Sizing a moving truck correctly is one of those problems where being slightly wrong costs hundreds. Get a truck too small, and you're driving two trips or paying an emergency upgrade. Too big, and you're paying for capacity you didn't need plus worse fuel economy.
The room-by-room method
| Room | Light | Average | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio (single room) | 250 | 400 | 550 |
| Bedroom | 150 | 250 | 400 |
| Living room | 200 | 350 | 500 |
| Dining room | 100 | 200 | 350 |
| Kitchen | 150 | 250 | 400 |
| Home office | 100 | 200 | 300 |
| Basement / garage | 200 | 400 | 800+ |
"Light" means minimal furniture. "Average" is a typical lived-in room. "Heavy" includes books, collections, oversized items.
The whole-home rule of thumb
- Studio: 300–450 ft³
- 1-bedroom apartment: 500–800 ft³
- 2-bedroom: 800–1,200 ft³
- 3-bedroom house: 1,300–1,800 ft³
- 4+ bedroom: 1,800–2,500 ft³
If you're a minimalist, drop one tier. If you have multiple bookshelves or hobby collections, go up a tier.
The piece-by-piece method (more accurate)
| Item | Cubic feet |
|---|---|
| King mattress + box spring | 55 |
| Queen mattress + box spring | 45 |
| Full mattress + box spring | 40 |
| Twin mattress + box spring | 25 |
| Sofa (standard 3-seat) | 35 |
| Loveseat | 25 |
| Recliner | 20 |
| Dining table (6-seat) | 30 |
| Dining chair | 8 |
| Coffee table | 15 |
| TV stand / entertainment center | 25 |
| Dresser (6-drawer) | 25 |
| Nightstand | 8 |
| Bookshelf (6-ft standard) | 20 |
| Office desk | 25 |
| Refrigerator (full-size) | 25 |
| Washer or dryer | 15 |
| Standard box (16×12×12) | 1.3 |
| Medium box (18×16×14) | 2.3 |
| Large box (22×18×16) | 3.7 |
| Wardrobe box | 10 |
The average 1-bedroom has 25–40 boxes, totaling 60–100 ft³ on top of furniture.
Truck size reference
| Truck size | Capacity | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | ~245 ft³ | Studio (minimal stuff) |
| 10 ft truck | ~400 ft³ | Studio, dorm room |
| 15 ft truck | ~764 ft³ | 1-bedroom apt |
| 17 ft truck | ~865 ft³ | 1–2 bedroom apt |
| 20 ft truck | ~1,015 ft³ | 2-bedroom apt/house |
| 26 ft truck | ~1,682 ft³ | 3–4 bedroom house |
These capacities are approximate and slightly higher than what you'll actually fit. Plan for 80% utilization.
The 20% rule
Always book the truck size one tier larger than your math suggests:
- People consistently underestimate their own stuff. Your actual move will be 15–20% bigger than your estimate.
- Cost difference between truck sizes is small ($20–40), but making two trips costs hundreds.
- Inefficient loading reduces effective capacity. Most home-movers can't pack a truck like a professional.
What movers won't tell you
Professional moving company estimates often underestimate volume on the initial quote, then "discover" extra volume on moving day and adjust upward. To avoid this:
- Ask for quotes in cubic feet, not just dollars.
- Compare multiple movers on the same volume estimate.
- Walk through the inventory with the mover.
- Insist on binding estimates rather than non-binding.
Weight vs volume — what carriers bill on
Local movers usually bill by hours. Long-distance movers bill by weight or volume. Allied, Mayflower, most national carriers use weight. PODS, U-Pack, similar use volume or linear feet. For DIY truck rentals, only volume matters.
The packing-density problem
Cubic feet of stuff and cubic feet of truck don't match 1-to-1. A studio with 400 ft³ of stuff doesn't fit in a 400 ft³ truck because:
- Mattresses don't compress.
- Boxes have to stack rectangularly.
- Furniture is awkward.
- You need a walking aisle.
Practical capacity is 75–85% of nominal capacity.
The takeaway
Sizing a moving truck isn't a guessing game. Calculate cubic feet using the per-room or per-piece method. Add 20% for packing inefficiency. Pick the truck that exceeds that number. Don't trust mover estimates without verification.
An hour of measurement saves a day of misery — and often hundreds of dollars on the moving bill.