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How Many Boxes Do You Need to Move? Real Counts by Home Size

Published 2026-06-15 · Best Movers LA editorial team

Quick answer: Real-world box counts: studio 15–25, 1-bedroom 25–40, 2-bedroom 45–70, 3-bedroom 70–100, in a mix of mostly medium boxes, smalls for books, and 4–6 wardrobes (ours are loaned free on move day). Buy 20% more than you think; unused boxes return, missing boxes at 10 PM don't.

The counts, by home

HomeSmallMediumLargeWardrobeTotal
Studio6104215–25
1 bedroom10156325–40
2 bedrooms202510545–70
3 bedrooms304015670–100

The counter-intuitive rule: small boxes for heavy things, large boxes for light things. A large box of books is furniture-grade weight in cardboard not rated for it; a large box of bedding is perfect.

The supporting cast

  • Packing paper: 3–5 lbs per kitchen. Newspaper inks transfer; paper is cheap.
  • Tape: one roll per 15 boxes, plus the roll you'll lose.
  • Dish packs: double-walled, worth it for the kitchen alone.
  • Wardrobes: don't buy — we bring them on loan free, clothes travel on hangers.

The free-box map of LA

Office printer-paper boxes (lids! handles! uniform size!) are the kings — ask any office manager on recycling day. Grocery and liquor stores hand out sturdy stock mornings. Buy Nothing groups and Craigslist Free flood with boxes every month-end as everyone else finishes moving. Two weeks of casual collecting outfits a 2-bedroom for $0.

Or skip the whole chapter

Our packing crews bring everything — boxes, paper, tape, dish packs — at $40/hr per packer, and a 2-bedroom kitchen takes two packers about 3 hours. The box math becomes our problem, which is honestly where it belongs. (213) 676-9460.

Related questions

How many boxes for a 2-bedroom apartment?

45–70 total: roughly 20 small (books/heavy), 25 medium (most things), 10 large (light/bulky), 5 wardrobe. Heavy readers and kitchen collectors trend higher.

Where can I get free moving boxes in LA?

Grocery stores (ask mornings), liquor stores (strong boxes), Buy Nothing groups, Craigslist free, and offices dumping printer-paper boxes — the single best free box in existence.

Should I buy or rent plastic bins?

For local moves, rented plastic bins (delivered, collected) beat cardboard on cost and sanity if you pack/unpack within 2 weeks. For storage or long-distance, cardboard wins — bins must go back.

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