How Many Boxes Do I Need to Move Home?

How do you estimate how many boxes you need to move home?

There are so many variables, every supplier will offer you the average box size, and nearly every ‘average’ will be different from the next ‘average’, then, of course, the contents of every home are unique too.

So here, we will try to answer this question for you.

You may also like to read: Are Home Packing Services Worth the Money? Hiring professional packers is yet another expense so is it really worth spending the extra to get your things packed by the removal company? Here we look at whether it is worth the cost and whether it will make your home move any easier.

How Do I Calculate How Many Boxes I Need to Move Home?

Before rushing out and sourcing your home moving boxes based on the figures below, please take the time to read to the end of this article.

There is some information that will give you some food for thought and may change your mind about a couple of aspects of your home move.

So to help you figure out how many boxes you will need to move home, we will use the UK Removal Trade Industry of average box sizes, the ones professional packers use.

We will base the number of items to be packed on the minimum average home contents.

You may also like to read: FAQ About Packing for a Home Move. In this guide, we answer all the most common questions that people ask about packing for a home move.

How Many Boxes Do I Need to Move a 1 Bedroom Home?

Based on the needs of a couple in a 1 bedroom property, you will need, on average:

• 10 x Small Moving Box (318 x 268 x 318mm)
• 5 x Medium moving Box (457 x 330 x 330mm)
• 3 x Large Moving Box (457 x 457 x 499mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £55

You may also like to read: What is the Average Cost of Moving a 1 or 2-Bedroom Home? In this guide, we look at the different ways you could move out of your 1 or 2-bedroom home and how much each option would cost you on average.

How Many Boxes Do I Need to Move a 2-3 Bedroom Home?

A family of 3-4 people with an average amount of possessions you will need:

• 10 x Small Moving Box (318 x 268 x 318mm)
• 10 x Medium moving Box (457 x 330 x 330mm)
• 5 x Large Moving Box (457 x 457 x 499mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £70

You may also like to read: What is the Average Cost of Moving Out of a 3-Bedroom Home? In this guide. we look at the average cost of moving a 3-bedroom home, how much packers cost, how much it costs to move yourself, and how you can save money on your relocation.

How Many Boxes Do I Need to Move a 3-4 Bedroom Home?

With a family of 4, moving the average number of items, you will require:

• 15 x Small Box (318 x 268 x 318mm)
• 10 x Medium Box (457 x 330 x 330mm)
• 10 x Large moving Box (457 x 457 x 499mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £90

Bear in mind that this is the average number of boxes you will need to move home, if you are a hoarder then you could easily triple the number of boxes required.

Carry on reading to find out how you can reduce the number of items that you need to pack, and consequently the number of boxes you will need.

You may also like to read: How to Choose the Right Boxes for Your Home Move. In this guide, we look at what the best boxes are for the type of things you are likely to be packing. Also included in this guide is some trivia about cardboard boxes that can help make packing more fun.

Packing Supplies Calculator

Always overestimate the amount of packing tape you will need too.

It is better safe than sorry, so plan on two 166m rolls of tape for every 15 boxes.

The amount of bubble wrap you need depends on how many fragile items you have to pack obviously, but plan on 5 meters for the average home move.

If you collect glassware or figurines, for example, you will need to plan on at least 10m depending upon the size of your collection.

You can use bedding, towels, and clothing to protect and pad your boxes to save money on bubble wrap if you need to.

You may also like to read: How to Label Moving Boxes – An Easy and Foolproof Method. Labeling your moving boxes is essential so that you know what boxes go into which room. We take labeling a step further and show you how to mark your boxes so that you also know the unpacking order.

How Many Plastic Crates Do I Need to Move Home?

The modern alternative to the cardboard packing box is the plastic crate or tote.

Strong and eco-friendly, you can even rent plastic crates, so they offer a great alternative to cardboard boxes.

They are also quicker to pack as you do not need to spend time constructing them as you would a cardboard box.

There are none of the problems of what to do with packing boxes after you have moved home either, just empty the crate and the hire company will come and collect them from you.

This service is available nationwide now so is a real alternative to traditional packing boxes.

You may also like to read: Alternative Packing Materials for Moving Home. In this guide, we look at not only using plastic crates for moving home but also what commonly found items around the home could be used for packing to save you some money.

How Many Plastic Totes Do I Need to Move a 1-Bedroom Home?

Based on the needs of a couple in a 1 bedroom property, you will need, on average:

• 20 x Plastic totes (710 x 460 x 375mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £17 per week rental

How Many Plastic Totes Do I Need to Move a 2-3 Bedroom Home?

A family of 3-4 people with an average amount of possessions will need:

• 40 x Plastic totes (710 x 460 x 375mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £34 per week rental

How Many Plastic Totes do I Need to Move a 3-4 Bedroom home?

With a family of 4, moving the average number of items, you will require:

• 50 x Plastic totes (710 x 460 x 375mm)
• The average cost for this number of boxes is £42 per week rental

Packing for a home move is arguably one of the worst aspects of moving home.

In our home moving blog, you will find guides for packing every room of your home as well as tips to make every aspect of your home move quicker, easier, and cheaper, be sure to check it out.

Good luck with your home move.