What size storage unit do I need?
Storage Unit Size Calculator
Not sure what size storage unit you need? Add the things you're storing and watch them pack into a 3D storage unit at real size. You'll see which unit fits, with room to get to your things, and the van to get it all there with one of our drivers.
Give it a try
Don't see something? Add it with its size in cm.
Our storage unit size calculator is designed as a helpful tool. The recommended unit is an estimate, and sizes and shapes vary between storage firms, so check the floor size and height with the store before you book.
How unit sizing works
The space you can use
Units are about 2.4 m high. We stack to 2.2 m, so there is room to lift a box off the top. The space you can use is the floor times 2.2 m, less any walkway.
The 80% line
Nobody fills every corner of a unit. Sofas leave space around them and some things cannot be stacked, so we suggest the smallest unit your things fill no more than about 80% of. The marker on the bar shows that line.
The walkway
With a walkway, units of 75 sq ft and up keep a 60 cm lane down one side, from the door to the back wall. Narrower units are too tight for one, so keep the things you need nearest the door.
The 3D check
Your things are then packed into the unit in 3D, at their real sizes. If they do not all go in, the answer moves up a size. Tap any size to see it packed.
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Tomasz
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Louis
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Isaac
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Ismael
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Bash
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Adam
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Lifted
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Haidar
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Isaac
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Louis
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Bash
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Tomasz
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Laurentiu
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Bash
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What size storage unit do I need?
How the storage unit size calculator works, step by step
Add the things you're storing, or pick a home size under Quick start, and the calculator adds up the volume and packs each item into a 3D storage unit at its real size. It then suggests the smallest unit that should hold everything, with room to get things in and out, from 15 to 150 sq ft.
It uses the same items and measurements as our 3D van size calculator, so from one list you also see the van you need to get it all to the store.
There are over 90 everyday items, each with its own measurements. Start from a typical home under Quick start and adjust, or build your list from scratch.
Furniture that comes apart has a Taken apart switch. A bed or table taken apart takes roughly half the space it does built, which can be the difference between two unit sizes.
If you will need to get to things while they are in storage, the calculator keeps a 60 cm walkway down one side of the unit, from the door to the back wall, in units of 75 sq ft and up. In the narrower units a walkway would take too much of the floor, so it suggests keeping the things you need nearest the door.
Most units are about 2.4 m high. The calculator stacks to 2.2 m, so there is room to lift a box off the top.
Nobody fills every corner of a unit. Sofas leave space around them and some things cannot be stacked, so the calculator steps up a size once your things would fill more than about 80% of the space you can use. It then packs the unit in 3D, and if everything does not go in, it moves up a size.
Tap any size to see it packed. A unit that is too small shows what is left over outside the door. Underneath, the calculator works out the van and the number of trips from the same list, and you can save or print your list to take to storage firms.
Storage unit sizes explained
The usual UK unit sizes, the same ones the calculator uses
| Unit | Floor size | Space to stack in | Typically holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 sq ft | 5 × 3 ft1.5 × 0.9 m | About 3 m³ | About a dozen medium boxes, or a few boxes, bags and small pieces |
| 25 sq ft | 5 × 5 ft1.5 × 1.5 m | About 5 m³ | A student room, or the boxes and bags from a one bed flat |
| 35 sq ft | 5 × 7 ft1.5 × 2.1 m | About 7 m³ | A room of furniture with its boxes, a little less than a furnished studio |
| 50 sq ft | 5 × 10 ft1.5 × 3.0 m | About 10 m³ | A furnished studio or one bed flat |
| 75 sq ft | 7.5 × 10 ft2.3 × 3.0 m | About 15 m³11 m³ with a walkway | A one bed with plenty extra, or a sparse two bed |
| 100 sq ft | 10 × 10 ft3.0 × 3.0 m | About 20 m³16 m³ with a walkway | A furnished two bed |
| 150 sq ft | 10 × 15 ft3.0 × 4.6 m | About 30 m³24 m³ with a walkway | A furnished three bed |
Space to stack in is the floor times 2.2 m, less the walkway where there is one. Shapes and heights vary between storage firms and stores, so check the floor size and height of the unit you're offered. Two units of the same area can hold different amounts if one is lower or narrower.
How much storage space does a typical home need?
