What size storage unit do I need?
Most households moving out of a two bedroom home fit in a 20ft unit. The sections below give the measurement inside each size, the height you actually clear, and roughly how much fits.
If you are between two sizes, take the larger one. The step up costs less than renting a second unit later, and you can walk in and reach things.
10ft High Cube
Listed as 8 x 10 x 9. $50 a month.
- Inside
- about 9'4" x 7'8" x 8'10"
- Floor space
- about 71.6 sq ft
- Volume
- about 632 cu ft
- Clear height
- about 8'10"
- Door opening
- about 7'8" wide by 8'5" high
Holds roughly 294 small boxes, 147 medium, or 98 large.
Floor space about the size of a large walk in closet, with enough ceiling to stack rather than spread out.
20ft Unit
Listed as 20 x 8 x 8. $75 a month.
- Inside
- about 19'4" x 7'8" x 7'10"
- Floor space
- about 148.2 sq ft
- Volume
- about 1,161 cu ft
- Clear height
- about 7'10"
- Door opening
- about 7'8" wide by 7'5" high
Holds roughly 541 small boxes, 270 medium, or 180 large.
Floor space about the size of a twelve by twelve bedroom.
40ft High Cube
Listed as 40 x 8 x 9. $99 a month.
- Inside
- about 39'5" x 7'8" x 8'10"
- Floor space
- about 302.2 sq ft
- Volume
- about 2,669 cu ft
- Clear height
- about 8'10"
- Door opening
- about 7'8" wide by 8'5" high
Holds roughly 1,245 small boxes, 622 medium, or 415 large.
Floor space about the size of a one car garage.
Compare the sizes
| Unit | Listed as | Floor space, sq ft | Volume, cu ft | Clear height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft High Cube | 8 x 10 x 9 | 71.6 | 632 | 8'10" | $50 |
| 20ft Unit | 20 x 8 x 8 | 148.2 | 1,161 | 7'10" | $75 |
| 40ft High Cube | 40 x 8 x 9 | 302.2 | 2,669 | 8'10" | $99 |
Only one of these three is a standard height container. The 20ft Unit clears 7'10" inside. Both High Cubes clear 8'10". If anything you are storing stands taller than about seven and a half feet, that decides your size before floor space does.
Why these numbers are smaller than the name
A 20ft container is 20 feet long on the outside. That is how the industry names them, how they are listed on our location pages, and how you will see them quoted everywhere else. It is also not the number you need.
The measurement that decides whether your sofa fits is the one inside the walls, and almost nobody publishes it. Steel walls, corner posts and the door frame take up several inches on every side, so a unit listed as 20 x 8 x 8 measures 19'4" x 7'8" x 7'10" inside. That is the figure we have put on this page for all three sizes, along with the door opening, which is shorter again than the ceiling.
Our interior figures are the standard measurements for containers of these sizes, rounded down to the nearest inch, so what you plan against is never larger than what you get. We are measuring the door openings on our own units and will publish those here once we have them.
Common questions
What size storage unit do I need for a two bedroom house?
The contents of a two or three bedroom house generally fit in a 20ft Unit. That is 1,161 cubic feet inside, or roughly 541 small cartons if you were storing nothing but boxes. If you are moving a full household including appliances and you want room to walk in and reach things, take the 40ft High Cube.
What does not fit in a 20ft unit?
Anything taller than 7'10", which is the clear height inside, and the door opening is shorter still at 7'5". A standing refrigerator goes in. Tall shelving, a stacked pallet or a mounted hoop often does not. Both High Cube sizes clear 8'10" inside, which is the reason to choose one.
Can I store a car, boat or camper?
In the larger units, yes. A car or a small boat fits in the 40ft High Cube, and most campers do not. Anything stored must be registered, insured and not leaking fluids. Call us with the make and length before you reserve and we will tell you honestly whether it fits.
How does the reservation deposit work?
A $25 deposit holds a unit in your name until you move in. It comes off your first month, and it is refundable any time before you take the unit.
What does High Cube mean?
A High Cube container is built a foot taller than a standard one. Inside, that is 8'10" of clear height instead of 7'10". The footprint is identical, so it takes up no more room on the lot, and it is the difference between stacking two levels and stacking three.
Are these interior measurements exact?
They are the standard measurements for containers of these sizes, rounded down to the nearest inch, so the number you plan against is never larger than the unit you get. We are confirming the door openings on our own units and will publish those figures here once we have measured them.