It’s not just a saying – there’s a good reason why people say that moving is among the most stressful things you have to do in life.
But, while there’s probably no such thing as an entirely stress-free move, you certainly can reduce this stress to the very bare minimum.
Through a bit of pre-planning, you can keep the process seamless, well-organised and efficient. And of course, one of the biggest parts of pre-planning for a move involves the packing boxes.
So, to take one big job off your plate, we’ve used this article to help you calculate how many packing boxes you will need for a move.
Calculating how many items you need to move
Firstly, you will need to calculate roughly the number of items you need to move.
Thankfully, you can come up with a pretty accurate estimate by starting with the average number of boxes required to move house, and then varying it based on a number of key factors.
The average number of boxes needed for moving house is 60.
From there, the main factors to consider to determine how many boxes you will need are:
- The number of rooms – obviously, the more rooms in the house, the more boxes you’ll need for your move.
- The number of residents – and again, the more people that live in the house, the more boxes.
- How long you’ve lived in the property – generally speaking, the longer you’ve lived there, the more possessions you’ve acquired.
- The size of the property – again, generally the larger the property is, the more stuff will be in it.
- Your personal approach – are you more of a sentimental person (who struggles to throw things away), or a minimalist person? If you think that you probably keep more stuff than the average person, then increase your boxes estimate accordingly.
- How much have you decluttered? – you might want to think about reserving some time to sort out your possessions. This will help to minimise the time you have to spend unpacking and packing during the move. Plus, it’s a great way to keep the number of boxes down to the minimum.
The most common sizes of packing boxes, and how much they hold
Below, you can find a simple table, detailing the most common sizes of packaging boxes, how much each type will hold, and our guidance for the best items to pack in each size of box.
| Box type | Standard dimensions (mm) | Standard capacity (cubic litres) | Best for packing |
| Small | Width: 230
Height: 240 Length: 300 |
14 | Books, small appliances, fragile items, DVDs, small electronics |
| Medium | Width: 457
Height: 305 Length: 457 |
85 | Crockery, larger electronics, kitchen items, larger fragile items or ornaments |
| Large | Width: 457
Height: 610 Length: 457 |
127.5 | Clothing, large appliances or electronics, bedding, soft furnishings, vases and decorative items |
| Extra large | Width: 457
Height: 610 Length: 610 |
170 | Pillows, duvets, toys, rugs, TVs |
| Corrugated book | Width: 305
Height: 305 Length: 305 |
28 | Books, kitchenware, small and heavy fragile items |
| Mirror / picture | Width: 102
Height: 813 Length: 1219 |
100 | Mirrors, paintings, pictures and frames |
| Wardrobe | Width: 610
Height: 1016 Length: 610 |
396 | Clothing, shoes and accessories |
When it comes to moving house, boxes are an invaluable aid. As you can see, they are available in a wide range of different sizes, meaning you can pack your possessions strategically.
By planning in advance and calculating the different box sizes that you need, you can ensure that your possessions take up as little space as possible, and are fully protected during transit.
How many boxes do I need to move house?
So, based on the average of ‘60 boxes’, we’ve broken it down to estimate the number of each box types required by different property sizes.
For a 1 bedroom property:
- 10 small boxes
- 5 medium boxes
- 3 large boxes
- 2 book boxes
- 1 mirror / picture box
For a 2 bedroom property:
- 10 small boxes
- 6 medium boxes
- 5 large boxes
- 2 extra large boxes
- 3 book boxes
- 3 mirror / picture boxes
- 2 wardrobe boxes
For a 3 bedroom property (or a family of 4):
- 15 small boxes
- 8 medium boxes
- 10 large boxes
- 4 extra large boxes
- 6 book boxes
- 4 mirror / picture boxes
- 4 wardrobe boxes
But remember, everyone is different. So, you’ll also need to bear in mind each of the factors that we listed above.
Then, you can create a more accurate estimate for the number of boxes that you need for your move.
The benefits of using a professional moving company
Although there is certainly a knack to moving house, it’s never going to be easy for you to manage on your own.
It’s a lot of hassle and extra stress, especially when you’re trying to get your whole home packed up neatly, safely and efficiently.
That’s where we come in. At Roberts & Denny’s, we are a professional moving company, which has assisted countless moves across Dartford, Bexley Heath, Kent, London and the rest of the UK.
We offer a wide range of flexible and intuitive home removals services. With our help, all you need to worry about is getting yourself to your new property on the day. We’ll take care of the rest for you.
So, if you’d like to find out more about how we take the stress out of home removals, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
