How many moving boxes do you need
Too few boxes and you are back at the shop on moving day. Answer four questions and see how many boxes per size, plus the tape, paper and wrap that go with them.
- Free and instant
- No details needed
- Boxes and materials in one list
Tell us about your home
Answer these four and your packing list appears on the spot.
Bedrooms in your home
People aged 12 and over
Younger children own less that needs its own box.
Lifestyle
Packing style
This changes the materials, not the number of boxes.
Your packing list
0of 4
Answer the four questions and your packing list appears here.
Your list travels along, so packers can price the job properly.
Also want your volume in m3? Use the volume calculator
The sizes, side by side
Every shop sells the same five sizes. Drawn to scale they explain themselves: the smallest box is for the heaviest things, and the tallest one is not a box you fill, it is a wardrobe you roll along.
- Book box
- Medium box
- Large box
- Picture box
- Wardrobe box
How to read your result
The number of boxes follows from your home and how much you own. The materials follow from how carefully you pack, which is why the packing style only moves the paper, wrap and tape. Order about ten percent more than the calculator says: a box too many costs a couple of euros, a box too few costs you an evening.
Start packing four weeks before the move, with what you rarely use. Write the room and the contents on the side of every box, not on the lid, because you can still read the side when they are stacked.
Frequently asked
- How many moving boxes do you need per room?
- Count on roughly 10 to 15 boxes per bedroom and 15 to 25 for a kitchen. The living room is often lighter work, because it holds more furniture than loose items. The attic and shed are the real surprise: they regularly add another 20 boxes. A two-bedroom apartment usually lands around 45 to 60 boxes in total.
- Which box size do you use for what?
- Heavy things go in small boxes, light things in large ones. Books, dishes and tools belong in a book box of 35 by 30 centimetres, otherwise nobody can lift it. Clothing, bedding and cushions can go in the largest size. A packed box should not weigh more than about 20 kilos.
- Is it better to buy or rent moving boxes?
- Buying works out cheaper from about 30 boxes and you keep them for storage. Renting plastic crates usually costs 1 to 2 euros per crate per week and saves you the disposal afterwards. Moving companies sometimes include boxes in their quote, so ask them before you order your own.
- What does packing material cost for a move?
- For a two-bedroom home, new boxes and materials together usually land between 200 and 350 euros. Tape, paper and wrap account for roughly a quarter of that. Second-hand boxes halve that figure. If you outsource the packing to a packing service, expect 35 to 60 euros per hour, with materials usually included.