weight of the shop and then store it. I moved recently and the movers were talking about that very subject, that many are finding its cheaper to sell the heavys and buy it back later. Also good excuse to upgrade..

Of course if you do it yourself its much cheaper. Whatever storage situation you decide, just make sure you can get to your stuff. I stuffed my things into two storage units, packed floor to ceiling and couldnt get to anything. Had to go out and buy some things I already had...just couldnt get to them.