Storage Space Calculator

It's a solid starting point, not an exact measurement — actual space needed depends on how efficiently things are packed, whether you can stack items, and how much larger or smaller your furniture is than average. When in doubt, size up slightly rather than down.

"Storage items" are mid-sized things like plastic bins, seasonal decorations, or sports equipment. "Extra items" are smaller miscellaneous things that don't fit neatly into boxes or the other categories — think loose tools, small appliances, or odds and ends.

If your total volume is close to the boundary between two sizes, it's usually worth sizing up — you'll want room to walk in and access items without unpacking the whole unit, and it's easier to downsize later than to run out of space mid-move.

Not precisely — storage facilities list unit sizes by floor footprint (like 5×10 ft) rather than total cubic volume, and usable space depends on ceiling height and how well things stack. The size labels here are a rough, commonly used comparison point, not a guaranteed fit.

A studio or 1-bedroom apartment's worth of belongings typically lands in the Medium range — around a 5×10 unit — especially once a few furniture pieces and closet contents are factored in. Enter your actual box, furniture, and item counts above for a number tailored to you.

A 3-bedroom (or larger) home usually pushes well past the Medium threshold once bedroom furniture, living room pieces, and multiple closets are added in, landing in the Large range — a 10×10 unit or bigger. Larger homes with a lot of furniture may need to size up further.

It depends on what you're storing rather than how much. Wood furniture, electronics, musical instruments, photographs, fabric, and leather are all vulnerable to temperature and humidity swings, so climate control is worth the extra cost for those items even if a standard unit is otherwise large enough.

Pricing varies widely by size, location, and whether the unit is climate-controlled, so this calculator doesn't estimate cost — only the size you're likely to need. Use your size recommendation to compare quotes from a few local facilities, since prices for the same size can differ significantly between them.

Yes, and it's usually a good idea — standing mattresses and couch cushions on their edge (properly bagged or covered) frees up significant floor space compared to laying them flat, though it does reduce how well the unit stacks on that side.

Use uniform box sizes where possible, stack heavier boxes on the bottom and lighter ones on top, disassemble furniture like bed frames and table legs, and stand flat items like mattresses and mirrors on their edge. Leaving a narrow aisle for access is worth the small amount of space it costs.

Not the size itself, but it's worth planning differently either way — long-term storage benefits more from climate control and careful protective wrapping to prevent damage over time, while short-term storage can prioritize easy access over tight packing since you'll likely be back in the unit sooner.