AI Powered Removals Volume Calculator
Planning a house move? Our smart Removals Volume Calculator helps you calculate the volume of your furniture, personal belongings and household goods in just a few clicks. Our AI tool can understand almost anything you throw at it: whether it’s a detailed inventory list, a simple description of your home (“furniture from a three-bedroom house”), or unique and unusual items.
Just type it out in plain English and our smart calculator will generate an itemised list with estimated volumes, helping you plan your move with confidence and get an accurate quote.
Alternatively, you can browse through our list of preset items, categorised by room to manually build out your list and calculate the total volume.
Removals Volume Calculator
How to Use the Calculator
1. Browse Items or try AI Assist
Search our catalogue of predefined items organised by room to build your inventory, or use our AI assist to paste a list of items (e.g. "2 sofas, a fridge, 2 boxes of clothes") or describe your move (e.g. "Contents of a two-bedroom flat, no white goods").
2. Review & adjust
If using AI assist, you can review any items before adding them to your final list. You can then adjust quantities, add more items or remove items as you see fit.
3. Download or request a quote
Once you're happy with your list you can download your inventory as a text file, PDF or spreadsheet and even request a free international removals quote from our team based on your inventory.
Example Inputs
Here are a few ways you can describe your move - our calculator is flexible enough to handle them all:
- “Two beds, a sofa, TV, six suitcases and 20 boxes”
- “All furniture and contents from a three-bedroom house with garage and garden tools”
- “1x fridge freezer, 1x washing machine, 1x wardrobe, 15 boxes”
- “Contents of a studio flat - mostly boxes, one armchair, desk, and kitchen appliances”
- “Moving abroad with a couple of suitcases, bike, golf clubs, and some small furniture”
No need to be exact - just describe it how you would naturally, and our smart tool will take care of the rest.
Important: The volume calculated by our AI-powered tool is an estimate only. Furniture sizes, like sofas, can vary significantly, and volumes can increase due to packing materials or even decrease due to expertise in loading. Please use this tool as a helpful guide for your initial planning and budgeting. Our experienced staff at 1st Move International will combine this inventory with additional information by phone or online survey to obtain a clear and accurate volume for your quote.
What is a Cubic Metre?
A cubic metre (m³) is a standard unit of volume used in removals to measure how much space your belongings will take up in a shipping container or removal van.
Think of it as a cube that’s 1 metre wide, 1 metre deep, and 1 metre tall — roughly the size of a large household appliance or a small dining table.
As a visual guide, 1 cubic metre typically fits around 8 to 12 medium-to-large sized moving boxes, depending on their dimensions. This makes it a useful reference when estimating your move size, especially if your inventory includes lots of packed items.
💡 Understanding cubic metres helps you get a more accurate quote and ensures you don’t underestimate the space you need. This is especially important when moving overseas. International removals companies will charge you on the space your furniture or household goods take up inside a shipping container which is then filled with other customers goods. This is known as a shared container service. Shipping costs are then calculated on the total cubic metres of space you have taken up inside the container.
How to Calculate Volumes of Furniture & Household Goods
Calculating the volume of your belongings is all about estimating how much space they’ll take up in a moving van or container. Volume is typically measured in cubic metres (m³), and there are a couple of ways you can work it out.
1. Measure Manually
You can measure items yourself using the formula:
Length × Width × Height (in metres) = Volume (m³)
For example, a wardrobe that’s 2 metres tall, 1 metre wide, and 0.6 metres deep would have a volume of:
2 × 1 × 0.6 = 1.2 m³
This method works best for large furniture and appliances. Remember to include all sides of bulky items and account for irregular shapes or awkward packing space.
2. Use Average Estimates
Most removals companies use standard volume estimates for common household items (e.g. a 3-seater sofa = ~1.7 m³). You can find these averages in our calculator when browsing by room or item type.
3. Let Our Calculator Do It for You
Our AI-powered calculator makes the process quicker and easier. Just describe what you’re moving, and it will identify each item and apply accurate, industry-based volume estimates. You’ll get an instant overview of your total volume - no tape measure needed.
Why Volume Matters
Whether you're moving across town or to the other side of the world, understanding the volume of your belongings is a key part of planning a successful move. Your total volume, measured in cubic metres (m³), helps determine how much space you’ll need in a van or shipping container and directly influences the cost and logistics of your move. Additionally, the more information that you can provide to a removals company when requesting a quote, the more accurate your quote will be.
Knowing your volume helps you:
- Get accurate quotes from removals companies
- Choose the right size van or container
- Decide between shared or dedicated transport
- Plan packing and storage more efficiently
- Avoid last-minute surprises or extra costs
Typical Volume by Move Type
| Estimated Volume | Typical Move Type |
|---|---|
| 1-5 m³ | Small move (mostly personal items) |
| 5-10 m³ | Studio or small flat |
| 10-20 m³ | 1-2 bedroom home |
| 20-30 m³ | 3-bedroom home |
| 30-50+ m³ | Full household or large family home |
Here is an example of a 3-bed flat move packed and measured by 1st Move International. The items have been carefully packed onto pallets and each pallet has been measured exactly. The total volume for this shipment was 9.4 cubic metres and shipping costs have been accurately calculated and charged based on this volume.
Learn more about our packing methods and the unique benefits that it provides.
Van & Container Sizes for Your Move
Once you've estimated your move volume, it’s time to consider how much space you’ll actually need in a van or shipping container. Whether you're moving across the UK or heading overseas, the right transport size can save you money and hassle.
Domestic Removals: Van Sizes
Here’s a guide to typical UK removal vans and their capacity to help you choose the right option when moving or to use when looking to hire a removals van yourself:
| Van Type | Volume (m³) | Volume (ft³) | Typical Use | Estimated Rental Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Wheelbase Van | 8 - 10.5 | 283 - 371 | Small flat or partial move | £40 - £60/day |
| Long Wheelbase Van | 12 - 14 | 424 - 494 | 1-2 bedroom home | £60 - £85/day |
| Luton Van | 15 - 18 | 530 - 635 | 2-3 bedroom home | £85 - £110/day |
| Luton Lorry | 26 - 28 | 918 - 990 | 3+ bedroom home / full household | £130 - £180/day |
Note: Costs are approximate and vary by location, provider, and season.
International Removals: Shipping Container Sizes
For international removals, your belongings are typically packed into a shared or dedicated shipping container. The size you need depends on the total volume of your goods. Here's a quick guide:
| Container Size | Volume (m³) | Volume (ft³) | What It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Container | 1 - 20 | 35 - 706 | Small moves up to the size of a studio apartment |
| 20ft Container | 20 - 28 | 706 - 989 | 1-2 bedroom flat or partial household |
| 40ft Container | 28 - 58 | 989 - 2,049 | 3-4 bedroom home or full household |
Not sure which option you need? Our calculator helps you match your inventory to the right transport size - and our team is happy to advise if you're on the fence.