Moving Box & Tote Rental FAQ

Answers to common questions about renting moving totes. If your question is not here, call (480) 933-0185 or email support@toterelay.com.

What is a moving tote rental?

Instead of buying cardboard boxes, you rent stackable plastic totes for your move. We deliver sanitized, sturdy 18-gallon totes and moving dollies to your door, you pack and move at your own pace, and we collect the empties when you are done. There is no tape to buy, no boxes to assemble, and no cardboard to break down and dispose of afterwards.

Are moving boxes, moving bins and moving totes the same thing?

For our rental service, yes. These terms describe our plastic moving containers with attached lids and handles. We rent the equipment for a local move rather than selling cardboard boxes.

Do you move my belongings?

We deliver empty totes and dollies and collect the empty equipment afterwards. You or your moving company pack and transport your belongings.

Can you deliver to my old home and collect from my new home?

Yes. Choose different delivery and pickup addresses at checkout. Both addresses must be within our covered ZIP codes, which checkout checks before payment.

Which cities do you deliver to?

We deliver to Ahwatukee, Central Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, South Scottsdale and Tempe — that is the East Valley, south Scottsdale and central Phoenix in the Phoenix metro area. Delivery is checked by ZIP code at checkout, so you will know before you pay whether we reach your address.

How much does it cost to rent moving totes?

Packages run $63.75 to $161.25 for 7 days, and the price includes delivery, pickup, the dollies and the labels — there is nothing added at the door. Launch offer: 25% off your first week. Already included in the prices shown. Extra weeks and days are charged at the regular package rates. The lineup is Studio, 1-Bedroom, 2-3 Bedroom and 3-4 Bedroom, named for the size of home each one suits. Sales tax of 8.1% is added at checkout.

Which package do I need?

Start with the package named for your home size: Studio (20 totes), 1-Bedroom (35 totes), 2-3 Bedroom (50 totes) and 3-4 Bedroom (75 totes). Those names assume a typical home. Choose the next size up if you have a garage or storage closet to empty, a home office, a well-stocked kitchen or a lot of books, children, or have lived there for years — those are what fill more totes than people expect. Furniture, mattresses and large appliances do not go in totes, so only count what you would otherwise pack in boxes.

How long is the rental?

Every package includes 7 full days, measured hour to hour: totes arrive by 9 AM on your delivery day and need to be stacked and ready by 9 AM on your pickup day. You can book extra weeks or extra days upfront, up to 91 days total.

What if I need the totes for longer than I booked?

Extend any time before your pickup day and it costs exactly the same as it would have cost to book that time upfront — no penalty and no premium. Extra days exist so that needing two or three more days does not cost you a full extra week. Use the link in your booking confirmation, or call or email us.

How far in advance do I need to book?

Book by 9 PM the day before delivery. The checkout calendar only offers dates we can actually deliver on, so anything you can pick is a date we can meet.

Do I have to be home for delivery and pickup?

No. Delivery and pickup are both no-contact. You tell us where to leave the totes and dollies at checkout — a side gate, a porch, behind the carport — and we email you a photo of them in that spot as soon as they land. On pickup day you leave the empties stacked in the same place by 9 AM. Leave the box blank and we use the front door. Nobody needs to take a day off work.

Do I have to clean the totes before returning them?

No — you never have to wash or sanitize them. Every tote is cleaned and electrostatically sprayed with disinfectant between rentals, and ordinary dust and scuffs are on us. What we do ask is that they come back empty and not excessively soiled. Food or liquid residue that needs more than a wipe-down, mold or mildew, evidence of pests, or a strong odor that doesn't air out costs $3 per tote to deep clean.

How big are the totes and how much do they hold?

Each tote is 18 gallons — 27 inches long, 17 wide and 12 high, about 2.4 cubic feet. That size is deliberate: packed with ordinary household things, a full tote is still something one adult can carry down a hallway on their own. Their matching shape allows them to stack neatly. Keep each tote light enough to lift safely; fill dense loads such as books only part-way.

Do you offer more than one tote size?

No, and that is on purpose. Some rental companies offer an extra-large bin of around 3.8 cubic feet, and some offer a smaller one for books. We run a single 18-gallon tote because it is about the largest box that is still a comfortable one-person carry when it is full — go bigger and you mostly get a box too heavy to lift once it is packed. One size also stacks square, loads a truck without gaps, and spares you deciding which box a thing belongs in. Packing something dense like books, tools or tinned food? Fill the tote part-way rather than to the brim.

Is there a deposit?

No deposit. You pay for the rental at checkout. Your card is saved for extensions or applicable fees under the rental agreement. You can also add Rental Protection for $15, with the following coverage: covers accidents: deep cleaning up to 20% of your totes, and 50% off replacements. Beyond the cap, standard fees apply.

What happens if I damage or lose a tote?

A tote that cannot be cleaned normally costs $3 per tote to deep clean. A tote that cannot be returned costs $25 to replace, and a dolly $75. Rental Protection reduces both. We charge the card on file and tell you what it was for.

Are there any extra fees?

Delivery, pickup, dollies and labels are all included in the package price. Two situations add a charge: a $20 surcharge when totes have to be carried up stairs, and a $30 re-trip fee if the equipment is not out and ready when we arrive to collect it. The re-trip fee is only for a wasted trip on your side — if we are the ones who miss the stop, we come back at no charge. Sales tax is 8.1%.

Are plastic moving totes better than cardboard boxes?

For a move inside one metro area, generally yes. Totes need no tape and no assembly, their bottoms do not fall out when they are loaded heavy, they stack without crushing, and they arrive sanitized rather than carrying whatever was in a used box before. They also leave no cardboard to flatten and dispose of. Cardboard still wins for a long-distance move where the boxes travel and never come back.