Shipping containers aren’t just for big businesses anymore. People who are moving all over the world are choosing to move their houses with shipping containers. Also, with the advent of the Internet, so many small businesses are doing international business. Because of the international nature of so much small business over the Internet, they have to ship things around the world. If you’ve got to get your goods around the world, loading up a container full of things might be handy. Shipping containers are stackable, reliable and affordable. However, they only remain affordable if you’re getting the right amount of container. If you rent a container much bigger than you need, you end up spending too much money on shipping and ruining your profit margins. There are a couple of different sizes of containers and getting the right one is important. Here are some tips:
Ten-Foot Container
For whatever reason, containers are often measured in feet instead of metres. A ten-foot container is just about the smallest one you can find. Most containers are about the same width, but they’re much different in terms of length. A ten-foot container is usually considered the size most appropriate for moving a one- or two-bedroom house. Obviously, that also applies to an apartment. If you have some very large furniture items, a ten-foot container might not actually be enough.
Since width is also a concern, you should talk to your supplier about potential shipping container dimensions. Some containers are wider than others to accommodate more pallets.
Twenty-Foot Container
This is a mid-size container. It’s one of the most useful and most versatile, because it’s not incredibly large but it’s still big enough to fit most things. A twenty-foot container is about right for a three-bedroom house—but it might be adequate for a one- or two-bedroom house if you have a lot of big furniture.
Forty-Foot Container
A forty-foot container is usually the biggest size available. Typically, you can fit the contents of a four-bedroom house into a forty-foot container, but they’re also appropriate for anyone who has a lot of big furniture. Many people who do not have that many bedrooms or that much stuff tend to split the container with someone else. Splitting the price of a forty-foot container two ways is oftentimes less expensive than buying a twenty-foot container yourself.
High Cube
Typically, containers come in one standard height, and their length is what you change. However, that’s not always the case. Some containers are taller than others; these are called high cubes. The specific height of a high cube differs depending on the manufacturer. You should make sure to speak with the supplier of the container to determine how tall their high cubes are. High cubes are particularly appropriate if you have a lot of things you need to stack or if you have some kind of incredibly tall equipment you need to store.
Buying the right height and length of container will ensure you get as much as you need and not waste any money.
