Not sure how many boxes you’ll need for your upcoming move? We’ll help you understand the different types of moving boxes and how to choose the right ones for your packing needs.
Before you buy a bunch of cardboard moving boxes or start searching for free ones, take some time to figure out how many you’ll actually need for your move. This can help you avoid ending up with too many boxes or, even worse, not having enough to pack all your belongings.
There are a few ways to estimate how many moving boxes you’ll need but it’s not as simple as guessing based on the size of each room. The amount of stuff you have in each area matters the most and even the type of home you live in can affect how many boxes you’ll end up needing for your move.
Thankfully, there’s a simple way to make this easier. One of the easiest ways to estimate how many moving boxes you’ll need is by using the square footage of your home instead of focusing on the number or size of the rooms. Below, we’ll go over the different types of moving boxes and give you a better idea of how many you may need for your move.
Types of Moving Boxes and Sizes
There are many types and sizes of moving boxes available, but these are some of the most commonly used options:
- Small Boxes (Around 16 x 12 x 12 inches): These boxes are great for packing books, magazines, small household items and kitchen items like glasses and dishes.
- Medium Boxes (Around 18 x 16 x 18 inches): These work well for office supplies, smaller kitchen items and decorative pieces.
- Large Boxes (Around 18 x 18 x 24 inches): These boxes are ideal for larger items like towels, comforters, blankets, pillows and throws.
- Extra-Large Boxes (Around 24 x 20 x 24 inches): These boxes give you more room for bulky, oversized or awkwardly shaped items.
- Wardrobe Boxes: If you want to keep your clothes on their hangers, wardrobe boxes are a great option. You can move clothing straight from your closet into the box which comes with a built-in hanging bar that lets you transport your clothes without taking them off the hangers.
- Dish Barrel Boxes: These boxes are made for fragile items like dishes, glasses and other breakable kitchenware.
- TV Boxes: A TV box helps protect your flatscreen TV and keeps it safe during the move.
Out of all the box sizes available, it’s usually best to buy more medium and large boxes, along with just a few small and extra-large ones.
Wardrobe boxes can usually hold around two feet of hanging clothes. Most standard wardrobe boxes are about 24 inches wide and 24 inches long, though the height can vary. If you’re planning to use wardrobe boxes, measure the width of the clothes hanging in your closet and use one box for every two feet of clothing. If your closet is packed tightly, it’s a good idea to get an extra box as well.
A helpful tip we found on Reddit is to place your clothes from the closet, with the hangers still on, into a large trash bag and then place the bag into a properly sized box. You can also take it a step further by making a hole at the bottom of the bag for the hanger hooks to go through, then tying or taping them together until you’re ready to unpack. Yes, the clothes may end up a little wrinkled but the flexibility of using different types of boxes with this method can be more practical for some people than using a dedicated wardrobe box.
How do I figure out how many moving boxes I need?
Start by checking the square footage of your house. This can help you estimate how many moving boxes you may need for packing.
- Less than 500 sq ft: 3–12 large boxes, 8–15 medium boxes, 12–18 small boxes, 2–5 dish barrels and 3–5 wardrobe boxes.
- Between 500–999 sq ft: 5–15 large boxes, 10–20 medium boxes, 15–25 small boxes, 3–6 dish barrels and 3–6 wardrobe boxes.
- Between 1,000–1,499 sq ft: 10–20 large boxes, 15–25 medium boxes, 20–30 small boxes, 4–6 dish barrels and 5–7 wardrobe boxes.
- Between 1,500–1,999 sq ft: 15–25 large boxes, 20–30 medium boxes, 30–40 small boxes, 5–97 dish barrels and 5–10 wardrobe boxes.
- More than 2,000 sq ft: 20–30 large boxes, 25–35 medium boxes, 40–50 small boxes, 6–9 dish barrels and 8–12 wardrobe boxes.
Our box guide can also help you figure out how many boxes you’ll need to properly pack for your next move.
