Move/WorkbookEstimate boxes
Tools/Truck size calculator
Volume planning / Rental class

What size moving truck do you need?

Estimate cargo volume from the home you are leaving and the inventory you have already counted—then leave room for the gaps real furniture creates.

Your inventory

Estimate space, not driving weight.

How densely furnished?

Planning capacity includes room for imperfect loading.

Truck estimateVOL—559
Recommended class15–17 ft truck

One- to two-bedroom home

Estimated cargo559 cu ft
Planning range492–626 cu ft
Nominal space used75%
Room contents45%
Packed boxes19%
Large furniture29%
Appliances + storage7%
If access is difficult, compare the 20–22 ft truck

Capacity varies by provider. Confirm interior dimensions and payload before reserving.

See the model ↓

How the truck-size estimate works

This model estimates the volume of a packed household, then compares it with a conservative planning capacity for common rental-truck classes.

Why box length alone is not enough

A truck described as 15 feet long does not provide 15 feet of simple rectangular floor space for every item. Wheel wells, door geometry, irregular furniture, tie-down access, and imperfect stacking all reduce the space you can use in practice.

Planning formula(home area × 0.25 + boxes × 3.1 + furniture × 16 + appliances × 20 + storage allowance) × furnishing factor

The result is compared with approximately 85% of each truck class’s nominal cargo volume.

Volume and payload are different limits

A truck can run out of legal carrying weight before it runs out of cubic feet. Boxes of books, gym equipment, tools, safes, stone furniture, and large appliances deserve special attention. Always check the vehicle’s stated payload and loading instructions.

Reservation check: Compare the exact interior dimensions, door opening, payload, fuel type, clearance height, and mileage terms for the specific vehicle—not only the advertised truck class.

Before choosing the next size up

Consider access at both addresses. A larger truck may reduce trips but can be harder to park, turn, or load near an apartment entrance. If the estimate lands near a class boundary, compare one larger vehicle with a smaller truck plus a second trip.

Validate the result against the route

When a few large pieces dominate the load, use the furniture volume calculator to make the inventory more specific before reserving a vehicle. The apartment moving checklist helps test loading-zone, elevator, doorway, and parking constraints at either address. For a rental or self-move, put pickup, return, and loading tasks into the dated moving timeline so the truck reservation fits the rest of the move.

Common questions

Before you reserve the truck

Is a bigger moving truck always safer?

Not necessarily. Extra space can let furniture and boxes shift unless the load is tied down correctly. Choose enough planning capacity, then secure each loading zone according to the rental provider’s instructions.

Does this calculator check the truck payload?

No. It estimates cargo volume only. Books, tools, appliances, and other dense items can reach a vehicle’s payload limit before the cargo box looks full. Confirm payload with the provider.

Why is planning capacity lower than nominal capacity?

Published cargo volume assumes space can be used efficiently. Real loads leave gaps around irregular furniture and require safe, stable stacking, so the calculator reserves part of the nominal volume.