Moving Boxes, Truck Size and Storage Size: A Planning Guide

Introduction

Moving looks like a transport problem, but it starts as a volume problem. How much stuff do you have, packed how tightly, in what shape, and how much of it is furniture that cannot shrink into a box. Once you can estimate that volume in plain terms, three decisions get much easier: how many boxes to obtain, what size truck to book, and what size storage unit would work if your dates do not line up.

This guide teaches a simple site method used by Mississippi Maple. First, estimate boxes by home size and packing density. Second, add a furniture volume estimate to get a total goods volume. Third, match that volume, with headroom, to a truck class. Fourth, translate the same volume into a storage floor area as a fallback. Each step uses rules of thumb that are labelled as rules of thumb, and typical capacities that are labelled as typical. They are planning aids, not guarantees.

Homes vary enormously. Two two bedroom apartments on the same street in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, or Halifax can differ by a full truck class because one has a garage full of tools and the other is lightly furnished. Use this method to get a sensible starting estimate, then adjust openly for what makes your home different. That honest adjustment is the skill this guide is building.

All sizes are given metric first, with imperial in parentheses where natural, because rental trucks and storage units in Canada are still commonly sold and labelled in feet. Check the exact internal dimensions with your rental or storage provider before you book, because the same nominal class can differ between fleets and facilities.

Step one: estimate your boxes

Packing density, explained

Packing density describes how full a home is for its size.

• Light density: Minimalist furnishing, few books, small wardrobes, little stored in closets, basement, or garage.
• Average density: A normally furnished home, with typical closets, kitchen gear, books, and some stored items.
• Heavy density: Lots of books, collections, large wardrobes, full closets, hobby equipment, and significant basement, attic, or garage storage.

Most people underestimate their density. If you are unsure between average and heavy, count your closets and storage corners honestly. They are where extra boxes hide.

Box counts by home size and density, as rules of thumb

The table below is a rule of thumb, not a measured statistic. It assumes a mix of small, medium, and large boxes, with medium boxes doing most of the work. It is a starting point to adjust, not a promise that a given home will need exactly that count.

• Studio: light about 15 boxes, average about 25 boxes, heavy about 35 boxes.
• One bedroom: light about 25 boxes, average about 40 boxes, heavy about 55 boxes.
• Two bedroom: light about 40 boxes, average about 60 boxes, heavy about 80 boxes.
• Three bedroom: light about 60 boxes, average about 85 boxes, heavy about 110 boxes.
• Four bedroom: light about 85 boxes, average about 115 boxes, heavy about 150 boxes.

As a rule of thumb, it is cheaper in time and frustration to have a few extra boxes and packing paper than to run out the night before the truck arrives. Unused boxes can often be returned or passed on, depending on where you obtained them. Fragile kitchens, home offices with files, and book heavy rooms push a home one density level higher for box count even when the rest of the home is light. Note those rooms separately.

Box sizes and packing habits that affect count

A standard approach is to pack heavy items such as books in small boxes, general items in medium boxes, and light bulky items such as bedding and pillows in large boxes. That habit keeps each box liftable and reduces damage. It also means your total box count is not the same as your total volume. Sixty boxes of mixed sizes take more truck space than a simple count suggests if many are large, and less if many are small. The worked example below handles that by using an average packed box volume as a stated assumption.

Pack room by room, label on two sides, and keep a simple tally as you go. After the first two rooms, your tally will tell you whether the rule of thumb estimate for your home is tracking light or heavy, and you can adjust the remaining order with real information from your own packing.

Step two: estimate total goods volume

Why boxes alone are not enough

Furniture, appliances, mattresses, sofas, tables, and exercise or hobby equipment often take more space than all the boxes combined. A truck and a storage unit care about total volume and about whether large items fit through doors and stack sensibly, not about box count alone.

A practical method is to list large items room by room and assign each a rough volume, or to use the box estimate plus a furniture allowance based on how furnished the home is. Lightly furnished homes may have furniture volume close to the box volume. Fully furnished family homes often have furniture volume at roughly double the box volume or more. Those comparisons are rules of thumb for planning only.

