Moving Box Calculator
A typical 1-bedroom apartment needs about 25–35 boxes, a 3-bedroom house needs about 70–100, and most of that count should be small and medium boxes, not large ones — large boxes are for bulky, lightweight items only. Use the calculator below for a count based on your own home size or room-by-room, or read the full breakdown underneath it.
Estimate your box count
Calculator tool — coming in the next build pass.
Box sizes and what goes in each one
| Box size | Typical dimensions | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Small (1.5 cu ft) | 16″ x 12″ x 12″ | Books, tools, canned goods — anything dense and heavy |
| Medium (3.0 cu ft) | 18″ x 18″ x 16″ | Kitchen items, small appliances, toys, general household |
| Large (4.5 cu ft) | 18″ x 18″ x 24″ | Bedding, pillows, lampshades — bulky but light items only |
| Dish-pack / dish barrel | 18″ x 18″ x 28″, double-wall | Dishes, glassware, stemware |
| Wardrobe | 24″ x 21″ x 46″, with hanging bar | Hanging clothes, moved straight from the closet |
| Mirror / picture box | Flat, adjustable length | Framed art, mirrors, flat-screen TVs |
The rule of thumb: heavy items go in small boxes, light and bulky items go in large boxes. A large box full of books is both dangerous to lift and likely to fail at the bottom seam.
How many boxes by home size
| Home size | Small | Medium | Large | Wardrobe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 6–10 | 8–12 | 3–5 | 1–2 | ~20–30 |
| 1 bedroom | 10–15 | 10–15 | 4–6 | 1–2 | ~25–35 |
| 2 bedroom | 15–20 | 15–20 | 5–10 | 2–4 | ~40–60 |
| 3 bedroom | 25–35 | 25–35 | 10–15 | 3–5 | ~70–100 |
| 4+ bedroom | 35–45+ | 35–45+ | 15–20+ | 4–6+ | ~100–140+ |
These ranges assume a typically furnished home. Add 15–20% if you have a home office, an extensive book or media collection, or a garage full of tools and hobby gear.
Boxes by room
- Kitchen — the box-heaviest room in most homes: 1–2 dish-pack boxes, 4–6 medium boxes for pantry items and small appliances, 2–3 small boxes for anything dense (cast iron, canned goods)
- Bedroom — 1 wardrobe box per closet of hanging clothes, 3–5 medium boxes for folded clothes and linens, 1–2 large boxes for pillows and bedding
- Bathroom — 1–2 small/medium boxes per bathroom, plus a separate sealed bag or box for liquids to avoid leaks onto other items
- Living room — 1 mirror/picture box per framed piece or flat-screen, 3–5 medium boxes for books, decor, and media
- Garage / storage — highly variable; budget small boxes for tools and hardware, large boxes for lightweight sports and camping gear
Other packing supplies you'll need
- Packing tape — about 1 roll per 8–10 boxes
- Packing paper — 1 bundle per 3–4 boxes of dishes and glassware
- Bubble wrap — one small roll for framed art, electronics, and other flat fragile items
- Furniture blankets/pads — one per major furniture piece if you're renting a truck yourself
- Mattress bags — one per mattress, sized to match (twin/full/queen/king)
- Permanent marker — for labeling boxes by room, not just contents
Where to get boxes — free vs. buying new
Grocery stores, liquor stores, and bookstores often give away sturdy boxes for free — ask at the back of the store, and go on a stocking day (early morning or overnight-shift changeover) for the best selection. Local Buy Nothing groups and Facebook Marketplace are also reliable sources of free, recently-used moving boxes from people who just finished a move.
Buy new, uniform boxes when you need boxes that stack safely and predictably — especially for a long-distance move, where boxes travel further, get stacked higher in the truck, and sit in transit longer than a local move. Dish-pack and wardrobe boxes in particular are worth buying new; free versions of these specialty boxes are harder to find and more likely to have already lost their structural strength.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?
Most 2-bedroom apartments need 40–60 boxes total: roughly 15–20 small, 15–20 medium, 5–10 large, and 2–4 wardrobe boxes, plus a dish-pack box or two for the kitchen. Add more if you have a home office, a hobby collection, or a lot of books.
Should I buy new boxes or get them free?
Free boxes (from grocery stores, liquor stores, or a local Buy Nothing / Facebook Marketplace group) work fine for clothes, linens, and lightweight items. Buy new, uniform boxes for anything heavy, fragile, or going into long-term storage — mismatched free boxes don't stack safely and are more likely to fail under weight.
What size box should I use for books and heavy items?
Always use small boxes for books, tools, and other dense items — even a small box gets heavy fast once it's full of books. A large box packed with books is difficult to lift safely and is a common cause of moving-day injuries and box failures.
Do movers supply boxes?
Full-service movers can usually supply boxes and packing materials, but it's billed separately and typically costs more than buying your own. If you're packing yourself, buying boxes ahead of time is almost always cheaper than paying the mover's packing-supply markup.
How much bubble wrap or packing paper do I need?
As a rough guide, budget 1 roll of packing paper per 3–4 boxes of dishes and glassware, and one small roll of bubble wrap for framed art, electronics, and other fragile flat items. Newspaper works as a free substitute for packing paper, but the ink can transfer onto light-colored dishes.
What's the difference between a dish-pack box and a regular box?
A dish-pack (or 'dish barrel') box has thicker double-wall cardboard and is built specifically for dishes, glasses, and stemware, usually with cell dividers. Regular boxes aren't rated for the weight and fragility of a fully packed set of dishes and are more likely to fail.