Memphis Storage Container Rental and Sales

Memphis sits on one of the busiest rail and trucking crossroads in the country, and that shapes everything about buying a steel container here. Boxes arrive by train, get stacked at yards, and end up on a lot near you.

Why a rail town is good for container buyers

Used container prices follow supply, and supply follows ports and rail yards. Memphis has several large intermodal yards, so used units are easier to find here than in most inland cities. A used 40 footer in Memphis will usually cost less than the same box in Oklahoma City or Louisville, and delivery distances are short. That is a real advantage. Use it by asking for a used cargo-worthy or wind and watertight box when new is not required.

The flip side is that the market is busy. Providers near the yards sell to logistics companies by the dozen, and a one-off customer with a single 20 footer can get a slower reply. Be specific in your request: size, grade, rent or buy, your delivery address, and the date you need the box on the ground. A request with all five gets a real answer faster than one that says only that you want a container.

The industries behind the demand

The air cargo hub at the airport and the warehouses spread along Airways Boulevard, Lamar and out toward Olive Branch and Southaven pull in warehouse overflow all year. Peak season is the obvious one, and a row of boxes behind a distribution building is a normal sight. Contractors working on the Medical District, Midtown projects and Downtown conversions rent boxes for materials. Farms across the Delta, which starts just west and south of the city, buy them for seed and equipment.

Churches and schools use containers during renovations. So do homeowners in Cooper-Young and Midtown who are rebuilding a kitchen and need somewhere to put the kitchen.

The long-haul trucking business adds another wrinkle. Trailer yards and drivers who lease space often want a box for tie-downs, straps, tires and spare parts, and those customers care mostly about price and a quick drop. If that is you, a used as-is unit is often enough, as long as the doors close and the floor is sound. Look at the floor before you pay. Rotted plywood is the most common defect, and replacing it is a real repair.

Wet air, wet ground

Summers in the Mid-South are hot and sticky, and winter nights can be damp and cold. That mix gives you steady condensation inside an unvented box. Ask for vents. Add a dehumidifier if you have power, or desiccant bags if you do not. Mold on stored furniture is the most common complaint, and it is cheaper to prevent.

The ground near the river is flat and often soft. Gravel or timbers under the corners keep the floor dry and the box level, and a level box has doors that close. If your site is in a low spot that floods, say so. A good provider will block it higher.

Across the state line

This is a three-state metro. West Memphis, Arkansas sits across the river on I-40, and Southaven, Olive Branch and Horn Lake are in Mississippi. A provider based in Tennessee may cross the line for a delivery, or may not. Some quote Mississippi by the mile and some will not go. Ask before you assume.

Bartlett, Germantown and Collierville are east of the city along Poplar Avenue and Highway 385, and they are far enough that a trip charge is possible, though most Memphis providers go there regularly. Residential areas in Germantown and Collierville are strict about how a container looks and where it sits, so check local rules first.

Security and the surrounding neighborhood

Job sites and storage lots get broken into, and a container that looks easy to open is a target. Ask for a lock box or a shielded puck lock that bolt cutters cannot reach. Position the doors against a wall or another box so no one can open them fully. Many Memphis contractors do this on every site, and it costs almost nothing.

If your container is going on a lot you do not watch, tell the provider so. Some will recommend a different lock, or put you in touch with someone who installs cameras. Do not assume that a standard padlock from the hardware store is enough. It is not.

What your quote should say

• Delivery to your suburb, included or extra
• The grade of the box, and photos if it is used
• Monthly rent after any minimum term
• Any charge for pickup

Pay attention to the door. A box with a bent frame will not seal, and a box that does not seal is not much use for storing paper. Ask whether the provider will swap it if the doors bind.

Memphis is a good place to buy and a so-so place to rent for years. If the box is staying, buy it. The monthly rent adds up quickly, and a decent used unit holds its value because the yards keep selling to buyers who want exactly that.

Looking for a different city? Here are some nearby.

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