Packing Box Calculator
Nobody Buys the Right Number of Boxes on the First Guess
Most first-time movers either buy far too few boxes and make three more trips to the store mid-pack, or buy far too many and end up with a stack of flattened cardboard nobody wants after moving day. This calculator works from a simple per-room average to get to a realistic starting count, then breaks that count into a size mix.
The Formula
Small Boxes = Total × 40%
Medium Boxes = Total × 40%
Large Boxes = Total × 20%
The 12.5 figure is the midpoint of the commonly cited 10-15 boxes per room guideline, and the 40/40/20 split reflects the typical mix of household items by how densely they pack — books and kitchenware fill small boxes fast, while bulky, lighter items go in larger ones.
Worked Examples
| Rooms | Total Boxes | Small (40%) | Medium (40%) | Large (20%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ~38 | 15 | 15 | 8 |
| 5 | ~62 | 25 | 25 | 12 |
Treat this as a starting shopping list, not a hard limit — kitchens, garages, and rooms with extensive book or media collections typically need more boxes than the average, while sparsely furnished rooms need fewer.
Where This Calculation Matters
- Buying packing supplies in advance — ordering a realistic quantity of boxes before packing starts, rather than guessing or running out mid-move.
- Budgeting packing costs — box count feeds directly into the cost of boxes, tape, and other packing materials.
- Estimating truck load — box count is one of the inputs movers and truck rental guides use alongside furniture to size a truck.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Number of Rooms being packed.
- Select Calculate to get the total suggested box count and a small/medium/large breakdown.
Related Calculations
Match your box count against the Moving Truck Size Calculator to confirm the truck you've booked has enough room.