Moving Truck Size Calculator
Build a quick room-by-room checklist of what you're moving and get a recommended truck size, with a 15% buffer built in so you're not packing the last few boxes into the cab.
How this calculator works
Each room type has an average cubic footage — furniture, boxes and everything else that typically comes out of a room that size. The calculator sums those across your checklist, adds a 15% buffer for awkward shapes and packing gaps, then picks the smallest truck that still has the capacity:
estimated_cuft = sum(room-type cubic footage)
truck sizes: cargo van (~300 cuft), 10 ft (~450 cuft), 15 ft (~750 cuft),
20 ft (~1000 cuft), 26 ft (~1700 cuft)
recommend smallest truck ≥ estimated_cuft × 1.15The per-room cubic footage figures below are general averages, not a measurement of your specific belongings — a room packed with furniture and a mostly empty room of the same type will need very different amounts of truck space. Treat the result as a solid starting point, and size up if you know you have more than average.
Average cubic footage by room
| Room type | Approx. cu ft |
|---|---|
| Bedroom | 150 |
| Living room | 250 |
| Dining room | 100 |
| Kitchen | 150 |
| Bathroom | 30 |
| Home office | 80 |
| Garage | 200 |
| Storage / misc | 80 |
Worked example
A 2 bedroom apartment: 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen, 1 bathroom:
- Volume: (2 × 150) + 250 + 100 + 150 + 30 = 830 cu ft.
- With buffer: 830 × 1.15 ≈ 955 cu ft.
- Smallest truck at or above that: the 15 ft truck's 750 cu ft falls short, so the recommendation is the 20 ft truck (~1000 cu ft).
Truck sizes at a glance
| Truck | Approx. capacity | Rough fit |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | ~300 cu ft | Studio, small load, few items |
| 10 ft truck | ~450 cu ft | Studio to 1 bedroom |
| 15 ft truck | ~750 cu ft | 1 to small 2 bedroom |
| 20 ft truck | ~1,000 cu ft | 2 to 3 bedroom |
| 26 ft truck | ~1,700 cu ft | 3 to 4+ bedroom |
Building your checklist
- One entry per room type — use the quantity field for multiples, like 2 bedrooms or 2 bathrooms.
- Above-average rooms — a heavily furnished living room or a garage full of storage will run well over the averages above; add an extra "storage / misc" entry to account for it.
- Below-average rooms — a sparsely furnished room or one you're not moving in full won't need the full average either.
- When in doubt, size up — a bigger truck you don't quite fill is a much smaller problem than one you can't fit everything into.
Frequently asked questions
What truck size fits a studio through a 4+ bedroom home?
As general ranges: studio/1BR fits a cargo van to 10 ft truck, 2BR typically needs 15–20 ft, 3BR typically needs 20–26 ft, and 4BR+ usually needs a 26 ft truck or multiple trips. These are general ranges — actual volume varies by household.
Do I need a dolly or ramp?
For most moves, yes. A hand truck or appliance dolly makes heavy items much easier and safer to move, and a loading ramp — standard on most 15 ft+ trucks — avoids lifting furniture up into the bed.
What should I consider for a one-way rental?
One-way rentals are usually priced differently than round-trip or local rentals, with availability sometimes tighter on popular routes or dates. Book well in advance and compare a few companies, since pricing and fees vary by route and season.