How Much Space Do You Need In Your Storage Container?

The phrase “elbow room” goes back to Shakespeare’s day. A common phrase at the time, he used it in one of his plays to signify one of his character’s need for space. Today, a lot of us yearn for this same space in the places where we live.

That’s where portable storage containers come into play.

Whether you’re moving, looking to reorganize or wanting to clear up some “elbow room,” a portable storage container can be handy. But how much space do you need? Here are some questions to ask yourself when it comes to container size and number of containers:

How big is your home?

This is a good place to start, as the size of your living space is a good general indicator of how many storage containers you’ll need. 

• If you’re in an apartment, you will need one-or-two containers.
• If you’re in a house with up to three bedrooms, you likely need three.
• If you have four bedrooms in your house, you might need four containers.
• Five bedrooms require at least five containers and it goes on from there.

Are there any items you can get rid of?

Another factor is the number of items you have. If you have a three-bedroom home, for example, but two of the bedrooms are empty, you might be able to get away with two containers. Also, if there are any items you can sell, trash or donate before renting your container(s), that might dictate how many you need.

How big are our containers?

There are online tools and blogs that will help you calculate if your stuff will fit in a moving container, but size can vary depending on the storage container company. Some of them get pretty complicated. At SAM (Store & Move), we like to keep things simple: every container is approximately 16′ long, 8′ wide and 8′ high. 

How much fits in each container?

SAM containers are big enough to hold the contents of a typical 1,500-square-foot home, so they go a bit further than some of our competitors. Additionally, we have a storage calculator on our website where you can input all of your items (everything from baby strollers to wine racks) to see how much percentage of a storage container they take up.

How are you going to pack your container?

How you pack your space will actually play a role in how much space (or how many containers) you’ll need. Packing more efficiently will maximize the amount of space in each container.

How many containers will you need?

Now that you’ve answered all of these questions, you should have a good idea on how much space you need. The only question is, how many containers will provide this amount of space? It’s simple math, but we’re here to help you out.

Whether you need one or several storage containers, 972-GET-A-SAM can meet your needs. Give us a call for a quote today.