When Should the Container Arrive?

Updated November 10, 2026 by the Velox team

For most local moves, have your storage container delivered two to three weeks before moving day, and book it at least one to two weeks before that. Since the first month is the minimum charge anyway, an early delivery usually costs nothing extra, and it lets you pack a little each evening instead of cramming it all into one weekend. Moving between late May and mid-August? Book earlier, because that’s our busiest stretch.

Why earlier is usually better

The biggest mistake we see is a container that shows up two days before the move. Packing a whole house in a weekend is exhausting, and it’s when furniture gets scratched and boxes get packed badly.

Here’s the part people don’t realize: our rentals are month to month with a one-month minimum. Whether you keep the container for 10 days or 30, the first month costs the same. So if your move fits inside a month, having it delivered a couple of weeks early doesn’t cost more. It just buys you time.

When the owner of Velox moved his own family across Spanish Fork, he used two of our containers for a home of about 3,000 square feet. The family packed for about an hour every evening for a month and loaded the mattresses and the last small things on the final day. Nobody pulled an all-nighter.

A Velox Mobile Storage container being set in a Spanish Fork, Utah driveway during the owner's own family move — Delivery day for our owner’s own move in Spanish Fork. The family packed an hour a night for a month.

The week-by-week timeline

4 to 5 weeks before
Book the container. Text us a photo of where it will sit. Check your HOA rules and whether your city limits how long a container can stay out.
2 to 3 weeks before
Delivery. Start with what you won’t miss: the garage, holiday decorations, off-season clothes and books. Put heavy pieces against the walls first.
1 week before
Most of the house. Spare rooms, closets, the basement and extra furniture. Live out of a few rooms.
Final 2 or 3 days
Kitchen, beds and the last big pieces. Mattresses go in last. Pack a first-night box that rides with you, not in the container.
Moving day
Lock it and close the doors all the way. We pick it up loaded and take it to your new place, or to our yard if you’re between homes.
After the move
Unload at your own pace, then call or text for the empty pickup.

Not sure how long loading will take you? Our guide to how long it takes to load a container breaks it down, and our loading tips help you fit more in one unit.

An open Velox Mobile Storage container partly loaded with furniture and boxes — A container a week or so into packing. Heavy furniture against the walls, boxes stacked tight.

When your city sets a time limit

Most cities only get involved if a neighbor complains. A few have actual time limits, and those change the timeline:

City	What it means for your timing
Orem	A moving container can sit in the driveway up to 15 days. Have it delivered closer to moving day, or load it and let us store it at our yard.
Provo	One container per lot for 30 days in any 12-month period, in the driveway, not the street.
Englewood, CO	One container per lot, on a paved surface, for up to 30 days.
Spanish Fork	Once snow flies, nothing should be parked in the road. Plan an off-street spot for fall and winter moves.

Rules change, so check the details in our Utah County permit guide or the Denver permit guide, and read your HOA rules too. If your time limit is shorter than your packing plan, the fix is simple: load it, have us store it at our gated yard (it adds nothing to the monthly rate), and we’ll deliver it to the new house when you’re ready.

Selling, building or between homes

Selling your house: have the container arrive 3 to 4 weeks before listing photos so you can declutter first. See using a container to stage a home.
Closing dates that don’t line up: load it at the old house, and we hold it at our yard until you get keys. See moving between closing dates.
Building a new home: plan on months, not weeks. Many new builds in Utah County take 3 to 6 months, and owner-builds can run a year or more. See storage while building a home.

What if you need it this week?

Call or text anyway. Next-day delivery is often possible, and same-day happens occasionally. The hardest times to get a container quickly are Friday afternoons, the end of the month and the days right before a holiday, because that’s when everyone else is moving too. Loaded-container moves also get priority over empty deliveries, so a midweek, mid-month delivery is the easiest to schedule.

Before booking, it’s worth reading how insurance and locks work so you can have your coverage sorted out within the 5 business days after delivery.

Questions people ask

How far ahead should I book a portable storage container?

At least one to two weeks before you want it delivered, and earlier for moves between late May and mid-August. Next-day delivery is often possible if you’re in a hurry.

How many days before moving day should the container arrive?

Two to three weeks is ideal for most families. It lets you pack a little each day. If your city limits how long a container can sit out, plan around that limit.

Does an early delivery cost more?

Usually not. The first month is the minimum charge, so if your whole move fits inside one month, delivering it a couple of weeks early costs the same.

Can I keep the container after I move?

Yes. Rentals are month to month, so you can keep it at your new place while you unpack, or have it stored at our yard. Call or text when you’re ready for pickup.

Got a moving date?

Tell us the date and text a photo of where the container will go. We’ll help you pick the right delivery day.

Utah: (801) 362-9978 Colorado: (720) 674-8777 Get a free quote

When Should Your Storage Container Arrive? A Week-by-Week Moving Timeline