How many moving boxes do I need?
Updated October 2026
The short answer
A studio needs about 15 to 20 moving boxes, a 1-bedroom apartment 25 to 35, a 2-bedroom 40 to 50, and a 3-bedroom house about 50, or up to 65 with a full garage. Those counts are medium boxes or 18-gallon totes, which are close in size.
Moving boxes by home size
Count only what you would pack. Furniture, mattresses and large appliances do not go in boxes or totes.
| Home | Boxes or totes | Package |
|---|---|---|
| Studio apartmentOne main room, a kitchen and a bathroom. | Boxes or totes15 to 20 | PackageStudio (20 totes, $63.75) |
| 1-bedroom apartmentBedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and a closet or two. | Boxes or totes25 to 35 | Package1-Bedroom (35 totes, $89.25) |
| 2-bedroom apartment or condoA second bedroom or office adds 6 to 10. | Boxes or totes40 to 50 | Package2-3 Bedroom (50 totes, $116.25) |
| 3-bedroom houseA full garage or years of storage adds the most. | Boxes or totes50 to 65 | Package2-3 Bedroom (50 totes, $116.25) |
Package prices are for the first rental week and include delivery, pickup, dollies and labels. Prices before tax.
The ranges are wide on purpose. Two homes with the same number of bedrooms can be 20 boxes apart, and it is nearly always the same things that make the difference: a kitchen someone really cooks in, shelves of books, a home office, children, and how long you have lived there. If more than one of those is true, plan for the top of the range.
Moving boxes per room
Walk through your home and add up the rooms below. It takes five minutes and is more accurate than any rule of thumb based on square feet.
| Room | Boxes or totes | What fills them |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Boxes or totes8 to 12 | What fills themThe room people underestimate: dishes, glasses, pantry and small appliances. |
| Bedroom | Boxes or totes4 to 6 | What fills themClothes from drawers and shelves, linens, nightstand and closet shelves. |
| Child’s bedroom | Boxes or totes5 to 8 | What fills themToys and books fill totes faster than clothes do. |
| Living room | Boxes or totes4 to 6 | What fills themBooks, decor, games, media and cables. |
| Home office | Boxes or totes4 to 8 | What fills themPaper and books are heavy, so fill these part-way. |
| Bathroom | Boxes or totes1 to 2 | What fills themTowels, toiletries and cleaning supplies. |
| Linen or hall closet | Boxes or totes2 to 4 | What fills themBedding, towels and the things that live at the back. |
| Garage or storage closet | Boxes or totes5 to 15 | What fills themThe widest range: tools, holiday decor and sports gear. |
Totes or cardboard, the count is about the same
Our totes hold 18 gallons, about 2.4 cubic feet, and measure 27 by 17 by 12 inches. A medium moving box is a little bigger, so if you are buying cardboard, one medium box per tote in the tables above gives you a small margin. Mixing in small boxes for books and large ones for bedding works too; just count a large box as about one and a half.
One size is deliberate on our side: a full tote is still a one-person carry. That is also the trick with cardboard. A large box full of books is too heavy to lift safely, so pack books, tools and canned food part-way and put the light, bulky things in the big boxes.
What does not go in a box
- Furniture, mattresses and large appliances: they travel as they are, wrapped in moving blankets.
- TVs, mirrors and framed art: use the original box or a purpose-made TV or picture box.
- Hanging clothes: leave them on the hangers and bundle them, or use wardrobe boxes.
- Lamps and plants: they ride best on their own, loaded last.
Getting the number right
- Round up. Running out on the last night is worse than returning a few empties.
- Pack one room at a time and label each box by the room it is going to. Our packages include labels.
- Start with the things you will not need for two weeks, then the kitchen, then everything else. See how a rental week works if you are renting totes.
- Deciding between buying boxes and renting totes? Compare the cost of U-Haul and Home Depot boxes with renting, or read plastic vs cardboard moving boxes.
Questions people ask
Something else? Call (480) 933-0185 or read the moving box rental FAQ.
- How many moving boxes do I need for a 1-bedroom apartment?
- Plan on 25 to 35 boxes the size of a medium moving box, or 25 to 35 of our 18-gallon totes. Toward 35 if you cook a lot, own many books or have lived there for years. Our 1-Bedroom package has 35 totes for $89.25, with delivery, pickup and 2 dollies.
- How many moving boxes do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?
- Most 2-bedroom apartments need 40 to 50 medium boxes or totes. A second bedroom used as an office or kids' room is what pushes it toward 50. Our 2-3 Bedroom package has 50 totes for $116.25, with delivery, pickup and 2 dollies.
- How many moving boxes do I need for a 3-bedroom house?
- About 50 for a typical 3-bedroom house, and up to 65 when the garage or storage closets are full. Our largest package, 3-4 Bedroom, has 75 totes; if you expect to need more, call us before you book.
- How many moving boxes do I need per room?
- Roughly 8 to 12 for a kitchen, 4 to 6 for each bedroom and the living room, 4 to 8 for a home office, 1 to 2 per bathroom and 5 to 15 for a garage. Add them up for your home and round up, because the last day of packing always finds more.
- Is a moving tote the same size as a moving box?
- Close to it. Our totes hold 18 gallons, about 2.4 cubic feet, and measure 27 by 17 by 12 inches. That is a little smaller than a typical medium moving box, which is why one tote per medium box is a safe way to convert a cardboard estimate.
Rent moving boxes, delivered to your door
Plastic moving totes and dollies from $63.75 for 7 days, with delivery and pickup included. Free cancellation until 6 AM on the delivery day.