Moving Box Estimator
Buy too few boxes and you'll be at the hardware store at 9 p.m. the night before. Buy too many and you'll be flattening unused ones in the new place. This estimator splits the difference — tell us about your space, and we'll suggest a count by size.
Box Estimator
Tell us about your place. We'll estimate boxes, supplies, and cost.
How much stuff?
Do you have any of these?
Supplies
Based on typical retail prices for boxes and packing supplies. Buy 60% upfront and the rest the week before move day.
Get a packing plan that uses these supplies efficiently and tells you which to use where, room by room.
How the estimate works
Box counts come from averages across thousands of real moves, adjusted for how much stuff you have. Heavy kitchens and book-filled offices push the small-box count up. Sparse, recently-decluttered homes pull everything down.
- Small (1.5 cu ft): books, dishes, canned goods, tools, anything dense. The rule: if it's heavy for its size, use small.
- Medium (3.0 cu ft): the workhorse — pots and pans, small appliances, toys, shoes, general kitchen and bedroom items.
- Large (4.5 cu ft): only for light bulky things — bedding, pillows, lampshades, throw blankets. Never books.
- Specialty: dish packs (double-walled, for fragile kitchen items) and wardrobe boxes (with a hanging bar, for clothes you don't want to fold).
Where people get the count wrong
Two patterns: people underestimate small boxes (kitchens always need more dish packs than you'd think) and overestimate large boxes (large boxes are tempting but become impossible to lift if you accidentally fill one with books).
For more on packing in the right order, see How to pack for a move.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes do I need to move a one-bedroom apartment?
Typically 30–50 total boxes: roughly 15 small, 15 medium, 8 large, and 4 specialty (dish pack, wardrobe). Heavier on books or kitchenware? Add 10–20%.
How many moving boxes for a two-bedroom?
Plan for 50–80 boxes: about 25 small, 25 medium, 12 large, and 6 specialty. A second bedroom mostly adds clothing, linens, and storage items.
How many boxes for a three-bedroom house?
Expect 80–120 boxes: 35 small, 35 medium, 18 large, and 10 specialty. Houses with garages, attics, or basements push the upper end.
Should I get all my boxes at once?
Get about 60% upfront and the rest the week before move day. Boxes take up space, and you'll know more accurately what you need once you start packing.
What sizes do I actually need?
Small (1.5 cu ft) for books and dense items, medium (3.0 cu ft) for general goods, large (4.5 cu ft) for light bulky items like bedding and pillows, plus dish packs for kitchens and wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes.
Want a packing plan, not just a box count?
Dovetail builds a packing schedule around your move date — which rooms to pack when, what to set aside for the first-night box, what to leave out until the last day. Start your plan →