BoxCart's Mobile/Portable Storage Blog

BoxCart at the 2007 Solar Decathlon on the National Mall

2007-10-22T13:43:00.001-05:00

BoxCart proudly supports Lawrence Technological University as they compete in the 2007 Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Solar Decathlon is a unique competition in which 20 college- and university-led teams from around the world work to design, finance, construct, and operate the most energy-efficient, solar-powered homes imaginable. These students create living laboratories, where concept truly meets reality.

Teams are evaluated in 10 areas encompassing architecture, engineering, livability, comfort, space heating and cooling, water heating, and powering of lights and appliances - representing the next generation of solar-powered homes and the promise of solar technology.

The Solar Decathlon, and Lawrence Tech in particular, gave BoxCart the opportunity to make our first appearance on the National Mall.

Prince William County Adopts Portable Storage Unit Regulations

2007-10-18T11:35:00.001-05:00

After much debate, Prince William County has adopted regulations governing the use of portable storage units. Here is a summary of these regulations, for your information:

The total area encompassed by 1 or more adjoining portable storage units shall not exceed 256 sq. ft. (up to 6 of BoxCart's 5'x8' portable storage containers)
Portable storage units shall be located on a driveway or side/rear yard. If in side or rear yard, the storage units must comply with required setbacks (see regulations). Portable storage units shall be located between 5-50ft from the dwelling.
A portable storage unit may be located on a lot for 60 days maximum (consecutive or not) within a 180 day period. A temporary activity permit shall only be required if the unit is planning to be on the property for more than 60 days.
In cases where portable storage units are used during remodeling, the unit/units may be permitted, with an approved temporary activity permit for up to 180 days or until a final inspection has been completed by the County, whichever is shorter. The portable storage unit must be removed within 2 weeks after the final inspection.
No portable storage unit shall be used to store solid waste, business inventory, or commercial goods.

For more information and for full regulation text, please visit the Prince William County government website: http://www.pwcgov.org/default.aspx?topic=020015000460003568

New Website - Coming Soon!

2007-09-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

As you know, BoxCart is now a fully licensed, bonded, and insured Moving Company providing direct move services, both local and long-distance, moving & containerized storage services for those who need interim storage between homes - all in addition to our "do-it-yourself" portable storage services.

Soon, we'll be revealing our new website (same web address: www.BoxCart.com) that will further detail ALL moving services, for your convenience, as you research your moving & storage options.

In the meantime, please give us a call to discuss your moving & storage needs, and we'll have one of our AMSA Certified Moving Consultants walk you through the entire process.

Thanks for checking out BoxCart, and we look forward to helping you move!!

Fairfax County Passes Regulations on Portable Storage Container Usage

2007-09-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

After much debate, Fairfax County has now adopted new regulations for the usage of portable storage and mobile storage within the County as of September 10, 2007. Here is a summary of these regulations, for your information:

Single-Family Homes:

Temporary portable storage containers shall be permitted on a lot containing 36,000 sq. ft. for a maximum of 30 consecutive days within a 6-month period. On lots greater than 36,000 sq. ft., containers will be permitted for a maximum of 60 consecutive days within a 6-month period. However, in cases where homes have been damaged by a casualty, the portable storage container(s) may be allowed for longer time periods.

Temporary portable storage containers shall not exceed a cumulative gross floor area of 130 sq. ft. (equivalent to no more than 3 of our 5'x8' BoxCart storage containers - see our portable storage containers).

Single-Family Attached Homes (Townhomes) or Multiple-Family Dwellings (Condos):

Portable storage containers shall be permitted for a maximum of 7 consecutive days within a 6-month period. However, in cases where homes have been damaged by a casualty, the portable storage container(s) may be allowed for longer time periods.

Portable storage containers are not allowed in any required open space, landscaped area, on any street, sidewalk, or trail, or in any location that blocks or interferes with any vehicular and/or pedestrian circulation.

For a copy of the complete regulations, please visit the Fairfax County Government website.

BoxCart Goes to Washington!!

2007-08-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

BoxCart had the honor of providing storage to none other than the White House while the Press Briefing Room went through renovations. It was an impressive sight to witness our BoxCart being placed on the White House property via crane.

Here is a picture showing the crane lifting our 8'x10' Deluxe On-Site BoxCart portable storage container in front of the Old Executive Office Building.