Floor space and stacking

Volume in a truck or storage unit is usable only if items can be stacked safely. Sofas on end, mattresses flat against a wall, and boxes filling gaps around furniture all change how much nominal capacity you can actually use. For planning, add a headroom allowance, often around 10 percent to 20 percent as a rule of thumb, to your neat goods volume to account for awkward shapes and imperfect packing. The worked example uses 15 percent and shows that step openly.

Step three: choose a truck size

Truck classes and typical capacities

Capacities below are described as typical, because internal dimensions, wheel well intrusion, ramp or lift type, and payload limits vary by provider and by vehicle. Always confirm the internal cargo dimensions and the payload limit, in kilograms, with your provider. Volume tells you if it fits in space. Payload tells you if it is legal and safe by weight, which matters for books, tools, and appliances.

• Cargo van: Typical cargo volume about 7 to 8.5 cubic metres (about 250 to 300 cubic feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a studio or a small one bedroom with light furniture, or a partial move and overflow trips.
• 16 ft truck (about 4.9 m class): Typical cargo volume about 22 cubic metres (about 800 cubic feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a one bedroom to a small two bedroom home.
• 20 ft truck (about 6.1 m class): Typical cargo volume about 28 cubic metres (about 1,000 cubic feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a two bedroom to a three bedroom home.
• 26 ft truck (about 7.9 m class): Typical cargo volume about 38 to 42 cubic metres (about 1,350 to 1,500 cubic feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a three bedroom to a larger four bedroom home.

Choosing between two classes comes down to headroom and trip count. A slightly larger truck that makes one safe, unhurried trip can be simpler than a smaller truck packed to the ceiling with no room for last minute items. On the other hand, a much larger truck can be harder to park, load, and drive, especially in dense urban areas or older neighbourhoods with narrow lanes. Weigh access at both addresses, elevator bookings in condos and apartments, and parking permits where your municipality requires them.

Loading order matters

Load large furniture first, distribute weight evenly, place heavy boxes low and toward the front of the cargo area as the provider directs, and fill gaps with light boxes and soft items. Keep an essentials box and important documents with you in your own vehicle, not in the truck. Photograph the loaded truck before closing the door if you want a record of condition and packing for your own files.

Step four: size a storage unit as a fallback

Why plan storage before you need it

Possession dates slip, closings shift, renovations run long, and elevator or key handover times change. Knowing your storage size in advance turns a stressful surprise into a simple booking. You do not have to rent the unit. You only need to know which size would work, what it would hold, and how you would stack it.

Common storage sizes and typical fits

Sizes are given in the feet based labels facilities use, with metric equivalents. Area is length multiplied by width. Ceiling height varies by facility, often around 2.4 m (about 8 ft), so confirm height if you plan to stack tall items.

• 5 by 5 ft, which is 1.5 by 1.5 m, area about 2.3 square metres (25 square feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is boxes, seasonal items, and small furniture from a studio corner or a large closet clear out.
• 5 by 10 ft, which is 1.5 by 3.0 m, area about 4.6 square metres (50 square feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is the contents of a studio to a small one bedroom, including a mattress set and small sofa if stacked carefully.
• 10 by 10 ft, which is 3.0 by 3.0 m, area about 9.3 square metres (100 square feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a one bedroom to a small two bedroom home.
• 10 by 15 ft, which is 3.0 by 4.6 m, area about 13.9 square metres (150 square feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a two bedroom to a three bedroom home, with room to leave a narrow access path.
• 10 by 20 ft, which is 3.0 by 6.1 m, area about 18.6 square metres (200 square feet). Typical fit, as a rule of thumb, is a three bedroom to a four bedroom home, or a two bedroom home plus garage contents.

Storage stacking is different from truck loading. In storage you may want an access path to reach items at the back, which uses floor area without adding usable stacking volume. If you need regular access, size up or plan the path into your estimate from the start, as the worked example does with a height and area calculation.

Worked example

This example uses clearly stated assumptions so every step can be checked. It is a planning illustration only. Your home will differ, and you should replace the assumptions with your own tally as you pack.