The calculator's Quick start loads, as a rough guide
| Home | Volume | Unit size |
|---|---|---|
| Student room | About 3.3 m³ | 25 sq ft5 × 5 ft |
| Boxes and bags only (1 bed) | About 2.6 m³ | 25 sq ft5 × 5 ft |
| Studio, furnished | About 5.7 m³ | 50 sq ft5 × 10 ft |
| 1 bed, furnished | About 7.0 m³ | 50 sq ft5 × 10 ft |
| 2 bed, furnished | About 12.4 m³ | 100 sq ft10 × 10 ft |
| 3 bed, furnished | About 16.6 m³ | 150 sq ft10 × 15 ft |
These loads use real furniture sizes: the two bed has a three seater sofa, an armchair, two double beds, two wardrobes, a dining table and a fridge freezer. Some size guides suggest a smaller unit for the same home. Ours leaves room to get things in and out, because a unit that turns out too small on the day is the bigger problem.
Every home is different. A one bed flat with a corner sofa and a king size bed can need more space than a sparse two bed, so it's worth adding your own items rather than going on bedrooms alone.
Packing a storage unit
A few tips, getting it there, and what the answer can and cannot tell you
Beds, tables and wardrobes taken apart take roughly half the space. Our guides to taking a bed frame apart and dismantling a wardrobe go through it step by step.
Boxes of the same size stack evenly, with the heaviest at the bottom. Big pieces go against the back wall and boxes fill around them, the way the calculator packs. Keep anything you will need during storage near the door or along the walkway.
The Van Man Co does not run storage. We connect you with local drivers who can take your things to the storage firm you choose. The calculator works out the van and the number of trips from your list, the same way our van size calculator does, and the quote button takes it straight to the quote form.
Booking the unit and the move for the same day saves storing things twice. If you are storing in Leeds, our guide to storage facilities near Leeds lists the main stores.
We've built the calculator to make choosing a unit easier, and we've tried to keep it as accurate as we can. It's still a guide, though. It works from typical item sizes, and units vary in shape and height between firms and stores.
So please use it as a starting point rather than a promise that everything will fit. Check the unit's size with the store, and if you're close to the line or have anything unusual, it's worth going up a size.
Storage Unit Size Calculator FAQs
Quick answers to the questions people ask most
What size storage unit do I need for a one bed flat?
In the calculator, a typical furnished one bed flat comes to about 7 cubic metres, which suits a 50 sq ft unit (about 5 by 10 feet). If you are only storing boxes and bags, a 25 sq ft unit is often enough. Add your own items for a better idea, as every home is different.
What size storage unit do I need for a two bed house or flat?
A typical furnished two bed comes to about 12.4 cubic metres, so the calculator suggests a 100 sq ft unit (about 10 by 10 feet). With a little less furniture, a 75 sq ft unit packed tight can be enough.
What size storage unit do I need for a three bed house?
A typical furnished three bed comes to about 16.6 cubic metres, which suits a 150 sq ft unit (about 10 by 15 feet). Bigger homes can need more than one standard unit, so ask the store about two units or a larger room.
What fits in a 50 sq ft storage unit?
A 50 sq ft unit is about 5 by 10 feet (1.5 by 3 metres). Stacked to a safe 2.2 metres that is about 10 cubic metres of space, and the calculator plans to fill around 8 of it. That is about the contents of a furnished studio or one bed flat.
How tall is a storage unit?
Most UK self storage units are about 8 feet (2.4 metres) high, though some are lower. The calculator stacks things to 2.2 metres, so there is room to lift a box off the top. Check the height with the store, as it changes how much a unit holds.
Should I leave a walkway in my storage unit?
If you will need to get to things while they are in storage, yes. In units of 75 sq ft and up the calculator keeps a 60 cm walkway down one side, from the door to the back wall. In narrower units a walkway takes too much of the floor, so put the things you need nearest the door instead.
Does The Van Man Co offer storage?
No. We do not run storage units. The Van Man Co connects you with local drivers who can move your things to the storage firm you choose. The calculator works out the unit size and the van you need from the same list, so you can ask for a quote to get everything there.
Can you guarantee my things will fit?
No. The calculator is a guide, worked out from typical item sizes, and storage units vary in shape and height between firms and stores. Use it as a starting point, check the unit size with the store, and if you are close to the line, go up a size.