Moving Box Calculator — How Many Boxes Do I Need?
Enter how many bedrooms and other rooms you have to get a realistic moving box count — broken into small, medium, and large plus the tape you'll need. No sign-up, no data stored.
Boxes needed
How the box estimate is calculated
Moving companies and packers estimate from room count, because room count tracks belongings better than square footage. We use typical per-room allowances:
- Bedroom: about 8 small + 12 medium + 4 large boxes.
- Other room (kitchen, living, dining, bath): about 6 small + 10 medium + 4 large.
- Garage / storage: about 4 small + 8 medium + 10 large (bulky tools and gear).
- Tape: one roll of 2-in packing tape per 20–30 boxes, rounded up.
These are planning estimates. Wardrobes, pianos, and furniture move as furniture, not boxes — measure or count those separately. If you have a lot of books, shift small boxes up; if you have little kitchen gear, take a few off.
Moving box sizes & typical counts
Common box dimensions and what they're best for.
| Box | Typical size | Best for | Count for 2-bedroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 18×12×12 in | Books, heavy kitchen items | ~45–50 |
| Medium | 18×18×16 in | Most everyday items | ~60–70 |
| Large | 24×18×18 in | Bedding, pillows, light bulky items | ~25–30 |
| Wardrobe | 24×24×45 in | Hanging clothes | ~4–6 |
Last updated: October 2026 · Estimates use common per-room packing allowances from professional movers. Your actual count depends on how much you own — round up, and buy extra tape.
Moving box calculator FAQ
About 55–75 boxes: 1 bedroom (24 boxes) plus a kitchen/living room and bath (20–30) adds up quickly. Add a small garage and you're near 80.
Expect 180–240 boxes — roughly 45–60 per bedroom plus the kitchen, living room, and baths. Most will be medium boxes; use small boxes for books and large ones for bedding.
Free: liquor stores, grocery stores, and buy-nothing groups give away sturdy boxes. For standard sizes, Home Depot and U-Haul sell new small/medium/large boxes for roughly $1–3 each — new boxes are worth it for heavy items.
About a 16-ft truck. As a rule of thumb, 1-bedroom moves fit a 10–12 ft truck, 2-bedroom a 16 ft, and 3–4 bedroom a 20–26 ft. Boxes plus furniture determine the size.
Use small boxes and fill them to about 3/4 with books — a small box of books weighs about 30–40 lb and stays liftable. Never put books in large boxes.