# How many moving boxes do I need?
1st Choice Packaging · Updated 25 October 2026

Most people underestimate. The quick answer: a **1 bed flat needs about 20–25 boxes**, a **2 bed home 30–40**, a **3 bed home 50–70**, a **4 bed home 80–110** and a **5 bed home 120 or more**. Use the table as a starting point, then adjust for how much stuff you actually have.

## Boxes by home size

| Home | Typical boxes | Our kit |

| Studio or 1 bed flat | 20–25 | [1 bedroom moving kit](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/1-bedroom-moving-kit/) (25 boxes) |

| 2 bed home | 30–40 | [2 bedroom moving kit](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/2-bedroom-moving-kit/) (40 boxes) |

| 3 bed home | 50–70 | [3 bedroom moving kit](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/3-bedroom-moving-kit/) (70 boxes) |

| 4 bed home | 80–110 | [4 bedroom moving kit](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/4-bedroom-moving-kit/) (110 boxes) |

| 5 bed home | 120+ | [5 bedroom moving kit](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/5-bedroom-moving-kit/) (140 boxes) |

Want a number for your home? Try our [box calculator](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/box-calculator/): tell it your rooms and it suggests boxes, tape and paper.

## Boxes by room

- **Kitchen:** usually the most boxes in the house. Allow 8–15 medium boxes: plates, glasses, pans, tins and small appliances are heavy and need to be packed small.

- **Living room:** 6–10 boxes. Books and DVDs in medium boxes; cushions, throws and lamps in large ones.

- **Each bedroom:** 5–10 boxes, plus a [wardrobe box with hanging rail](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/wardrobe-box/) or two for hanging clothes.

- **Bathroom:** 1–3 medium boxes.

- **Home office:** 5–10 medium boxes. Paperwork is heavier than it looks.

- **Loft, garage or shed:** anything from 5 to 30. This is the one most people forget to count.

## What pushes the number up

- Lots of books, vinyl or paperwork (all heavy, so they need more, smaller boxes).
- A full loft, garage or under-stairs cupboard.
- Children's toys and hobby kit.
- Having lived somewhere a long time. Ten years in one house usually means a lot more than the bedroom count suggests.

**Packing tip:** Order a few more than you think you need. Running out the night before the move is far more stressful than having five spare boxes for the loft.

## Medium or large?

Roughly two-thirds medium and one-third large works for most homes. Heavy things go in [medium removal boxes](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/medium-removal-box/) so no box is too heavy to lift; light, bulky things go in [large removal boxes](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/large-removal-box/). Our guide to [what goes in medium vs large boxes](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/guides/medium-or-large-moving-box/) has the detail.

## Don't forget the rest

- **Tape:** one 66 m roll seals roughly 20–25 boxes top and bottom.
- **Packing paper:** a 5 kg pack (280 sheets) wraps the crockery and glasses for an average kitchen.
- **Bubble wrap:** for pictures, mirrors, screens and ornaments.
- **Wardrobe boxes:** about one per full wardrobe.

All our [moving kits](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/moving-kits/) include tape, paper and bubble wrap in proportion to the boxes.

## Questions

**How many boxes do I need for a 3 bedroom house?**
Most 3 bedroom homes need 50 to 70 boxes: roughly 35 to 50 medium and 15 to 20 large. Allow more for a full loft, lots of books or a big kitchen.

**How many boxes do I need for a 2 bedroom flat?**
A 2 bedroom flat usually needs 30 to 40 boxes. Flats with little storage are at the lower end.

**How many boxes fit in a van?**
It depends on the van and the furniture going with them, so plan boxes by room rather than by van size.

## Shop for this
[2 bedroom moving kit £135.00](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/2-bedroom-moving-kit/) [3 bedroom moving kit £195.00](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/3-bedroom-moving-kit/) [4 bedroom moving kit £275.00](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/4-bedroom-moving-kit/)
[Work out how many boxes](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/box-calculator/)

## More moving guides
Guide

### [Moving house checklist](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/guides/moving-house-checklist/)
A week-by-week UK moving checklist, including who to tell about your new address.

Guide

### [How to pack plates and glasses for moving](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/guides/how-to-pack-plates-and-glasses/)
How to wrap and box crockery and glassware so nothing breaks.

Guide

### [Medium or large box: what goes where?](https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/guides/medium-or-large-moving-box/)
A simple rule for which box size to use, with examples for every room.

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Source: https://1stchoicepackaging.co.uk/guides/how-many-boxes-do-i-need/ · 1st Choice Packaging, 41 King John Avenue, Bearwood, Bournemouth, BH11 9RX · hello@1stchoicepackaging.co.uk