What Size Storage Unit Do I Need? Your Complete Guide

Whether you’re moving house or need storage for business equipment and inventory, figuring out how to choose a storage unit size isn’t always straightforward. Nobody wants to waste money on a unit that’s too big, but you also don’t want the hassle of relocating to a larger unit simply because you chose the wrong one! That’s where our storage unit size guide (and calculator tool) comes in handy.

You may wonder how it’s possible to quickly and objectively determine the storage unit size you need without measuring all your boxes and furniture. The good news is that the hacks for calculating the appropriate storage unit size have improved significantly in recent years – find out how in this guide.

What are the sizes of storage units?

Storage unit sizes will vary depending on the company you choose. While we can’t vouch for other providers, at 1st Access we offer nine different unit sizes, with roughly 25 sq ft difference between each one. They start from 25 sq ft all the way up to 200 sq ft.

The self-storage unit sizes available include:

25 Sq Ft Storage Unit: The equivalent of a quarter of a garage, this space is ideal for kitchen appliances and up to 20 medium-sized boxes – not bad considering this is the smallest space we offer at 1st Access.
35 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Need slightly more room than ¼ of a garage? No problem. The 35 Sq Ft unit comfortably houses around 20 medium-sized boxes and is the equivalent of ⅓ of a single garage.
50 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Comfortably fits around 25 medium-sized boxes or stores some bulkier furniture pieces such as a fridge, microwave and double bed.
75 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Ideal for storing the contents of a one-bedroom apartment, this space stores around 30–35 boxes and bulkier furniture pieces, such as sofas and tables.
100 Sq Ft Storage Unit: The 100 sq ft storage unit can house around 30-35 medium–sized boxes and furniture from a two-bedroom flat or small property.
125 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Suitable for storing the contents of a typical two-bedroom house, this storage unit offers plenty of room for 35–40 boxes, along with multiple furniture pieces.
150 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Need to store the contents of a three-bedroom property? No problem. This unit size comfortably fits 40 boxes, one double bed, and two single beds.
175 Sq Ft Storage Unit: Comfortably store the contents of a four-bedroom family home in this storage unit, including up to 40-45 medium-sized boxes and furniture.
200 Sq Ft Storage Unit: The ultimate storage space for a family home. If you need to store the contents of a five-bedroom home, or more, this is the unit for you.

On our request for a quote form, we include the exact dimensions for each, including the height, width, and depth.

How big of a storage unit do I need?

To give you a helping hand, we’ve outlined how big a storage unit you need based on the size and number of rooms you need to store.

Number of bedrooms	Number of medium-sized boxes	Recommended storage unit size
¼ standard garage	20 boxes	25 sq ft
⅓ standard garage	20 boxes	35 sq ft
½ standard garage/ studio flat	25 boxes	50 sq ft
1 bedroom house/ flat	30-35 boxes	75 sq ft
2 bedroom house/ flat	30–40 boxes	100-125 sq ft
3 bedrooms	40 boxes	175 sq ft
4 bedrooms	40-45 boxes	175 sq ft
5+ bedrooms	50+ boxes	200 sqft + 25 sq ft

Use our storage unit size calculator

We use a tool powered by Calcumate to help you accurately calculate your storage unit size without getting the measuring tape out!

Have a lot of furniture? No problem. The preset function lets you select between one and five bedrooms which automatically identifies the furniture. Based on the average household, it’s likely you won’t have much tweaking to do. Simply remove any furniture that doesn’t apply to your home, and you’re good to go.

You also have the option to choose specific rooms, including your living room, office, bedrooms, kitchen, and garden shed, so no space in your house gets neglected.

Got random large items that aren’t in every household? The calculator includes everything from bicycles and surfboards to pianos and treadmills.

Step-by-step instructions for using our calculator

Using our space calculator couldn’t be easier. Follow the instructions below to get your estimate.

Click on each of the rooms that apply to you and allocate the number of each item that you want to store. For instance, if you’re packing a living room, you may need to store a two or three-seater sofa, a TV unit and a coffee table. Simply select each item and the number for each. Available rooms include the living room, bedroom, kitchen, office and garden/garage.
Can’t find your item? Take a look at the ‘Other’ tab for items such as lawnmowers, ladders and medium or large boxes.
For an even quicker option, you can take a look at the ‘Presets’. These have preset furniture collections for 1 bedroom to 5+ bedrooms and you can remove or add items as you need. This saves time as it already includes many of the items you’re likely to want to add for a house move.

What are you waiting for? Use our estimate space guide and calculator today and request your free quote without worrying if you’ve selected the right unit size.

How to pack a storage unit efficiently?

To pack a storage unit efficiently, you need the right hacks. It’s not just about getting the right size in the first place, it’s also about how you stack and store. You want a sense of order in your unit to make it an easy and safe space to navigate your items.

Anything you need to access on a regular basis should be placed at the front.
Bulkier, heavier items should go at the back.
Furniture can be dismantled as a space-saving exercise.
Store mattresses and sofas on their side against the storage unit wall.
Fill empty spaces where possible – drawers and shelves can all contain their fair share of items.
Clearly label everything and keep an inventory of what’s in your unit and make a note of when items are taken out or put back inside.

There are only so many boxes you should stack one on top of the other before they become too tall and potentially unsafe. Typically, eight boxes are the maximum. Boxes with heavier items should go at the bottom.

Estimate your space in no time today!

With our calculator tool, you can finally tick off getting a storage unit off your to-do list! Once you’re confident with how much space you need, you can fill out the quick and easy online form on our website to get your free, no-obligation quote. No need to call us unless you want! Once you know the size unit you need, the form should take a minute or less, and we’ll send a quote for storage units in Peterborough in no time.

Still worried about getting locked into a specific storage unit size when your needs might change? We get it! That’s why we offer a fully flexible set up, so if you need to upsize or downsize, you can do that whenever you need to. Just give our team a call and we’ll be happy to sort a smaller or larger space for you, and transfer you onto the new price rate. We can even help move your items into your new unit.