Howdy — and welcome to the most useful guide to self-moving in Texas.

Table of Contents

Moving stress is universal. Boxes, deadlines, that final scramble to get things done before Texas summer heat waves turn your garage into an oven. Moving in Texas isn’t just stressful, it can also mean hauling your life hundreds of miles across flatlands, deserts, and thunderstorms. Moving through humidity in East Texas? Across windy West Texas plains? Screw that, your whole life should not fit into a cheap rental truck.

Shipping containers can help.

Rent or buy a steel Conex for more security than 2-by-4s and plywood can offer. Skip the headaches of shoving a rental truck — or babysitting movers — through Houston, Dallas, or Austin traffic. Move whenever you want, on your own schedule. Need to move from North Texas to South Texas or anywhere in between? Staying in-state or crossing state lines? No problem. Use a shipping container and you’ve got yourself a secure, weather-proof workstation — that can also end up costing less than half what professional movers would charge.

We cover:

How to pick the right container size
Rent vs buy options
Packing hacks and materials
Texas-specific tips (we cover heat, HOAs, and everything in between)
What to do with your Conex after your move

Why Move in Texas with a Shipping Container or Conex Box?

Shipping containers are tough. They’re versatile. They really are one of the easiest ways to move long-distance… anywhere. But why are shipping containers especially great for Texas moves?

Flat-rate transport — your containers aren’t loitering in Houston traffic
Schedule your move your way
Super-secure, weather-proof walls — made to withstand Hurricane season
Average household move costs ~$3,000 door-to-door
Great for big, bulky items that regular movers won’t haul

Call the Shots on Your Move Date

Look, movers are busy. They’ve got lots of houses to get to and strict pickup windows.

Need an afternoon to crawl around in the mud throwing things into a Conex box? Your movers aren’t your squeeze-hold-through-I-45-Texas traffic friends.

Take as long as you want when you use a shipping container or Conex box to move. Pack however you want.

Benefits of Packing at Your Leisure

Delivery and pickup whenever you want.
Pack as fast or slow as you like.
Take days or weeks to pack.
Don’t have movers rushing you out of your home.
Schedule pickup when you’re ready.

Container rentals usually come with a month or more of rental days. Time to get your old place cleaned out, your new house unpacked, or just take a weekend to yourself.

Texas Sized Pro-Tip: Dealing With Homeowner Associations (HOAs)

Got an HOA? Triple check with them before we drop off a 40ft wide container in your driveway. Some HOAs in Texas suburb neighborhoods have rules about “24-hour” or “7-day” rentals for temporary structures in your driveway. If you’re outside the city, or on property with plenty of acreage? You’re probably fine. If you’re ever unsure, just give your HOA a call before booking that container delivery.

Lock Up and Leave Your Stuff

Once you load up your container, no one else is allowed to touch your things.

Here’s how a Conex keeps your possessions safer:

Weather-proof steel means moisture and theft won’t ruin your belongings
Lockable doors. You hold the only key.
Containers don’t get unloaded and reloaded by strangers.
Door-to-door transit directly from your old home to your new one.

If Hurricane Harvey comes barreling through your new East Texas town. Rainstorm assaulting your windy West Texas town? Cold front blowing through your new North Texas neighborhood? Forget about it, your belongings aren’t going anywhere but with you.

Moves Made Easy: Skip the Hidden Costs and Hassles

Moving stresses people out. Two big reasons? Costs and logistics.

Cost? With a container you can move for less than half the price of traditional movers.

Logistics? Containers can completely eliminate the craziness of moving day.

Shipping Containers Cost Way Less Than Professional Movers

Did you know the average moving container household move costs around $3,000? That includes the first drop-off, transportation fees, and final pickup.

Professional movers are expensive. Expect to spend between $5,000 and $10,000+. Texans spend more on moving than most parts of the country because moving companies charge you for the hours their crew spends crawling through traffic. Whether that’s I-35 construction in Dallas or Austin rush-hour.

Service	Container Cost	Traditional Mover Cost
Packing	$0 (we do it)	$500-$2,000
Loading	$0 (we do it)	Included in base price
Transport	$2,000-$3,500	$3,000-$8,000
Total	$2,000-$3,500	$3,500-$10,000

Storage While You’re In-Between Homes

Need storage during your move? Want to store stuff while you house hunt? The container can live in your driveway or another secure location at a fraction of the price of traditional storage units. Most storage facilities charge $200–$400/month for roughly the same amount of space. Why pay twice?

