Moving Box Estimate Calculator
Estimate how many moving boxes you need based on home size, rooms, and packing style.
Plan your move efficiently.
Moving Box Estimate
Moving Box Estimates help you plan how many boxes to buy or collect before a move. The number varies based on home size, how much stuff you have, and your packing style.
Average boxes needed by home size:
- Studio apartment: 15-25 boxes
- 1-bedroom apartment: 25-40 boxes
- 2-bedroom home: 40-60 boxes
- 3-bedroom home: 60-80 boxes
- 4-bedroom home: 80-120 boxes
- 5+ bedroom home: 120-150+ boxes
Box types and sizes:
- Small (1.5 cubic feet / 42 liters): heavy items — books, canned food, tools. About 16×12×12 inches.
- Medium (3.0 cubic feet / 85 liters): general items — kitchen items, toys, clothes. About 18×18×16 inches.
- Large (4.5 cubic feet / 127 liters): light bulky items — pillows, linens, lampshades. About 18×18×24 inches.
- Wardrobe boxes: for hanging clothes. About 24×20×48 inches. Typically need 1 per 2 feet of closet space.
- Dish pack boxes: extra protection for fragile items. Similar to medium but thicker walls.
Typical distribution of box sizes:
- Small: 30% of total boxes
- Medium: 40% of total boxes
- Large: 20% of total boxes
- Specialty (wardrobe, dish, etc.): 10% of total boxes
Packing style adjustments:
- Minimalist (fewer belongings, decluttered): reduce estimate by 20-30%
- Average: use base estimate
- Collector/pack rat (lots of stuff): increase by 20-40%
Other packing supplies needed (per 50 boxes):
- Packing tape: 3-5 rolls
- Packing paper: 5-10 pounds (2.3-4.5 kg)
- Bubble wrap: 1 roll (100 feet / 30 m)
- Markers: 2-3 (for labeling)
- Box cutter: 1-2
Pro tip: Always get 10-15% more boxes than you think you need. Having extra is much better than running out mid-pack.