Working out how many moving crates you’ll need can be a little daunting. You know how many big things you have the beds, the sofas, all the major purchases. What many people forget, however, is that the smaller things that get stored away in cupboards, drawers, wardrobes and garages also need to go somewhere. Left with no room to put things, you’re delayed and you waste time. Too many, and you’re taking more space than you need;
There’s no magic formula, as every house has differing levels of clutter depending on the number of occupants. A two bedroom house will require a wildly different amount of moving crates depending on how much stuff there is to move. Two houses with the same number of bedrooms could require wildly differing numbers of moving crates for their respective garages, wardrobes, cupboards and drawers. The table below should help give you a good idea, based on a number of rooms, rather than a number of occupants, but do keep in mind that you may need to factor in other considerations. Use it as a basic guide and a short survey of your own home to work out how many you’ll need.
Start with the size of the household
A small one-bedroom apartment occupied by one person will usually require fewer crates than a one-bedroom home shared by a couple who have lived there for years. The length of time spent in the property matters because belongings tend to accumulate. Families with children may also need additional crates for toys, books, linen, sports equipment and seasonal items.
Begin by walking through every room and opening every cupboard. Include the laundry, garage, balcony, shed and storage cage. These areas are commonly forgotten during early estimates. Make a note of rooms with unusually high storage, such as a home office with files or a kitchen with extensive cookware.
Kitchen and dining areas
The kitchen often requires more containers than expected because it contains many small, heavy and fragile items. Plates, glasses, pots, pantry goods, appliances and cleaning supplies should not all be placed in a few oversized containers. Smaller, manageable loads are safer to lift and less likely to damage delicate contents.
Allow separate crates for everyday crockery, glassware, cookware, pantry items and small appliances. Keep very heavy items spread across several crates rather than filling one container with cast-iron cookware or canned goods. A dining room may require additional crates for serving dishes, table linen, decorative items and barware.
Bedrooms and wardrobes
Clothing can occupy a large volume even though it is relatively light. Folded clothes, shoes, handbags, bedding and personal items should be counted separately. Wardrobe cartons may be useful for garments that need to remain hanging, while moving crates can hold folded clothing and accessories.
A minimally furnished bedroom may only need several crates, while a main bedroom with a large wardrobe, linen storage and personal collections may need considerably more. Children’s rooms often require extra containers because toys and books are bulky and difficult to stack efficiently.
Living rooms and home offices
Living rooms contain more than furniture. Books, games, cables, electronics, decorations, lamps and media collections all need secure packing. Books are dense, so use more crates with lighter individual loads rather than creating containers that are difficult to lift.
For a home office, separate active work materials from archived files. Label computer equipment and cables clearly so the workspace can be reassembled quickly. Confidential documents should remain organised and controlled throughout the move. Businesses planning a larger relocation should count crates by workstation, filing area, meeting room, kitchen and storeroom rather than relying only on floor area.
Garage, shed and outdoor storage
Garages and sheds are major sources of last-minute packing. Hand tools, gardening supplies, sporting equipment, car-care products and seasonal decorations may fill more crates than an entire bedroom. Some liquids, fuels and hazardous products cannot be transported like ordinary household goods, so check the requirements of your removalist before packing them.
Use strong containers for tools and keep each load within a safe lifting weight. Long-handled equipment and oversized items may need to travel separately. Dispose of unwanted or prohibited materials before moving day rather than transferring clutter to the new property.
Add a practical buffer
Once you have estimated each room, add a small buffer for overlooked belongings and awkward packing. An additional ten to fifteen per cent is often more useful than ordering the exact number on your list. This gives you flexibility without encouraging careless packing.
Crate hire providers often offer packages based on typical property sizes. Reviewing the available packages from Green Crates can give you a useful benchmark, but adjust the quantity for your own storage habits and household size. If you are between package sizes, consider whether you have a full garage, extensive wardrobes, a large book collection or several years of stored possessions.
Label and track every crate
The number of crates matters less if they are poorly organised. Give each crate a room name and number, such as Kitchen 1 of 8 or Main Bedroom 3 of 6. Keep a simple list of high-value or essential contents. This makes unloading easier and helps you notice quickly if anything is missing.
Pack an essentials crate separately with medication, chargers, basic cookware, toiletries, important documents and items needed during the first night. With a room-by-room estimate, a sensible buffer and clear labelling, you can order with greater confidence and avoid interrupting the move to find extra containers.
