How do I estimate cubic feet for a move?

Add up the cubic feet of your furniture and packed boxes. Use the inventory tool above — pre-loaded with standard cubic-foot estimates for couches, beds, dressers, refrigerators, and dozens of other common items.

How big a moving truck do I need?

Studio: 10 ft truck (~380 ft³) • 1 bedroom: 15 ft truck (~760 ft³) • 2 bedrooms: 17 ft truck (~850 ft³) • 3 bedrooms: 20 ft truck (~1,015 ft³) • 4+ bedrooms: 26 ft truck (~1,700 ft³).

Should I rent a truck size up or down?

Always size up if you're between truck sizes. A truck that's 90% full handles bumps and mountain roads better than one packed to the ceiling. Most rental companies bill the same for one-way trips regardless of truck size — overshooting costs nothing.

How many cubic feet is a standard moving box?

Small box (book/dish): 1.5 ft³ • Medium box: 3.0 ft³ • Large box: 4.5 ft³ • Wardrobe box: 8–12 ft³.

How many boxes do I need for my move?

Studio apartment: 30–60 boxes • 1 bedroom: 60–100 boxes • 2 bedrooms: 100–150 boxes • 3 bedrooms: 150–250 boxes • 4 bedrooms: 250+ boxes. Mix sizes about 60% medium / 25% small / 15% large.

How do moving companies estimate cubic feet?

Long-distance movers typically estimate 6–7 cubic feet per pound of household goods, then bill by either weight or cubic-foot space used in the truck — whichever is greater. Local moves usually bill hourly with no cubic-foot charge.

Moving Cubic Feet Calculator — Truck Size Guide for 10, 16, 20 & 26 ft Trucks

How moving cubic feet calculations work

Local moves are usually billed hourly, but long-distance moves and self-rental trucks depend on cubic feet — the volume your stuff occupies in the truck. The standard approach: list every furniture item, add box counts in three sizes, and sum the published cubic-foot estimates.

The calculator above does this automatically. Pick items from the catalog, set quantities, and the total cubic feet plus a recommended truck size populate at the bottom.

Standard truck sizes

Approximate cargo capacity by rental truck size
Truck	Conversion factor	Worked example
10 ft truck	~380 ft³	Studio, dorm, 1 room
15 ft truck	~760 ft³	1 bedroom apartment
17 ft truck	~850 ft³	2 bedroom apartment
20 ft truck	~1,015 ft³	2–3 bedroom house
26 ft truck	~1,700 ft³	4+ bedroom house

Box volume reference

Small box (16 × 12 × 12 in): 1.33 ft³ — books, canned food, tools
Medium box (18 × 18 × 16 in): 3.0 ft³ — kitchen items, small appliances
Large box (18 × 18 × 24 in): 4.5 ft³ — bedding, lampshades, light bulky items
Extra large box (24 × 18 × 24 in): 6.0 ft³ — pillows, comforters, plush toys
Wardrobe box (24 × 24 × 48 in): 16.0 ft³ — hanging clothes
Dish-pack box (18 × 18 × 28 in): 5.25 ft³ — kitchenware with dividers

How to plan your packing

Walk every room. Don't estimate from memory; check what's actually in closets, attics, basements, and garage.
Add 10–15% buffer. Boxes don't pack perfectly into the truck shape. Plan for some wasted space.
Don't forget oddly-shaped items. Treadmills, bicycles, surfboards, and extension ladders pack inefficiently and need extra room.
Photograph everything before disassembly. Helps with reassembly and insurance claims if anything is damaged.
Heavy items low, light items high. Books and dishes on the floor; lamps and pillows on top.

Long-distance vs local moves

Local movers bill hourly (typically $100–200/hr for a 2-person crew with truck). Cubic feet still matters because it determines truck size and crew time. Long-distance interstate moves bill by weight (federally regulated tariff) or cubic feet (some companies), with the higher of the two usually winning. Get itemized quotes and verify whether the company is using net cubic feet (your goods only) or gross truck space (which inflates the bill).

Common mistakes to avoid

Underestimating closet contents. Closets are deceptively dense. Plan 5–8 wardrobe boxes per bedroom.
Ignoring the garage. Tools, sports equipment, and seasonal items add 100–300 ft³ for typical homes.
Not testing furniture for door clearance. Couches and beds that came in upstairs may not fit out without disassembly. Measure stairwells and doorways before moving day.
Forgetting weight limits. Most rental trucks have payload caps under 6,000 lbs. A full house of furniture and 100 boxes of books can exceed it, and overweight trucks fail safety inspections.

Related concepts and calculators

Moving math touches several adjacent calculators:

Storage unit calculator — same total-volume estimate, applied to a self-storage unit instead of a truck.
Shipping calculator — for items shipped separately instead of moved by truck.
Refrigerator and freezer — for major appliance volumes.
Cubic feet to CBM — for international moves that bill by cubic meters.

Frequently asked questions

Related calculators

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Rectangle / Box

Calculate the cubic feet of any rectangular box, room, or container using length, width, and height.

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From Inches

Convert dimensions in inches to cubic feet instantly. Divides by 1,728 internally.

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