We at BoxCart couldn't be more pleased to have been chosen for this special year-long project!

BoxCart Now Offers Loading/Unloading and Full Moving Services

2007-01-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

BoxCart provides you with full moving services - everything from loading and unloading your BoxCarts, all the way to packing and moving your entire house across town or long-distance. All this with the same excellent level of customer service you expect from BoxCart.

It's so easy - just give us a call, and we'll assess your packing, loading, and/or moving needs. Here's a summary of our new service offerings:

Free In-Home Estimate for your Move (both local and long-distance)
Loading and Unloading your BoxCarts
Coordinating BoxCart Delivery and Loading/Unloading Labor to fit into your Schedule
Packing Supplies Brought to you by the Movers

All billing is taken care of through BoxCart, so we guarantee the same level of customer service you deserve and have come to expect from us!

Give us a call today at (703) 263-3300 to learn more about our packing, loading, and full-service moving options.

Come Visit Us at the Home & Remodeling Show!

2006-08-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

BoxCart is looking forward to showcasing our services once again at the upcoming Home & Remodeling Expo, September 22nd-24th at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. You're sure to find everything you need to help you design and complete the remodeling projects you're working on or even those you're just thinking about. And hey...you already know where to go to store all the wonderful things you'll find!

This is our 3rd time exhibiting at this show, and each time we've had a chance to meet so many new people (a lot of you reading this blog!), and we especially love the visits from our past and current customers.

Be sure to stop by booth #1139 and say Hi... we'd love to catch up and see how all your projects are going!

For more Expo details, visit http://www.homeandremodelingexpo.com

DC Metro Portable Storage Company Sets Industry Pace by Expanding into Small Business Market

2006-05-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

Local company takes on the "big guys" in rapidly growing industry.

Chantilly, VA - BoxCarts of Virginia, Inc., a locally-owned and operated innovator in the rapidly growing mobile or portable storage industry, is demonstrating its leadership with an aggressive expansion into the small business arena.

The company's all-metal containers with the green logo are an increasingly familiar sight outside of residences in the Washington DC Metro area, providing homeowners and renters with convenient temporary storage, either on-site or in their state-of-the-art warehouse.

Now, BoxCart will begin in earnest to provide its services to small businesses, which generally have been underserved by the mobile or portable storage industry, said BoxCart President, Aubrey L. Stowell.

"When you think about it, some small businesses desperately need temporary storage, especially on a seasonal or cyclical basis," he said. "Take a stationary or hardware store that has to change its inventory three, four or five times a year, for sales in the Christmas, Halloween, spring, summer and other seasons.

"Most small businesses are pressed for space anyway, and now they can get it conveniently and more economically. Whey they need to change out their inventory, we'll deliver one of our unique, all-weather BoxCarts right up to their door, and when packed, we'll take it back to our air-conditioned, humidity-controlled warehouse, to wait for the next change-out."

BoxCart offers free monthly re-delivery and pick-up, rental rate discounts of up to 30% and off-site security monitoring at BoxCart's Chantilly warehouse facility.

"It makes no economic sense for these businesses to pack seasonal inventories and displays into the back of the store, in effect paying expensive showroom rates for storage. Just as retailers can squeeze more value out of their rental space by letting us handle their seasonal items or extra inventory, so can professionals, who shouldn't be storing voluminous records in expensive, premium office space." Accessing those records, inventories or other materials once they are in the warehouse is quick, easy, and inexpensive.

"Who better to serve the small business market than another small, family-owned business? Unlike many other mobile or portable storage companies, BoxCart is not a franchise. As hands-on owners and operators on the scene, we pride ourselves on our special, individualized service and customer satisfaction," Stowell said.

Stowell noted that a five-foot by eight-foot container can be stored for as little as $62.30 per month, far less than what small businesses typically might pay in rent for on-site storage at their stores or businesses. Monthly re-delivery and pick-up of a company's BoxCart is provided at no additional cost.

While other mobile or portable storage companies boast of their "climate controlled" warehouses, BoxCart's warehouse is the only 100% air-conditioned, heated and humidity-controlled storage facility in the Washington DC Metro area, providing constant relative humidity ranging from 50-60% and year-round temperatures in the 70's.

