If you’ve only got a handful of boxes to move or store — maybe you’re between apartments, heading home for the summer, or doing a cross-country relocation without a car — the usual moving options can feel… way too big for the job.

Moving trucks have minimum fees. Self-storage units make you rent a whole room when you only need a corner. And full-service movers charge like you’re shipping a mansion. So what’s the cheapest, easiest way to move and store a few boxes?

Why the Usual Options Cost More Than You Think

  • Rental trucks: Even for a tiny move, you’ll end up paying for mileage, gas, insurance, and a minimum rental window. Add the time it takes to pick it up, load it, and drop it off — and suddenly “cheap” isn’t so cheap.

  • Self-storage: Most places rent by the unit, not by the box. A 5×5 unit can easily run $60–$120/month depending on the city, plus admin fees, locks, insurance, and required minimums. That’s a lot to pay if you only have a few boxes.

  • Full-service movers (PODS, Dorm Room Movers, etc.): Their pricing is built for big loads. If you’re just shipping boxes, you’re basically overpaying for capacity and service you don’t need.

The Smarter Option: Ship & Store by the Box

Here’s the hack: use Ship2Storage.

Instead of renting a truck or a unit, you just pack your boxes, ship them via UPS or FedEx, and store them in a secure warehouse until you need them back. Everything is managed online. No trucks, no movers, no driving.

How it works:

  1. Pack your boxes.

  2. Print prepaid UPS/FedEx labels from Ship2Storage.com.

  3. Drop them off (or schedule a pickup).

  4. Ship2Storage receives, logs, and stores them safely.

  5. When you want them back, they ship them to any U.S. address.

This model is often called micro-move storage or box shipping storage — and it’s exactly what big moving companies don’t offer because it’s too efficient for their pricing structure.

Why Ship2Storage Is Usually the Cheapest

  • You pay per box, not for a truck or storage unit.

  • UPS & FedEx handle shipping nationwide, so no local movers needed.

  • Flexible terms — store short or long term, no hidden fees.

  • Entire process is online — perfect if you don’t have a car or don’t want to deal with people.

  • Central warehouse = lower storage costs than urban facilities.

For most small moves, Ship2Storage ends up being less than half the cost of renting a storage unit + truck. And it’s way less hassle.

If you’ve been searching “cheapest way to move a few boxes across the country” or “cheap storage for students,” this is it. Ship2Storage = box shipping + storage without the moving truck.