Moving & packing planning

Moving Box Count Estimator

Pick your home size for a quick estimate, or fine-tune room by room. Either way you get a total box count plus a small/medium/large/wardrobe breakdown.

—Estimated total boxes
—Small boxes
—Medium boxes
—Large boxes

Calculated on your device. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

Why a moving box estimate helps

Ordering too few boxes means a chaotic last-minute run to the store mid-pack. Ordering too many means driving back a stack of unused flats. A rough, home-size-based estimate gets you in the right ballpark before you buy or borrow anything.

Start from home size

A quick studio-to-4-bedroom dropdown gives a commonly-cited planning range in seconds.

Refine room by room

Toggle on the rooms you actually have for a more personalized total.

Sized breakdown

See the mix of small, medium, large and wardrobe boxes, not just one big number.

How to use the box estimator

  1. Pick your home sizeChoose from studio through 4+ bedrooms for a quick total.
  2. Refine if you wantSwitch on the room checklist to add or adjust individual rooms.
  3. Set room countsAdjust the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you have.
  4. Read the breakdownSee your total plus how many of each box size to grab.

About the box count estimate

The home-size dropdown uses commonly-cited moving industry ranges — roughly 15 to 20 boxes for a studio up to 60 to 85 for a 4+ bedroom home — and the calculator uses the midpoint of that range as its single number. Switching on the room checklist replaces that flat estimate with a sum of per-room figures instead: a kitchen typically needs around 8 boxes for dishes, pantry items and small appliances, each bedroom around 6 for clothes and personal items, a living room around 7 for books, media and decor, each bathroom around 3, a home office around 5, and a garage or storage area around 10 for the miscellaneous overflow. Whichever total you land on, it's split into box sizes using rough percentages: about 30% small boxes for books and other heavy items, 40% medium for general household goods, 20% large for light bulky items like linens and lampshades, and 10% wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes. Because those percentages are rounded, the split is adjusted slightly so the four sizes always add back up to exactly your total.

30 / 40 / 20 / 10small / medium / large / wardrobe split
15–85typical total box range by home size
~6 / roomrough per-bedroom box estimate

Moving Box Count Estimator FAQ

How many boxes do I need to move a 2 bedroom home?

Commonly-cited moving industry estimates put a 2 bedroom home at roughly 30 to 40 boxes total, though this varies a lot with how much you own and how much you're getting rid of before the move.

Is the room checklist more accurate than the home size dropdown?

It's more personalized because it adds up boxes room by room instead of using one flat range, but it's still a planning estimate. Neither method knows exactly how much you own.

How are small, medium, large and wardrobe boxes split?

The tool applies rough industry-style percentages — about 30% small for books and heavy items, 40% medium for general household goods, 20% large for light bulky items, and 10% wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes — then adjusts so the sizes always add up to your total.

Should I buy extra boxes beyond the estimate?

Many movers suggest keeping 10 to 15% more than your estimate on hand, since it's easier to return unused flat boxes than to run out mid-pack. This tool doesn't add that buffer automatically.

Does this include packing materials like tape and paper?

No, it only estimates box counts and sizes. Budget separately for tape, bubble wrap or packing paper, and box cushioning for fragile items.

Try other moving & organizing tools

More free tools from My Panda Toolbox.

CHKMoving Checklist GeneratorRoom-by-room checklist on a timeline. INVHome Inventory TrackerCatalogue belongings for insurance. DIMShipping Box Dimensional WeightDIM weight for packages you ship. WARDCapsule Wardrobe PlannerPlan a minimal closet before you pack.