Scenario: A two bedroom apartment at average density, normally furnished, no garage. The goal is an estimate for boxes, a truck choice, and a storage fallback.

Assumptions:

• Box count from the rule of thumb table: average density for a two bedroom is about 60 boxes.
• Average packed volume per box, across a mix of small, medium, and large boxes: 0.09 cubic metres per box, as a stated planning assumption.
• Furniture and appliance volume for this apartment: 12.0 cubic metres, as a stated planning assumption based on a sofa, two beds, two dressers, a table with chairs, bookshelves, and kitchen appliances that move with the tenant in this scenario.
• Packing headroom allowance: 15 percent, as a rule of thumb for awkward shapes and gaps.
• Usable stacking height in storage: 1.8 m, leaving clearance below a typical ceiling, as a stated planning assumption.

Step 1: Calculate box volume.

Box volume equals Number of boxes multiplied by Average volume per box.

60 multiplied by 0.09 equals 5.4 cubic metres.

Step 2: Calculate total neat goods volume.

Total neat volume equals Box volume plus Furniture volume.

5.4 plus 12.0 equals 17.4 cubic metres.

Step 3: Add packing headroom for the truck decision.

Headroom amount equals Total neat volume multiplied by 15 percent.

17.4 multiplied by 0.15 equals 2.61 cubic metres.

Volume to plan for in the truck equals 17.4 plus 2.61, which equals 20.01 cubic metres, or about 20.0 cubic metres rounded.

Step 4: Match to a truck class.

A 16 ft truck has a typical capacity of about 22 cubic metres. The planned volume of about 20.0 cubic metres fits inside that typical capacity, but with only about 2.0 cubic metres to spare, which is tight if the furniture assumption is low or last minute items appear.

A 20 ft truck has a typical capacity of about 28 cubic metres. That gives about 8.0 cubic metres of spare capacity above the planned volume (28.0 minus 20.01 equals 7.99), which is comfortable headroom for one trip.

Planning conclusion for this scenario: Book the 20 ft class if parking and access allow it and you want a single relaxed trip. Choose the 16 ft class only if you are confident in the furniture tally, access favours a smaller truck, or a second trip is practical. Both conclusions use typical capacities, so confirm the exact vehicle dimensions with the provider.

Step 5: Calculate the storage fallback by floor area.

Floor area needed equals Total neat volume divided by Usable stacking height. Use neat volume here, not the truck headroom volume, because storage stacking can be more deliberate than a same day truck load, but leave the access consideration below in mind.

17.4 divided by 1.8 equals 9.666 square metres, or about 9.7 square metres rounded.

Step 6: Match to a storage size.

A 10 by 10 ft unit has an area of about 9.3 square metres. That is slightly less than the 9.7 square metres calculated, so it would be very tight and would leave no access path.

A 10 by 15 ft unit has an area of about 13.9 square metres. That is above the 9.7 square metres needed, with about 4.2 square metres to spare (13.9 minus 9.7 equals 4.2), which allows a narrow access path and less than perfect stacking.

Planning conclusion for storage: For this scenario, a 10 by 15 ft unit is the sensible fallback size. A 10 by 10 ft unit might work only with taller, tighter stacking and no access path, which is not a plan to rely on.

All arithmetic in this example follows directly from the stated assumptions. Change any assumption, for example a heavy density box count of 80 instead of 60, and the totals change in the same steps: 80 multiplied by 0.09 equals 7.2 cubic metres of box volume, and the rest of the method repeats unchanged.

Tips that improve any estimate

Measure the biggest items first

Sofas, sectionals, wardrobes, pianos, and large exercise equipment decide truck and storage fit more than box count does. Measure length, width, and height in centimetres, check doorways and elevator dimensions at both addresses, and note any item that must be disassembled.

Revisit the estimate after packing two rooms

Your early tally is real data. If two rooms produced more boxes than the rule of thumb expected, raise the remaining estimate. If they produced fewer, lower it. This mid move correction is more reliable than any generic table.

