How the heck do you know how many boxes you will need for your move and what to pack in each box? There are so many shapes and sizes of moving boxes and it is important to know what to pack in each box. Moving boxes range in price from on average from around $2.50 for a standard 2 cube box up to about $19.95 for a full size wardrobe box.
Typically you use smaller boxes like a 2 cube for heavier items such as books, and canned food and larger boxes such as a 6 cube for lighter items such as linen and towels.
MOVING CARTON REQUIRMENTS BASED ON HOME SIZE
Determining the number of cartons required on your move can be challenging as it can require guesswork. To eliminate the guesswork, we have incorporated our moving statistics and knowledge from over 2 decades of experience to list examples of the average home sizes and carton requirements. Average for our purposes refers to homes with an average (not lightly and not overly furnished) amount of furniture in each room.
1 Bedroom Apartment: (3000lbs – 30 cartons) 10 x 2 cubes, 10 x 4 cubes, 3 x 5 cubes, 2 x 6 cubes, 1 small picture carton, 1 large picture, I china carton, 2 wardrobe cartons
2 Bedroom Apartment: (5000lbs – 50 cartons) 15 x 2 cubes, 15 x 4 cubes, 6 x 5 cubes, 4 x 6 cubes, 2 small picture cartons, 2 large picture cartons, 2 china cartons, 4 wardrobe cartons
3 Bedroom Apartment: (7000lbs – 75 cartons) 20 x 2 cubes, 20 x 4 cubes, 8 x 5 cubes, 6 x 6 cubes, 4 small picture cartons, 4 large picture cartons, 5 china cartons, 8 wardrobe cartons
2 Bedroom & Den House: (7000lbs – 75 cartons) same as above
3 Bedroom House: (10,000lbs – 125 cartons) 35 x 2 cubes, 40 x 4 cubes, 15 x 5 cubes, 8 x 6 cubes, 5 small picture cartons, 5 large picture cartons, 7 china cartons, 10 wardrobe cartons
4 Bedroom House: (13,000lbs -150 cartons) 40 x 2 cubes, 40 x 4 cubes, 20 x 5 cubes, 10 x 6 cubes, 8 small picture cartons, 8 large picture cartons, 10 china cartons, 14 wardrobe cartons
5 Bedroom House: (15,000lbs – 175 cartons) 45 x 2 cubes, 45 x 4 cubes, 26 x 5 cubes, 12 x 6 cubes, 10 small picture cartons, 10 large picture cartons, 12 china cartons, 15 wardrobes
The carton numbers above are based on an average home, with standard moving cartons packed professionally by a qualified mover. Below is a list of standard moving cartons with a description of their dimensions and use.
2 cube (18 W x 13 H x 16 D) used for books, CD’s, DVD’s, records
4 cube (18.5 W x 21 H x 18.5 D) used for small appliances, pots and pans
5 cube (18 W x 27 H x 18 D ) used for toys, garage and basement items
6 cube (22 W x 22 H x 22 D) used for linen, towels, blankets clothes
China carton (18 W x 30 H x 18 D) used for dishes, glasses, stemware, pottery, vases, small pictures – anything glass or fragile,
Small picture/mirror carton (37.5 W x 27.25 H x 5 D) used for small pictures, small mirrors, glass shelves
Large picture/mirror carton (48.5 W x 34.5 H x 5 D) used for large pictures, large mirrors, large pieces of glass
Wardrobe carton (24.5 W x 46.5 H x 20 D) used for clothes, suits, jackets and works well for drapes and curtains
We hope you find this information useful in helping you to determine what size and number of moving boxes you will need for your next move.
