Packing Boxes for Moving House: What Sizes and How Many

How many boxes will you actually need?

The honest answer is more than you think, but here is a working guide based on typical UK homes. These assume a normal amount of stuff, not a minimalist and not a hoarder.

• One bed flat: around 20 to 30 boxes.
• Two bed house: around 40 to 60 boxes.
• Three bed house: around 60 to 90 boxes.
• Four bed and up: 100 or more.

Split that roughly 60 percent small and medium boxes, 40 percent large, plus a few specialist boxes for wardrobes and pictures. Buy a little over rather than run short on packing day, and keep the receipt or check whether unused flat boxes can be returned.

Which sizes to buy, and why

The instinct is to buy big boxes to fit everything in fewer trips. That is a mistake. Big boxes fill up heavy and become impossible to lift safely. Match the box size to the weight of what goes in it.

• Small boxes (roughly 300 x 300 x 300mm): for heavy, dense items. Books, records, tinned food, tools, crockery. If it is heavy, it goes in a small box.
• Medium boxes (roughly 450 x 300 x 300mm): the all rounder. Kitchen items, toys, shoes, small appliances, general clutter.
• Large boxes (roughly 450 x 450 x 450mm or bigger): for light and bulky. Bedding, pillows, cushions, lampshades, soft furnishings, clothing.

A good rule: the heavier the contents, the smaller the box. You should be able to lift any packed box comfortably. If you cannot, repack it into two.

Single wall or double wall for moving?

For most household items, single wall boxes are fine and cheaper. Reach for double wall for the heavy small boxes carrying books, crockery and anything you will stack several high, or that has to survive a van, storage and a house all in one go. Double wall resists crushing when boxes are stacked, which is exactly what happens in a removal van.

If you are putting things into self storage for months, favour double wall throughout. Boxes at the bottom of a stack carry a lot of weight for a long time.

Specialist boxes worth buying

• Wardrobe boxes: tall boxes with a hanging rail. Clothes go straight from wardrobe to box on their hangers, which saves ironing and time.
• Picture and mirror boxes: flat, adjustable boxes for framed art and mirrors, far safer than wrapping them loose.
• Extra tape and paper: buy more packing tape than you expect to need, and plenty of plain packing paper or bubble wrap for fragiles.

How to pack so nothing breaks

• Heavy items at the bottom, light on top, in every box and every stack.
• Fill every gap. A half empty box collapses when stacked. Top up with paper, towels or soft items so nothing shifts.
• Wrap fragiles individually. Plates on edge, not stacked flat, cushioned all round. Glasses wrapped and standing up.
• Do not overfill. The lid flaps should close flat so boxes stack square. A domed box will not stack and may burst.
• Label the top and one side with the room and a note of contents. Mark fragile boxes clearly.
• Keep an essentials box packed last and unloaded first: kettle, mugs, tea, chargers, loo roll, a change of clothes.

Packing order and timing

Start weeks ahead with things you rarely use: books, out of season clothes, spare bedding. Leave daily essentials until the last day or two. Pack room by room and keep each room's boxes together, so unpacking at the other end is not a treasure hunt.

Do not seal boxes until you have double checked nothing essential is inside, then tape the base and top firmly along the seam and across the ends.

Buying the right boxes at the right price

Moving box bundles are sold by home size, but the sizes and prices vary between suppliers, and a bundle is not always cheaper than buying the exact mix you need. On Packaging Marketplace you can compare live prices by size across UK suppliers, so you can put together the right combination of small, medium and large boxes for your move without overpaying for a one size fits all bundle.