Plan for Canadian conditions

Weather, winter moves, long rural driveways, ferry schedules, and condo elevator reservations can all affect timing and access, depending on your region and season. Build buffer time, protect floors and doorways, and keep salt, mats, and clear walkways in mind for winter conditions where they apply. Confirm building rules for move times and elevator padding well in advance.

FAQ

How many moving boxes do I need for a two bedroom apartment?

As a rule of thumb, plan for about 40 boxes at light density, about 60 boxes at average density, and about 80 boxes at heavy density for a two bedroom home. Count closets, books, and kitchen items honestly, because they move many homes from average to heavy. Adjust after packing your first two rooms based on your own tally.

What size moving truck do I need for a two bedroom?

As a rule of thumb using typical capacities, many two bedroom moves plan for a 16 ft truck at about 22 cubic metres if lightly furnished, or a 20 ft truck at about 28 cubic metres for a normally furnished home that wants single trip headroom. Confirm internal dimensions and payload in kilograms with your provider, and weigh parking and elevator access at both addresses.

How do I convert my goods volume to a storage unit size?

Divide your total neat goods volume in cubic metres by your planned usable stacking height in metres to get the floor area you need in square metres. Then choose the next storage size above that area if you want an access path or your items stack imperfectly. The worked example shows this step: 17.4 cubic metres divided by 1.8 m equals about 9.7 square metres.

Is a 10 by 10 ft storage unit enough for a two bedroom apartment?

It depends on furnishing and stacking. In the worked example, a two bedroom at average density needed about 9.7 square metres at a 1.8 m stacking height, which makes a 10 by 10 ft unit at about 9.3 square metres very tight with no access path. A 10 by 15 ft unit at about 13.9 square metres was the comfortable fallback in that scenario. Lightly furnished two bedrooms can fit differently, so run your own volume first.

Should I get extra boxes beyond the estimate?

As a rule of thumb, a small buffer of extra boxes and packing material prevents a last minute scramble and lets you pack fragile items with proper spacing. Packing two rooms and then adjusting the remaining order, as described in this guide, gives you a buffer based on your real pace rather than a guess alone.

What matters more, truck volume or truck payload?

Both matter. Volume determines whether your goods fit in the cargo space. Payload, the maximum weight the truck can legally carry, determines whether a load heavy with books, tools, or appliances is safe and allowed. Check both figures with your rental provider and spread heavy boxes through the load as directed, rather than concentrating them in one spot.

Calculators and next steps

Run your own numbers with these Mississippi Maple calculators:

• Moving boxes calculator, for box counts by home size and density: https://mississippimaple.ca/tools/moving-boxes.html
• Truck size calculator, for matching goods volume to a truck class: https://mississippimaple.ca/tools/truck-size.html
• Storage unit calculator, for converting volume and stacking height to a unit size: https://mississippimaple.ca/tools/storage-unit.html

Next steps: Choose your density honestly, tally boxes room by room, list and measure your largest furniture, run the volume math in the worked example with your own assumptions, and then confirm exact internal truck dimensions and storage ceiling height with your providers before you book.

Sources and figures

Box counts by home size and density, the 10 percent to 20 percent packing headroom range, and typical fits for truck classes and storage sizes in this guide are labelled throughout as rules of thumb and as typical. They are planning methods used by Mississippi Maple for estimating literacy, not measured industry statistics, and no market price or rental rate is quoted. Typical truck cargo volumes and storage areas were calculated from the nominal dimensions stated in the text, length multiplied by width for area, and providers vary, so the governing sources for a booking are the specific rental provider vehicle specifications and the specific storage facility unit specifications for internal dimensions, ceiling height, and payload. The worked example uses stated assumptions only, 60 boxes, 0.09 cubic metres per box, 12.0 cubic metres of furniture, 15 percent headroom, and 1.8 m stacking height, and all results were calculated from those assumptions in the steps shown. For building move rules, elevator bookings, and parking requirements, the governing sources are your building management, your municipality, and your rental and storage contracts.

Estimates only, verify before you buy materials. This guide plans quantities and costs; it does not replace local building codes, manufacturer instructions, or professional advice.