U-Pack ReloCube Storage Container Review

If you want a way to make your upcoming move as quick and seamless as possible, you should consider renting a storage container from ABF U-Pack. More specifically, you should ask about this company's ReloCube, which are steel containers you—or the moving helpers you hire—can load with your stuff. Once your ReloCube containers are fully packed with your belongings, ABF U-Pack will come pick up the storage containers and drive them to your new home. If you want to learn more about how this process works, take a look at our ABF ReloCube storage container review.

U-Pack Overview

About 25 years ago, ABF Freight—also known as Arkansas Best Freight System—created the U-Pack moving service. This is meant to help people with their residential moves by reserving space on a freight trailer. More recently, this company created another helpful moving solution—ReloCube—which are storage containers that people can pack, at which point an experienced truck driver hauls the containers to their new home.

As such, ABF offers two ways to transport your items during a move: shipping containers called ReloCube's, and larger freight trailers. The latter option is popular for large moves where people are moving out of a big house and have several rooms of items to pack. But as you'll learn in this ABF ReloCube storage container review, ReloCube containers tend to be sufficient for moving apartments, dorms, and smaller homes. 

What Do U-Pack ReloCube Reviews Say?

The average U-Pack ReloCube storage container review is good, with only a few complaints mentioned. For instance, some people who left an ABF ReloCube moving container review online have said their container took a while to be dropped off at their new homes. This means they were without their stuff for days longer than expected. Others complained that the prices seemed high compared to competing moving container companies.

On the other hand, many reviews about ReloCube containers said the prices were transparent, with no hidden fees. More than one U-Pack ReloCube review also said the customer service was great and that the whole process was easy, from getting a quote and booking the move online to scheduling the delivery of their moving containers.

What Are the ReloCube Pros and Cons?

Looking at the typical U-Pack ReloCube review and what we know about the company, some clear pros and cons stand out.

Pros:

• U-Pack has transparent prices with no hidden fees.
• It's a streamlined online booking process.
• A professional driver safely transports your belongings to your new home.
• You have two options for moving help, as you can use an ABF U-Pack freight trailer if your items don't fit in a ReloCube shipping container. 
• You get clean, durable shipping containers to securely hold your stuff.
• You only pay for the space you use, so you won't be charged for shipping containers you don't end up using.

Cons:

• ABF ReloCube's are only available for long-distance moves.
• You're expected to wrap and pack your items securely to keep them from moving and getting damaged on the road.
• You only have three days to load your belongings into the container.
• ReloCubes containers are smaller than competitors.

What Are the U-Pack ReloCube Sizes?

ReloCubes only come in one size. Here are the measurements of the ReloCube:

Outside: 6’3” x 7’ x 8’4”

Inside: 5'10" x 6'10" x 7'9"

Cubic footage: 308'

Each ReloCube can hold up to 2,500 pounds of furniture and boxes. You'll need one ReloCube per room in your home, according to the company's website. 

If you're moving out of a dorm or studio apartment, you should only need to rent one ReloCube. If you're in a slightly larger apartment or small house, you might need two or three. And if you're moving out of a larger house with three or four bedrooms, it's typically recommended that you switch to a 28-foot-long freight trailer, which is ABF's other option for moving help.

How Do ABF ReloCube's Work?

A ReloCube works similarly to other moving container companies, like PODS and 1-800-PACK-RAT. According to the average ABF ReloCubes storage container review online, the process is rather simple. You schedule a day for the company to drop off one or more ReloCube containers on your property. Once they arrive, you get three days to pack them with your belongings.

A driver comes by to pick up the shipping containers and drive them to your new home. Then you get three days to unload them before the driver returns to pick up the empty containers.

As you can see from our ABF ReloCube storage container review, this isn't a full-service company that offers moving help. If you want assistance packing, or loading and unloading your belongings into the shipping container, you'll have to hire moving helpers. Fortunately, you can get as much moving labor help as you need from MovingLabor.com.

How Do ABF ReloCube's Work With Local Moves?

If you're staying in the same city or state, you should look into other moving companies since U-Pack does not help with local moves. But if you're moving to another state, you can rely on this company to provide you with one or more ReloCube moving containers as needed.

How Do ABF ReloCube's Work With Long-Distance Moves?

If you're making plans to move long distance, start by going to this company's website to get a quote. You can do this by filling out the city you live in and the city you're moving to. You'll also need to state when you'll need the ReloCube containers delivered and how big your home is.

Once you put in this information, you'll see how many ReloCube's are recommended for your move, what your shipping container drop-off date would be, and what you'll pay. You can then reserve your moving containers.

When you make the reservation, you'll see the date the driver will drop off the shipping containers. You only get them for three days, so we recommend that you start loading them with your belongings right away. This is a good time to schedule moving labor help for loading your furniture and boxes at your current home.

You should also schedule moving helpers to unload at your new home. Note that if you're going to be between homes for a bit after you move out, you can use ABF U-Pack's storage services, as the company will store your ReloCube containers for as long as you need.

How Much Do U-Pack ReloCube's Cost?

It's not unusual to see an ABF ReloCube storage container review that mentions that prices are a little high for what you get. However, if you don't have a lot of belongings to move, this is one of the most cost-effective ways to relocate long-distance. After all, your cost is largely based on how many ReloCube containers you need. If you only need one or two, you likely won't pay much. Note that if you end up not needing as many moving containers as you ordered, you won't have to pay for the extra shipping container, so it's possible your cost will be less than the original estimate in the end. 

The other detail that affects cost is how far you're moving. Expect to pay more if you're moving across the country than if you're just moving to the next state. For instance, moving from a one-bedroom apartment in Phoenix to Denver will likely cost about $2,300. This includes the shipping container, gas, driver, and taxes. Don't forget to factor in equipment or moving supplies you might need, as well as the cost of moving helpers to load your furniture.

What Are the Downsides of Using a ReloCube?

One downside of using U-Pack ReloCube's is the price if you need more than one shipping container. If you need to pack up and load items from a large house, it may be less expensive to look into other moving container companies that have larger shipping containers—or at least consider ABF's larger freight trailer option. Be sure to compare quotes from a few portable storage companies to find the best price for the moving services you need.

The average ReloCube customer review also notes that some people struggle to load or unload their shipping containers in just three days. If you need more time than this, consider other container companies that give you a whole month to load the container—or hire movers to load and unload the containers for you. Otherwise, if you exceed three days with your ABF ReloCube's, you'll be charged $50 extra per day for each container.

Should You Choose ReloCube Over Other Moving Container Companies?

Despite the downsides of a U-Pack ReloCube, this option is ideal for many people, especially those with apartments and small homes. For instance, if you're planning a long-distance move and you don't have a lot of stuff, this may be the most affordable option for you.

This is especially the case if you need storage for a while, as the company can simply keep your packed containers until you're ready for them, all for a simple monthly fee. This is easier than packing all your stuff into a moving truck to take to a storage facility, where you'll have to unload it and then load it up again when you have the space for it all. So if you can plan ahead with a company that will give you a shipping container to load before storing it, you should do this.

As you can see from this ReloCube storage container review, there are some great benefits of going with this company for your long-distance move. If you're worried about having to pack and load your belongings yourself, know that you can always hire moving helpers by the hour with MovingLabor.com. Take a look at how it works as you plan your move!