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Moving Box Sizes: Small Through Wardrobe Drawn to Scale
The five sizes compared
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Industry standard
Small moving box
W 16 × H 12 × D 12 in (406 × 305 × 305 mm)
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Industry standard
Medium moving box
W 18 × H 16 × D 16 in (457 × 406 × 406 mm)
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Industry standard
Large moving box
W 24 × H 18 × D 18 in (610 × 457 × 457 mm)
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Industry standard
Extra Large moving box
W 24 × H 21 × D 20 in (610 × 533 × 508 mm)
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Industry standard
Wardrobe moving box
W 24 × H 40 × D 24 in (610 × 1016 × 610 mm)
The short answer
- Small16 × 12 × 12 in (406 × 305 × 305 mm) — 1.3 cu ft. Books, canned goods, tools.
- Medium18 × 16 × 16 in (457 × 406 × 406 mm) — 2.7 cu ft. Pots, toys, small appliances.
- Large24 × 18 × 18 in (610 × 457 × 457 mm) — 4.5 cu ft. Pillows, linens, lampshades.
- Extra Large24 × 20 × 21 in (610 × 508 × 533 mm) — 5.8 cu ft. Comforters, oversized items.
- Wardrobe24 × 24 × 40 in (610 × 610 × 1016 mm) — 13.3 cu ft. Hanging clothes on a metal bar.
See the sizes in AR (shown as boxes)
The four sizes as boxes at their published dimensions
Preparing 3D…
1 Small box2 Medium box3 Large box4 Wardrobe box
On a phone, the "View in your room (AR)" button places the boxes in your room. The boxes are locked to the published dimensions and cannot be resized. They show size only and are not 3D replicas of the products.
Drawn to the same scale
Dimensions side by side
| Box | W × D × H (in) | W × D × H (mm) | Volume (cu ft) | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 16 × 12 × 12 | 406 × 305 × 305 | 1.3 | Books, canned goods, tools, records |
| Medium | 18 × 16 × 16 | 457 × 406 × 406 | 2.7 | Pots, small appliances, toys, shoes |
| Large | 24 × 18 × 18 | 610 × 457 × 457 | 4.5 | Pillows, linens, lampshades, coats |
| Extra Large | 24 × 20 × 21 | 610 × 508 × 533 | 5.8 | Comforters, large pillows, oversized items |
| Wardrobe | 24 × 24 × 40 | 610 × 610 × 1016 | 13.3 | Hanging clothes (includes metal bar) |
Dimensions in W × D × H order. Volume = W × D × H ÷ 1728 (cu in to cu ft), rounded to one decimal. Millimeters converted at 1 in = 25.4 mm, rounded to the nearest mm. XL is the Home Depot 24×20×21 in variant; some retailers stock a 24×20×24 in XL (6.7 cu ft).
What the numbers mean
The three smaller sizes — Small, Medium, and Large — follow a consistent pattern: each step up roughly doubles the volume and widens the box by 2–6 inches in each direction. A Large box holds about 3.5 times the volume of a Small box.
The Extra Large box is 24 in wide like the Large, but 2 in deeper and 3 in taller. That modest difference adds about 1.3 cu ft and is worth it for bulky-but-light items like comforters that would otherwise overfill a Large box. Home Depot sells an XL at 24 × 20 × 21 in; some other retailers carry a slightly taller 24 × 20 × 24 in variant (6.7 cu ft).
The wardrobe box stands apart from the others. At 40 in tall and 24 in wide and deep, it is designed for one purpose: keeping clothes on hangers. A metal hanging bar spans the inside just below the top flap. Clothes move directly from the closet rod to the bar without folding. The 13.3 cu ft volume sounds large, but because the box is mostly empty air around hanging garments, you should not try to pack it with other items — the weight and the bulk of hanging clothes already fills it.
As a rough packing guide: a studio apartment typically needs 10–15 small boxes, 5–10 medium boxes, and 3–5 large boxes. Add an XL or two for bedding, and one wardrobe box per closet section of roughly 2 linear feet of hanging clothes.
Product links
FAQ
What are the dimensions of a standard small moving box?
A standard small moving box is 16 × 12 × 12 in (406 × 305 × 305 mm), which gives about 1.3 cu ft of interior space. It is used for heavy, dense items like books, canned food, and tools.
What is the difference between a large and an extra large moving box?
A large moving box is 24 × 18 × 18 in (610 × 457 × 457 mm), about 4.5 cu ft. An extra large moving box is 24 × 20 × 21 in (610 × 508 × 533 mm), about 5.8 cu ft. The XL adds 2 in in depth and 3 in in height compared to the large, giving roughly 29% more volume.
What is a wardrobe moving box used for?
A wardrobe box is 24 × 24 × 40 in (610 × 610 × 1016 mm) and comes with a metal hanging bar so clothes move from the closet rod directly into the box on hangers. It holds about 13.3 cu ft, or roughly 2 feet of a standard closet rod.
How many small boxes equal one large moving box by volume?
Three small boxes (3 × 1.3 = 3.9 cu ft) are close to one large box (4.5 cu ft) in total volume. In practice a large box can hold bulkier items that would not fit the smaller opening of a small box.
See also: USPS Flat Rate Box Sizes — Priority Mail Small, Medium (2 variants), and Large boxes drawn to scale. FedEx vs UPS Express Box Sizes — six express carrier boxes compared side by side.
Sources
- Small, Medium, and Large nominal dimensions: movebuddha.com, "Where to Buy Moving Boxes" (movebuddha.com/blog/where-to-buy-moving-boxes/, checked 2026-10-04). The table lists W × D × H outer dimensions for Small (16×12×12), Medium (18×16×16), and Large (24×18×18) in inches, consistent with U-Haul and other major retailers.
- Extra Large (24×20×21 in): Home Depot product listing confirmed via bobvila.com moving box guide (bobvila.com, checked 2026-10-04). Some retailers carry a 24×20×24 in XL variant; the article notes both where relevant.
- Wardrobe box (24×24×40 in): movebuddha.com (same page above) and multiple retailer descriptions consistently cite this standard dimension with a hanging bar.