The Latest In "Stuff" Control

2006-03-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

Eventually, years of accumulated possessions catch up with everyone. Stuff fills basements, attics and spare rooms, and squeezes cars out of garages. Now it's time to sell, and the stuff has to go somewhere, so prospective buyers don't trip over it.

Or lots of stuff has to be moved out of one part of the house for a remodeling project or home addition.

The hottest answer for homeowners and renters is "portable storage," one of those ideas that obviously is so useful that people ask, "Why didn't someone think of that sooner?" Portable, or mobile, storage is just starting to catch on in scattered sections of the nation, including the DC Metro area, where the service is provided by a year-old, local company called BoxCart.

Instead of the customer having to lug all that stuff to a self-storage facility, portable storage brings the warehouse to the customer, in the form of clean, stuffable containers which are left in the driveway or other convenient spot, to be - well - stuffed at the customer's convenience. When full, the company returns the container back to the warehouse, to be safely and securely stored until the customer wants it back.

Some of the customers are:

Young families and first-time movers who may have to be out of their homes before a new one is finished or available.
Empty-nesters who are moving to smaller homes and need a place to store a lifetime of furniture, keepsakes and collectibles in a secure and clean place until they decide what to do with them.
College students to store personal belongings over the summer recess.
Military families that frequently move and often need a temporary or long-term storage solution.

This service is also available for businesses, for the storage of such things as seasonal inventory and records.

Portable or mobile storage isn't to be confused with self-storage, which requires the customer to tote his possessions, in several car trips or a rented truck, to a warehouse, off-load them, reload them back into the caro or onto the truck, and then unload them again.

Industry observers call portable or mobile storage the "up-and-coming" and "explosive" segment of the storage and moving business.

BoxCart is operated by Aubrey Stowell, a retired investment banker, and his daughter, Amy Stowell, a CPA formerly with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Unlike portable or mobile storage companies that have entered the new market, BoxCart is locally owned and controlled, enabling them to provide a higher level of personal customer service.

Among BoxCart's competitive advantages:

The company uses secure, steel, weatherproof storage containers designed for extended indoor/outdoor use, unlike bulky wooden containers unsuitable for outdoor use.
DC Metro's only 100% air-conditioned, heated, and humidity-controlled storage facility, as opposed to other companies' vaguely defined "climate-controlled" warehouses.
Free monthly re-delivery and pick-up at customer's location.
The customers can move belongings directly to new home or other site without any minimum storage requirement.
Online quote calculator, so customers can get exact prices for the services requested.

Try BoxCart for your storage needs today, and see what their customers have been raving about!

Father/Daughter Team Finds Washington DC Prime Market for Portable/Mobile Storage Company

2005-03-01T15:50:00.000-05:00

When Aubrey and Amy Stowell were looking for where to start their new, family business, they had the whole country to choose from. They ended up in DC after an extensive, computer analysis of census and demographic data showed the Metro DC area is the best place. Here's how they did it...

We're in the "portable storage" or "mobile storage" business, and while it's not exactly high-tech stuff, we think this an interesting story of how a father - a retired investment banker with an entrepreneurial itch (Aubrey) - and daughter - a CPA from PricewaterhouseCoopers (Amy) - meticulously conducted an exhaustive 18-month search to pick our business and where in America to locate it.

We were as careful at picking what business we'd be in as we were in selecting a location.

To find where to locate, we reviewed many demographic statistics and settled our final seach criteria on three. Each county in the United States had to meet the following criteria:
1) Minimum households in county of 75,000
2) Minimum compounded annual growth rate of 10% from 1990 to 2000
3) Median household income of $50,000 and above

In our 1st pass, we spotted 53 counties across America. Too many. We then raised the median income level to $60,000 and narrowed it down to 22 counties. We continued scaling up the median income to $75,000 which resulted in a total of five counties. Of the five, two were in the Washington DC Metro area: Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD.

The choice was clear: DC Metro was the only metropolitan area in the nation that had 2 counties that exceeded our original criteria.

After another year of site selection and start-up preparation, we finally opened for business on Feb. 1, 2005, in Chantilly, Virginia.

Obviously, our formula doesn't apply to all businesses, but we think it says something interesting about the potential for DC Metro. Basically, we had no other reason to locate here. The business potential is what did it.