"How many boxes do I need?" is the question every mover asks and nobody can answer — until they've already bought too few, made a second trip to the store, and paid for boxes twice. Let's fix that.

Use these room-by-room estimates as starting points, then compare your inventory with the actual container dimensions and the manufacturer's load and handling instructions.

The quick rule

One crate per ~50 square feet of lived-in space. A 1,000 sq ft apartment? Start at 20 crates. A 2,000 sq ft house? 40. It's a starting point, not gospel — your bookshelf wall and your minimalist neighbor's identical floor plan are different moves.

Room by room

Kitchen — 8 to 12 crates. Kitchens always surprise people. Dishes, pots, pantry goods, small appliances — it adds up fast. Wrap dishes in packing paper, nest pots, and put heavy items (canned goods, cast iron) in their own crates while following the manufacturer's load and handling instructions.

Primary bedroom — 6 to 8 crates. Clothes pack dense. Leave hanging clothes for wardrobe boxes or garment bags; everything folded goes straight into crates.

Each additional bedroom — 4 to 6 crates. Kids' rooms run higher (toys are volume monsters). Guest rooms that double as storage run higher too — be honest about that closet.

Living room — 5 to 8 crates. Books are the killer here. A single packed bookshelf can fill two crates, and they're heavy — spread books across several crates rather than filling one to the brim.

Bathrooms — 1 to 2 crates each. Small stuff, but it needs containing. Close toiletries properly and use suitable secondary containment to reduce leaks.

Home office — 4 to 6 crates. Paper is heavy. Files, books, and desk accessories add up.

Garage / storage — 5 to 10 crates. The great unknown. If you haven't opened those boxes since the last move, consider whether they need to move at all.

Add it up, then round up

Total your rooms, then add 10%. Check the resulting count against your belongings and the available package sizes before ordering. Unused crates just ride back on the truck; you only pay the package price either way.

Match it to a package

Our packages run 10 to 100 crates in steps of 10, each with one dolly per 10 crates, delivery and pickup included. These are starting recommendations, with first-week rental prices before applicable distance charges, tax, and optional supplies:

• 20 crates ($169/first week) — studio apartment
• 30 crates ($199/first week) — one-bedroom apartment
• 40 crates ($225/first week) — two-bedroom apartment or small house
• 60 crates ($275/first week) — three-bedroom house
• 80 crates ($325/first week) — four bedrooms
• 100 crates ($399/first week) — five bedrooms or more

Every package includes dollies, moving labels, and doorstep delivery and pickup across our service area — 318 ZIPs across Greater Houston. The first 15 miles of each delivery and pickup trip are included; beyond that, a $2/mile distance charge applies.

Still unsure? Call or text us at (888) 615-2699 with your square footage and room count. We'll help estimate a suitable package — including whether a smaller option may fit your belongings.

Pack. Move. Repeat. — and this time, order enough crates the first time.

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