Checklist
Packing supplies list: how many boxes for your home
Set the number of bedrooms and how much you own. Every quantity below is an estimate from a simple rule per bedroom; homes of the same size vary, so treat it as a first order and top up as you pack.
Boxes
Tape and labels
Wrapping and padding
Tools
Tips for this list
- Order about three quarters of the estimate first. It is easier to buy ten more boxes than to store thirty spare ones.
- Weight decides box size: the heavier the contents, the smaller the box. A box is right when one person can lift it without strain.
- Used boxes are fine if the corners are stiff and the base is dry. Tape the bottom seam twice whatever the box.
- These numbers come from a rule per bedroom, not from measuring your home. A collector's study or a nearly empty flat will be far from the average.
Questions
How many boxes do I need to move?
This page estimates 8 small, 8 medium and 4 large boxes for each bedroom, plus 4 medium for the kitchen, and adds or removes some for a full or lightly furnished home. It is a rule of thumb used here, not a measurement; change the bedrooms above to see your figure.
Where do the quantities come from?
Each line has one rule based on the number of bedrooms, shown in its note where it helps. The site computes the number from what you enter; nothing is typed in by hand, and nothing is based on a survey.
What changes if movers pack for us?
The checklist removes the boxes, paper and blankets, because a packing service normally brings its own, and keeps the few things you still need: boxes for what you pack yourself, markers, labels and bags. Ask the company to confirm what is included.
Related lists
8-week moving checklist
The full two-month plan: enter your move date and every task from booking to handing over keys gets its own day.
First-night essentials box
The one or two boxes packed last and opened first, sized for your household and the wait for everything else.
Last-minute moving checklist
Fourteen days or fewer: the bookings that cannot wait first, fast packing second, and a short list of what to leave until after.