Moving box sizes: which box for what
Small, medium, large, wardrobe and dish pack boxes, what each one is for, and how to read the weight limit printed on the bottom flap.
The BoxTrack team · · 5 min read
The box of books was large, so it seemed sensible to fill it. It took two people to lift, the bottom split on the stairs, and a year's worth of paperbacks slid down to the landing. Meanwhile the small boxes held pillows.
Choosing a box size is mostly about weight, not volume. Heavy things go in small boxes, light things in big ones, and a few things get boxes made for them. Here's what each common size is for, using U-Haul's published sizes as an example of the usual US ones.
The standard sizes
U-Haul's standard moving boxes
Other brands are close but not identical, so check the size on the box or the product page if you're mixing boxes from different shops. Same-size boxes stack better, which matters on a truck.
Small boxes: heavy things
Books, files, canned food, tools, records, bottles. These add up fast. U-Haul rates its small box for up to 65 pounds, which is already more than most people want to carry down a flight of stairs. U-Haul also sells a 12-inch cube "book box" for the same job.
If you only buy one size in bulk, buy small. They're the size people run out of.
Medium boxes: most things
Pots and pans, small appliances, shoes, toys, electronics, decor, the contents of a bathroom cabinet. The medium box is the everyday size. It's still easy to carry when full, and it stacks well on top of small boxes.
Large and extra-large boxes: light, bulky things
Bedding, pillows, towels, stuffed animals, lampshades, coats. U-Haul describes its large box as being for large, lightweight items such as lampshades and stuffed animals. If a large box feels heavy, you've put the wrong things in it.
Wardrobe boxes: clothes on hangers
A wardrobe box is tall, with a metal bar across the top. You lift clothes off the closet rail and hang them straight in. U-Haul sells several sizes, from a short one about 34 inches tall to tall ones about 4 feet tall, for longer coats and dresses. Use the bottom of the box for shoes or folded sweaters. Our guide to packing clothes for a move has more ways to do it.
Dish packs: plates and glasses
A dish pack, or dish barrel, is a box with thicker double walls, usually used with cardboard dividers for glasses. U-Haul's dish barrel is 18 x 18 x 28 inches. Plates go in on their edges, each wrapped in paper, never flat. See our guide to packing a kitchen for the details.
Which box for what
| Item | Small | Medium | Large | Special box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books and files | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Book box |
| Pots, pans, small appliances | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Plates and glasses | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Dish pack |
| Shoes and toys | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Bedding, pillows, towels | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Hanging clothes | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Wardrobe box |
| TVs and monitors | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | TV or original box |
| Lampshades | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
Read the bottom flap before you fill it
Most corrugated boxes have a small printed circle or square on the bottom flap called the box maker's certificate. UPS's packaging guidelines say it lists the maximum gross weight the box is built to hold, contents included, and that you shouldn't go over it. The certificate also shows a strength rating, usually an edge crush test (ECT) number. Higher means a stronger box. U-Haul's standard large box, for example, has a 32 ECT rating, and its heavy-duty double-wall version is rated 48 ECT and up to 80 pounds.
That matters most for used boxes. A box that's been through one move, or a grocery store's back room, may be soft at the corners, even if the stamp says it's strong. Tape the bottom across the middle seam and the edges, and use the weak ones for light things.
A few more habits that keep boxes from failing:
- Fill boxes to the top. A half-full box crushes when another is stacked on it. Fill gaps with towels or paper.
- Keep the weight down. If you can't lift it comfortably, the mover or friend at the other end can't either.
- Stack heavy at the bottom. U-Haul suggests heavier boxes at the bottom of the stack and no more than five high.
Mixed sizes, one list
The more sizes you use, the harder it is to remember what went where. A small box of chargers and a large box of pillows look nothing alike from the outside, but in a stack of 60 they blur together.
BoxTrack keeps the list for every box, whatever its size. Make a box in the app, snap a photo of what goes in, and AI lists the items for you to check. Print a QR label for each box, stick it on two sides, and scan any box later to see what's inside without opening it. You can search for "chargers" and find the box number. See how BoxTrack works for a move. Your first box is free, and our free moving box labels print without an account.
Not sure how many of each size to buy? Our guide to how many moving boxes you need counts them room by room.
Sources
- U-Haul, Small moving box
- U-Haul, Medium moving box
- U-Haul, Large moving box
- U-Haul, Extra-large moving box
- U-Haul, Book box
- U-Haul, Heavy-duty double-wall large box
- U-Haul, Dish Barrel box
- U-Haul, Wardrobe boxes: your complete guide
- U-Haul, Tips for packing and moving books
- UPS, Packaging guidelines