Ship Virtually Anything

Conex boxes were not designed for furniture and cardboard boxes—they were made to transport things most Texas movers refuse or cannot ship.

The oversize door opening (8 feet wide!) means there’s no wrestling extra large or heavy items through a traditional moving truck door.

Shipping examples that fit well in a Conex include:

Vehicles — ATVs, golf carts, motorcycles, jet skis, and small boats
Tools — Table saws, welders, large toolboxes
Outdoor living furniture — Hot tubs, patio furniture, swing sets
Appliances — Second fridge, washer & dryer

Containers also happen to be really strong. The floor can structurally support up to 60,000 lbs. Simply put, weight distribution is rarely a problem like it is with a moving truck. Having said that, there’s a note below on delivery truck weight limits.

Weight Expectations

We’ve mentioned that shipping container floors are structurally rated for 60,000 lbs. However, residential delivery trucks can typically only handle a loaded weight of ~10,000–15,000 lbs for a 20ft container. Less for a 40ft depending on the tilt-bed configuration.If you plan on moving something unusually heavy (heavy machinery, lots of power tools, a literal ton of lead), give us a call first.

How to Move Using Containers: Step-by-Step Guide

Pack at your own pace. We’ll drive it anywhere in Texas — and beyond. You unpack whenever you’re ready.

Sounds too good? It’s not! But like any large scale move, utilizing containers does take planning. Let’s walk through the process.

Step 1: Plan & Estimate Your Space Needs

Look, I can’t emphasize this step enough.

People consistently misjudge how much space they’ll need and make incorrect assumptions about the container moving process. Let’s nip that in the bud.

Standard Conex sizing:

20ft Conex: ~1,170 cubic feet. Right size for 2–3 bedroom houses
40ft Conex: ~2,390 cubic feet. Best fit for 4+ bedroom houses

Quick container planning hack: Pretend you’re moving everything. Walk into every room of your house — closets, the garage, the backyard shed. Make a list of every room and every large item. Recruit some friends. This isn’t a one person job.

Quick, rough estimates by category:

Bed(s), sofa, chairs: 1 large, 2 mediums, 1 small section, few stools
Kitchen: 2 large, 3 medium, 4 small, 1 extra small
Closets, bedrooms: 3 large, 4 medium, 10 small, lots of small boxes

Add another 10–15% just to be safe. Containers aren’t magical, but they are forgiving.

Step 2: Find the Right Box for Your Budget

Now that you’ve planned accurately, let’s make sure you get the right box without getting screwed.

Container Rental vs Buying

Renting: $100–$300/month (ideal for one-off moves)
New (“One-Trip”) containers: $3,000–$5,000
Used (“WWT”) containers: $1,500–$3,000 (great for storage long-term)

Buying New vs. Used Containers – The Texas Perspective

Here in Texas, if you have a used Conex container sitting around your ranch or job site, you’re a badass. Used isn’t used here. Wind and water-tight (WWT) containers will do just fine keeping West Texas dust and Gulf Coast rain off your stuff.

If you plan on keeping the container long-term — turning it into a she-shed, workshop, or backyard storage unit — buy new. One-Trip containers are new and give you the clean look your neighbors will envy.

3 Questions To Ask Any Supplier

When talking to suppliers, make sure they answer these questions clearly:

What is the condition of the container? Be specific. If they say “good” or “fine,” run.
Are there any obvious dents, holes, or rust spots?
Do the doors seal tightly and latch securely?

Get at least three quotes. Container prices vary widely depending on region and availability. You’ll almost certainly save a few hundred dollars by comparison shopping in Texas.

Step 3: Schedule Pickup and Delivery

Last thing to remember: shipping containers are not delivery trucks. The delivery process for your empty container has special requirements.

Delivery requirements:

Surface: Concrete, asphalt or packed gravel. Woodchips, loose dirt or mulch are too soft.
Access: Must have 60-foot clearance from the delivery location to where the truck can turn around. Move vehicles/trash cans/etc. out of the way.
Head clearance: Minimum 14 foot clearance. This means no hanging power lines/tree branches.
Ground surface: Containers are heavy and need solid, packed ground to sit on. No sandy areas or steep hills.

Before your delivery day:

Call 811 to have underground utilities marked
Clear out the path for delivery
Be available to meet the driver and sign any paperwork
Place it as close to your home as possible — you’ll have to carry everything to and from that box!

