How Many Plastic Moving Boxes Do You Need for Your Move?

One of the first steps in planning a move is figuring out what packing supplies you need. Sure, you could walk through your entire home with a notepad and a tape measure trying to figure out the cubic footage of your possessions. Or, you can save money and time by using plastic moving boxes.

Regardless of whether you’re hiring a professional moving company or handling your move on your own, you’ll want to have an idea of the general cost to move. And that includes your packing supplies! The first step toward a wallet-friendly move is determining how many plastic moving bins you need to pack up your apartment.

How many plastic moving boxes do you need for an apartment?

Each home is unique. Someone with a smaller apartment or condo might have just as much stuff as someone in a bigger place. However, based on moving industry averages, you can approximate the quantity of plastic moving bins you’ll need according to the size of your dwelling. Here are a few examples:

  • A studio generally uses about 20 moving totes.
  • People who live in one-bedroom units typically need about 25 bins.
  • Two-bedroom apartments or condos often fit into 35 plastic moving boxes.
  • Larger three-bedroom homes usually require about 50 moving crates.

When you order your plastic moving boxes, remember: you can also add a few more bins if you think you have more inventory than the average person. Since you might incur additional delivery fees if you need extra totes, it’s best to order more than you think you’ll need. It’ll save you money in the long run!

How many plastic moving boxes do you need for a house?

If you’re moving out of a single-family house, chances are you’ll need more bins than an apartment renter or a condo owner. In addition to your living and dining rooms, bathroom, and a bedroom or two, you’re going to have to pack up your office, kids’ room, basement, attic, and garage. Since four-bedroom (and larger) homes usually have more square footage than the average Chicago apartment or condo, you likely have more stuff to pack.

Most moving customers need at least 70 plastic moving bins to pack up a three- or four-bedroom house. If you have a bigger home, just contact your local rental bin company. They can help you assess your home’s inventory so you get the right quantity of plastic moving boxes.

What other packing supplies will you need?

Before you start tossing items into your plastic moving boxes, you’ll need to have some additional packing supplies on hand. Fortunately, some of these are just laying around your home right now!

Each breakable item like glass and dining ware will need to be wrapped for protection inside the hard plastic bin, and your towels, bed linens, and clothing are great for this since they provide excellent padding for delicate items. Plus, you’ll get the added bonus of packing more into each plastic moving bin since you’d have to box up these soft items anyway.

You can also purchase recyclable packing paper to protect your prized possessions. And if you have a lot of hanging clothes in your closets, consider renting a wardrobe box or two for easy transport without risking your clothing getting dirty or wrinkled.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of packing up your home, you can always hire a team of professional packers to handle the work for you. Just make sure they can provide rental plastic moving boxes as part of their service!

Box Beaters makes using plastic moving boxes easy!

You want a smooth, cost-efficient move without a lot of environment-harming waste. Box Beaters has you covered! Our sturdy reusable plastic moving bins are perfect for every move, from a studio apartment to a large house. We’ll even help you determine how many plastic moving boxes you need for your move!

Contact us today to find out how our services and packing supplies can set you up for a smooth move.