How to figure out which storage unit is required for my move?
If you need move-in storage but don’t know which storage unit to choose, the best answer will be to call five moving companies around and tell them the amount of stuff that you will be moving. They will tell you what type of storage unit will be required for your move.
You don’t have to use those moving companies. The quote will be strictly over the phone, or you can send them an email with the list of items, and they will give you information about the storage unit that you need for your move.
Second option
You can call a storage company of your choice and tell them how many items you have, and they will suggest you an estimated move-in storage unit that you need. This option will always be available since a storage representative is not required to provide that information over the phone. But if you call around 5 to 10 different places, their storage moving representatives will be able to provide you storage unit spaces needed over the phone. If representatives have the time, they will be able to help you.
Third option: calculate yourself
A third option is to calculate cubic feet that you will be moving. How can you do that?
Please see the charts below:
- Van – 350 cubic ft
- 12-ft truck – 400 cubic ft
- 16-ft truck – 650 cubic ft
- 20-ft truck – 900-1200 cubic ft
- 26-ft truck – 1500-1700 cubic ft
Storage units in cubic feet:
- 5×5 – 200 cubic ft
- 5×10 – 400 cubic ft
- 5×15 – 600 cubic ft
- 10×10 – 800 cubic ft
- 10×15 – 900 cubic ft
- 10×20 – 1500 cubic ft
- 10×30 – 2000 cubic ft
Please note that if you have some bulky stuff that you cannot stack on top, it will be an additional trip.
You cannot stack well bulky items on top of each other, so you probably have to take two trips. But if you’re moving just square stuff like boxes and furniture, you should be able to do that and stack the truck way up to the top.
In the chart above, we have shown full capacity of box-body trucks.
In general, there can be situations where in a small-bedroom apartment you will have a lot of stuff because you have some of the stuff in the basement or attic or you’re moving in with somebody else. It’s vital to count the amount of furniture that needs to be moved. You can use a calculator, but in general, here is what you can fit in different storage units:
- One room or less or a studio apartment needs a 5×5 or 5×8 storage unit.
- A small or large one-bedroom apartment needs a 10×10 storage unit.
- A small or large two-bedroom apartment needs a 10×15 or 10×20 storage unit.
- A three-bedroom or four-bedroom house will require a visual estimate, but in general, you can get a 10×25 or 10×30 storage unit.
A lot of houses have bulky items that will not be stable. That’s why you need extra move-in storage space because it will be impossible to stack it all inside a storage unit.