Our trucks feature tilt-bed capabilities which allow the driver to slide your container off the back of the transport truck. Texas trailer turns are smooth — the driver can shimmy it a few feet left/right but not much. Positioning is key, so plan this step in advance.

Step 4: Pack Your Stuff

Load order that will make life easier:

Heavy items — Appliances, furniture and densely packed boxes (like books) against the front wall.
Medium weight boxes — Kitchen boxes, toolboxes, weight appliances (tv, washer/dryer) placed in the center section
Lighter weight furniture — Chairs, lamps, bedroom furniture against the rear wall
Delicate items — These will compress EVERYTHING else. Pack last with plenty of padding.

Securing Cargo

Use tie-down straps every 8–10 feet along the length of the container
Secure straps to the designated anchor points built into the walls and floor
Fill any empty spaces with pillows, blankets, or packing paper

Organization Tricks

Label each box. “Kitchen items going to pantry” is better than “stuff”
Keep an inventory of your contents. Photos on your phone work great.
Pack one box of ‘first day’ clothes for each person — food snacks, toiletries, phone charger
Color code boxes by room with different colored shipping tape

Summer in Texas Storage Tip: Keep Your Stuff Cool

Texas summers are no joke. Internal temperatures of a steel Conex in Austin or San Antonio can reach 130°F+ on sunny days. If you’ll be storing anything heat-sensitive — vinyl records, electronics, antique wood furniture, candles, anything glued together — opt for a High Cube container with extra ventilation, or ask us about installing solar powered vents.

Step 5: Ship Containers Across Texas

Texas is large. About 800 miles from Amarillo to Brownsville. Almost as far east-to-west (Beaumont to El Paso). Those distances matter when you’re moving containers.

The upside: unlike traditional movers who bill by the hour (and spend way too much time in Austin and Houston traffic), container shipping costs are flat rate. We quote you a price, we deliver on that price.

Steel Box Shipping Containers services all major Texas cities including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft Worth, Austin and many rural areas and ranch properties in between.

Shipping methods:

Ground transport: $1–$3/mile for most local and regional moves
Rail transport: Inexpensive for long-distance moves, but transit time is 2–3x longer
Expedited service: Available for urgent deliveries (costs more)

You’ll need to provide us with:

Pickup/delivery location & specific placement instructions.
Container size and estimated loaded weight.
Your desired pickup and delivery dates. Include any cut-off times or deadlines.
Notes on special access needs. (stairs, narrow driveway, low hanging trees etc.)

Empty 20ft containers weigh approximately 4,800 lbs. Empty 40ft containers weigh around 8,700 lbs. Throw in your stuff, and now you’re hauling around 15,000–25,000 lbs. Give us a call if you want to double check that weight truck you’re getting is appropriate for your shipment.

Step 6: Unloading from Your Conex into Your New Home

Your Conex arrives. Everything inside is perfectly intact—it’s an exact replica of what you packed at your old home. Hold up — before you start hauling things out…

First things first:

Ensure seal is intact (someone didn’t open it along the way)
Examine the outside of the container for damages that may have occurred in transit
Take pictures of the outside of the container (always good to document)
Have your comprehensive inventory list ready

Loading stuff OUT:

Use dollies. Use furniture sliders. Recruit some friends. Whatever it takes, prepare to move BEFORE you start moving.
Work from front to back. This will help distribute weight more evenly.
Release any tie-down straps. Things may have shifted during transport.
Move things to the respective room in your home as you unload furniture and boxes.

You will have anywhere from 24–48 hours to unload and remove the container from your property. Plan accordingly!

Purchase a Shipping Container or Conex in Texas

Planning long-term? Check out our Texas-specific guide on sizes and intended uses.

The Texas Goldilocks Size Guide

The most common container sizes are:

Size	Best For	Texas-Specific Use Case
20ft Conex	Apartments, small homes	Perfect for tight Austin driveways or smaller suburban lots
40ft Standard	3–4 bedroom homes	The go-to for moving a ranch-style home in the suburbs
40ft High Cube	Large homes + tall gear	Essential for lifted ATVs, golf carts, tall furniture, or added airflow in summer

For most Texans transitioning from a 3–4 bedroom home to something smaller the 40ft standard is all most families need. What most don’t tell you is measure twice. Measure your largest boxes first. That baroque armoire, oversized gun safe or Texas sized entertainment center will determine your height requirements more than anything else.

New vs. Used — How Does it Stack Up in Texas?

