How the estimate works
Every piece of furniture is counted at a typical size in cubic feet, the unit movers use on an inventory sheet. A box counts as 3 cubic feet, the size of a medium 18 × 18 × 16 inch moving box. We then add 15% on top, because furniture leaves gaps however well you stack it, and pick the smallest truck that holds the total. Weight is estimated at 7 lb per cubic foot, the moving industry’s common conversion.
The sizes are averages. An overstuffed sectional or a king bed takes more room than the typical one, so if your furniture runs large, round up.
Rental truck sizes
These are the figures U-Haul publishes for its own fleet, as read on November 10, 2026. Trucks of the same length from other companies are close but not identical.
| Truck | Space | Maximum load | U-Haul rates it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup truck | 76 cu ft | 2,280 lb | Small loads |
| Cargo van | 246 cu ft | 4,030 lb | Studio apartment |
| 10 ft truck | 402 cu ft | 2,850 lb | Studio or 1-bedroom apartment |
| 15 ft truck | 764 cu ft | 6,385 lb | 1-bedroom home or 2-bedroom apartment |
| 20 ft truck | 1,016 cu ft | 5,700 lb | 2-bedroom home or 3-bedroom apartment |
| 26 ft truck | 1,682 cu ft | 12,859 lb | 3 to 4-bedroom home |
| 29 ft truck | 2,057 cu ft | 11,939 lb | 4 to 6-bedroom home |
Source: U-Haul truck rentals. Check the page for the truck you actually book before you rely on a number.
Before you book
- Count boxes honestly. Books, kitchen things and closets fill more boxes than people expect. If you have not packed yet, count a few shelves and cupboards and scale up.
- Mind the weight as well as the space. Each truck has a maximum load. Boxes of books, weights and appliances are heavy for their size, and the calculator warns you when the estimate goes over.
- Decide what is not coming. Bulky, cheap-to-replace furniture is what pushes a load into the next truck. Compare what a piece costs to move with what it would sell for in sell it or move it?, and see what the lot would bring in the moving sale calculator.
- Hiring movers instead? Their estimate starts from the same kind of inventory. See how to check a mover before you book one, and find licensed movers in your city.