Moving Truck Size Calculator
What Size Moving Truck Do I Need?
Find the right moving truck size for your move in seconds.
Enter your home size, rooms, boxes, furniture, and other belongings to estimate the truck capacity you’ll need — without paying for more truck space than necessary.
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How Big of a Moving Truck Do I Need?
Truck size ultimately comes down to how much cubic footage your belongings occupy once loaded, and that depends on more than just your number of bedrooms. Two 3-bedroom homes can need very different trucks depending on what’s actually inside them.
The number of bedrooms is a reasonable starting point, since it roughly tracks how much furniture and how many boxes a household typically has. But the real drivers are the amount of furniture you own, the number and size of your boxes, the appliances you’re bringing, and any large or special items like a piano or a pool table. Two households with the same bedroom count can differ by a full truck size once you account for a finished basement, a home office, or years of accumulated storage.
Packing efficiency matters too. Furniture that can be disassembled — bed frames, dining tables, bookshelves — takes up meaningfully less space than furniture left fully assembled, and boxes pack far more efficiently than loose or oddly shaped items. That’s why our calculator asks about your actual inventory rather than assuming a fixed volume per bedroom.
Moving Truck Size Guide
| Truck size | Approx. capacity | Best for | Typical move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van / small van | ~250–300 cu ft | Small moves, few boxes | Studio, dorm room |
| 10–12 ft truck | ~400–450 cu ft | Small apartments | Studio – 1 bedroom |
| 15–16 ft truck | ~700–750 cu ft | Apartments | 1–2 bedrooms |
| 20–22 ft truck | ~1,000–1,200 cu ft | Homes | 2–3 bedrooms |
| 24–26 ft truck | ~1,400–1,700 cu ft | Large homes | 3–5+ bedrooms |
Moving Truck Size by Bedroom
Studio
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5+ Bedrooms
These are typical starting points, not guarantees — your actual requirement depends on your specific inventory, so we’d recommend running the calculator above rather than relying on bedroom count alone.
Factors That Change Truck Size
Furniture
Large furniture can consume significant truck volume, especially sofas, wardrobes, and bed frames left assembled.
Boxes
The number and size of boxes can dramatically change the estimate — a heavily boxed household needs more space than a sparsely furnished one.
Appliances
Refrigerators, washers, dryers, and other appliances require dedicated space and don’t stack with other items.
Special items
Pianos, motorcycles, safes, and pool tables may require additional capacity or specialized handling.
Packing efficiency
Disassembling furniture and packing boxes tightly can meaningfully reduce wasted space.
Distance
Long-distance moves may involve different truck options and weight considerations beyond volume alone.
How We Calculate Your Truck Size
Our estimate is built from cubic-foot calculations, not a fixed number per bedroom:
- Estimated furniture volume, based on typical dimensions for each item you enter
- Estimated appliance volume for major appliances
- Estimated box volume by box size and quantity
- Additional volume for special or oversized items
- A packing buffer to account for irregular shapes and safe loading space
- A comparison of the resulting total against typical truck capacities
Important: This calculator provides an estimate. Actual truck capacity varies by vehicle model, manufacturer, rental company, and how efficiently the truck is packed.
Planning the Rest of Your Move?
Calculate your moving costs, boxes, supplies, labor, and storage needs with our other free moving calculators.
Moving Truck Size Calculator FAQs
What size moving truck do I need?
It depends on the volume of your belongings, which is driven mainly by home size, furniture, boxes, appliances, and any oversized items. A studio typically fits in a cargo van or 10-12 ft truck, while a 4-5 bedroom home often needs a 24-26 ft truck.
How do I calculate what size moving truck I need?
Add up the estimated cubic footage of your furniture, appliances, boxes, and special items, then add a packing buffer for irregular shapes and loading space, and compare that total to published truck capacities. That’s exactly what the calculator above does for you.
What size truck do I need for a 1-bedroom apartment?
Most 1-bedroom apartments fit in a 10-16 ft truck, depending on furniture volume and box count.
What size moving truck do I need for a 2-bedroom house?
A 2-bedroom home typically needs a 15-20 ft truck, though larger furniture or extra storage items can push this toward a 20-22 ft truck.
What size truck do I need for a 3-bedroom house?
Most 3-bedroom homes fit in a 20-22 ft truck, with larger or more furnished homes sometimes requiring a 24-26 ft truck.
Is a 20-foot moving truck enough for a 3-bedroom house?
Often yes for an averagely furnished 3-bedroom home, but heavily furnished homes, extra appliances, or a large number of boxes can require a 22-26 ft truck instead.
How many cubic feet does a moving truck hold?
Capacity varies by rental company and vehicle model, but as a general guide a 10-12 ft truck holds roughly 400-450 cubic feet, a 15-16 ft truck roughly 700-750 cubic feet, a 20-22 ft truck roughly 1,000-1,200 cubic feet, and a 24-26 ft truck roughly 1,400-1,700 cubic feet.
Should I rent a bigger moving truck?
A slightly larger truck than your exact estimate is usually a safer choice, since it leaves room for irregular items and awkward packing, but a truck that is far larger than needed just adds unnecessary rental and fuel cost.
How much extra truck space should I leave?
A buffer of roughly 15-25% above your calculated volume is a reasonable cushion for irregular shapes, loading inefficiency, and last-minute items. Our calculator already builds this buffer into its recommendation.
Can I use this calculator for a long-distance move?
Yes. Truck size is based on the volume of your belongings regardless of distance, though long-distance movers may also factor in weight limits, which this calculator does not measure directly.
Do large furniture items change the truck size?
Yes. Large or bulky furniture takes up disproportionate space compared to boxes and can push your estimate up to the next truck size even if your home is otherwise average-sized.
What if my belongings don’t fit in the recommended truck?
Consider the next truck size up, plan for a second trip, or look into a trailer or portable storage container for the overflow.