Used Containers (WWT)

Cost: 30–50% less than new
Condition: Still wind and water tight — properly built to resist West Texas dust storms and Gulf Coast humidity
Best used for: One time moves, ranch storage, construction job sites or backyard bunker

In Texas having a used Conex sitting on your land means you’ve made it.

New (One-Trip) Containers

Cost: Requires more of an upfront investment
Condition: Smells fresh and all serial numbers match for a clean, uniform look inside and out
Best used for: Permanent she-sheds, backyard woodworking shops or anything else your HOA can see

Your neighbors will have no complaints with this option.

Timeline — Why Containers Win in Texas

Traditional Move Timeline

Pack up all your belongings in 1–2 days
Load the truck or trailer on moving day
Hope nothing gets lost or damaged in transit
Unload ASAP or pay hefty storage fees

Conex Timeline:

Pack your belongings at your leisure. Spread out over weeks or months if needed
Load when you’re ready. Not when the moving truck arrives unannounced
Move whenever you want.
Unpack one box at a time with zero storage costs
Keep for future moves, a backup storage unit or until the end of time.

Mother Nature Won’t Ruin Your Boxes

Shipping containers were made to shield cargo valued at millions of dollars from Mother Nature during trans-oceanic voyages in hurricane-force winds and rain. They can definitely withstand the crazy Texas weather we experience every summer.

Shipping Containers Provide:

Waterproof — when sealed correctly
Wind Proof — stands up to serious hurricanes and storms
Pest Proof — Metal sides and roof keep out any crawling invaders
Theft Proof — Comes with heavy duty locks that deter theft

What To Do with Your Texas Conex When Your Move is Complete

Storage

Turn it into long-term storage, start an epic DIY project, or sell it and get most of your money back — options are abundant.

Whether you turn it into storage, get creative with a conversion project, or cash out through resale, you’ve got options that actually make sense.

Keep it for storage

The simplest option is to keep your Conex for storage. Think of it as drop-dead attractive, hurricane proof storage shed that will never charge you a monthly fee.

Use it to store:

Seasonal items such as holiday decorations
Outdoor furniture and power equipment
Business inventory or overflow supply storage.
Tools and workshop equipment

Add some battery operated LED lighting and throw up some shelves and you have a organized storage unit for years to come. All with no construction, permits (in most rural areas of Texas), or monthly payments.

Do Something Wild

Got some extra time and ideas? Texans have used their old shipping container to start many DIY projects. Popular conversions include workshops, art studios, ranch and hunting gear storage or small motorcycle/ATV garages. Get creative or follow one of the many conversions on the internet and customize it to your needs.

Workshop — Add electrical connections and ventilation to make your own woodshop or mechanical workspace
Office Space — Add windows, insulation, and a fresh coat of paint for home office
Garage — Large enough for motorcycles, ATVs or even a small lawn tractor

Be sure to check with your local building codes before making modifications. Hire a professional to run electrical wiring.

Sell Your Conex for Some Quick Cash

Shipping containers don’t lose value like a car. In fact you can typically sell your container and get most of your money back.

Average Prices in Texas:

40ft Container: $3,000–$5,000
20ft Container: $2,000–$3,500

Tips for selling your Conex:

Empty it out and take quality photos
Containers that haven’t been modified and still have original paint sell quicker and for higher prices.
Shop around! Prices will vary from dealer to dealer based on your region.
List on Facebook marketplace, eBay, call local dealers or reach out to construction companies.

Expect it to take 2-4 weeks to sell on average. Depends on how motivated you are to sell and current market demand.

Thinking About Moving to or Within Texas?

Moving into or within Texas with a shipping container (or Conex if you’re already a Texan) is different than hiring movers. It’s better… in ways that matter.

When you move with a shipping container, you control the schedule. Your stuff is safely contained (literally). You pay a flat rate to transport your belongings and there are no hidden fees for sitting in traffic. And everything from packing to storage can be done with one container.

That means moving stress is WAY less, your stuff is safer, you actually save money and your moving experience is logical and easy. Don’t believe us? Whether you’re moving from Dallas to Houston or Rockwall to Lone Oak, Texas we can show you how moving with a container can benefit you.

Steel Box offers brand new One Trip and used WWT containers in 20ft, 40ft and High Cube lengths. We will deliver to you wherever you are in Texas and provide knowledgeable guidance when it comes to selecting the right size container for your move. Give us a call today and make your next move your easiest move yet.