Moving box calculator
This calculator estimates how many boxes you need, split by box size, based on your home size, how many people live there and how much you own. It also returns the packing tape, paper and wrap that go with that box count, and the total volume those boxes will occupy in storage.
- 6 box types
- Supplies included
- Volume for storage sizing
Box counts by home size
| Home size | Boxes needed | Of which wardrobe | Volume in boxes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio apartment | 15 | 2 | 60 cu ft |
| 1 bedroom apartment | 26 | 3 | 104 cu ft |
| 2 bedroom apartment | 41 | 3 | 154 cu ft |
| 3 bedroom house | 62 | 5 | 238 cu ft |
| 4 bedroom house | 88 | 7 | 340 cu ft |
Box sizes and what goes in them
| Box type | Volume | What goes in it | Weight limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small box | 1.5 cu ft | Books, records, tools, tinned food — anything dense | 30 lb |
| Medium box | 3 cu ft | The workhorse: kitchenware, toys, small appliances, decor | 40 lb |
| Large box | 4.5 cu ft | Bedding, pillows, lampshades, light bulky items | 45 lb |
| Wardrobe box | 11 cu ft | Hanging clothes straight off the rail, coats, drapes | 60 lb |
| Dish barrel | 5.2 cu ft | Double-walled, for plates, glassware and stemware | 60 lb |
| Mirror / picture box | 3 cu ft | Adjustable, for framed art, mirrors and TVs | 20 lb |
The rule that saves backs and boxes: heavy things go in small boxes. A large box of books weighs about 130 lb and fails at the seam; the same books across four small boxes weigh 30 lb each and stack safely — which matters in a storage unit, where the bottom of every tier carries the rest.
How the estimate is built
The baseline is the box count in each home-size inventory, not a round number. That baseline is then scaled by packing density (a minimalist runs about 25% below average, a long-settled household about 35% above), by occupancy at roughly 12% per person beyond two, and by the extras you tick.
Supplies follow standard ratios: one 55-yard tape roll per 15 boxes, packing paper at about 0.6 lb per box, and extra wrap weighted toward dish and mirror cartons.
Order about 10% more than the estimate. Most suppliers take back unused flat boxes, and running short on the final evening costs far more in time than the spare cardboard costs in money.
Boxes are a quarter of your storage volume
Related questions
How many boxes do I need for a 1 bedroom apartment?
About 26 at average density — mostly medium and large, plus two or three wardrobe boxes. A well-stocked kitchen or five years in the same place pushes that toward 45.
How many boxes for a 3 bedroom house?
Around 62. Families with children at home routinely pass 100.
What size boxes should I buy most of?
Medium, at 3 cu ft. It is roughly 40% of a typical order because it handles almost everything without becoming too heavy to lift.
How much packing tape do I need?
One 55-yard roll per 15 boxes, so a three-bedroom move needs five or six. Buy a tape gun — hand-tearing that much tape uses more of it and takes far longer.