Moving containers
How many PODS 12 ft containers do I need?
A whole 1‑bedroom
One PODS 12 ft container (11'6" × 7'0" × 7'6" inside) takes our whole 1‑bedroom list (46 pieces), by our 3D packing. It's an aluminum-skinned steel box with a roll-up door on the end, long and narrow inside, and stands on 12'0" × 8'0" of driveway. A 2‑bedroom needs 2, a 3‑bedroom needs 3, and a 4‑bedroom needs 4.
- Inside
- 11'6" × 7'0" × 7'6"
- One holds
- A whole 1‑bedroom
- For a 2‑bedroom
- 2 containers
Weight is not the limit: our heaviest packed load is about 2,400 lb, well under PODS's 4,700 lb.
How many for each home size
| Home | Containers | Last one | Or one truck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 1 | 49% full | Penske 12'474 cu ft |
| 1‑bedroom | 1 | 68% full | Budget 16'658 cu ft |
| 2‑bedroom | 2 | 20% full | U‑Haul 15'824 cu ft |
| 3‑bedroom | 3 | 41% full | Penske 26'1,694 cu ft |
| 4‑bedroom | 4 | 34% full | No single truckthe biggest + a trailer, or 2 trips |
| 5‑bedroom | 6 | 31% full | No single truckthe biggest + a trailer, or 2 trips |
We load the big pieces first, so the first container of a big home holds fewer, bulkier pieces, and the last one is often part-empty. "% full" is the share of the inside space the packed pieces fill. "Or one truck" is the rental truck with the least space that takes the same list. Truck names are lengths, not space: a U‑Haul 15' has more room inside than a Budget 16'. Container or truck?
What PODS says it holds
PODS says one holds about 2–3 rooms.
By our packing, one holds our 1‑bedroom list whole, and 38 of the 73 pieces on our 2‑bedroom list.
The numbers
| We use | As PODS writes it | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside length | 11'6" | 11'6" |
| Inside width | 7'0" | 7' |
| Inside height | 7'6" | 7'6" |
| Outside | 12'0" × 8'0" × 8'0" | 12' × 8' × 8' |
| Max load | 4,700 lb | 4,700 lbs |
| Space inside | 604 cu ft | not published |
Sizes from PODS's page: “each 12' PODS container (Interior: 11'6" × 7' × 7'6") may accommodate 2-3 rooms”, checked 2026-10-31. Container companies give round numbers and call them approximate; how sure we are of each one is on how we measure.
Other containers
- PODS 8 ft: most of a studio (21 of 36 pieces)
- PODS 16 ft: a whole 2‑bedroom
- U‑Pack ReloCube: most of a studio (21 of 36 pieces)
- U‑Haul U‑Box: most of a studio (12 of 36 pieces)