Storage Unit Sizes: Dimensions, Volume and What Fits in Each
Floor area, cubic volume and realistic capacity for every standard self-storage size, plus how to match a unit to a moving truck and fit furniture or a car.
Standard self-storage units are 5 × 5 ft (25 sq ft), 5 × 10 ft (50 sq ft), 10 × 10 ft (100 sq ft), 10 × 15 ft (150 sq ft), 10 × 20 ft (200 sq ft) and 10 × 30 ft (300 sq ft). Most have ceilings about 8 ft high, so a 10 × 10 unit holds roughly 800 cu ft (22.7 m³).
- Smallest common
- 5 × 5 ft (25 sq ft)
- Most rented
- 10 × 10 ft (100 sq ft)
- Typical ceiling
- 8 ft (2.4 m)
- Fits a car
- 10 × 20 ft
On this page
Storage unit sizes chart
Units are named by width × depth in feet. Floor area decides what you can set down; volume decides how much you can stack. Volumes below assume the common 8 ft ceiling.
| Unit (ft) | Metric (m) | Floor area | Volume (8 ft ceiling) | Typically holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 5 | 1.5 × 1.5 | 25 sq ft (2.3 m²) | 200 cu ft (5.7 m³) | Boxes, seasonal items, a bike |
| 5 × 10 | 1.5 × 3.0 | 50 sq ft (4.6 m²) | 400 cu ft (11.3 m³) | Studio contents, mattress set and dresser |
| 5 × 15 | 1.5 × 4.6 | 75 sq ft (7.0 m²) | 600 cu ft (17 m³) | Long items: kayaks, rugs, lumber |
| 10 × 10 | 3.0 × 3.0 | 100 sq ft (9.3 m²) | 800 cu ft (22.7 m³) | One-bedroom apartment |
| 10 × 15 | 3.0 × 4.6 | 150 sq ft (13.9 m²) | 1,200 cu ft (34 m³) | Two-bedroom apartment |
| 10 × 20 | 3.0 × 6.1 | 200 sq ft (18.6 m²) | 1,600 cu ft (45.3 m³) | Three-bedroom home, or a car |
| 10 × 25 | 3.0 × 7.6 | 250 sq ft (23.2 m²) | 2,000 cu ft (56.6 m³) | Four-bedroom home, or a pickup |
| 10 × 30 | 3.0 × 9.1 | 300 sq ft (27.9 m²) | 2,400 cu ft (68 m³) | Five-bedroom home, or vehicle plus contents |
The household matches in the last column are rules of thumb used by storage operators. They assume well-packed boxes stacked to near the ceiling and furniture stood on end where possible. A home with large sectionals, a piano or a workshop needs the next size up.
How much each size really holds
Volume only helps if you can stack into it. A medium moving box (18 × 18 × 16 in) is a useful unit of measure because most people pack with it.
- 5 × 5: the floor takes a 3 × 3 grid of medium boxes (54 in each way, inside 60 in). Five high is 6 ft 8 in and six high is a full 8 ft, so the unit takes 45-54 boxes if you fill it solid with no aisle.
- 5 × 10: twice that, about 90-100 medium boxes, or a queen mattress and box spring on edge, a dresser, a few chairs and 30-40 boxes.
- 10 × 10: a sofa, queen bed, dresser, table and chairs, TV, and 40-60 boxes, with a narrow path to reach the back.
- 10 × 20: the contents of a typical three-bedroom home without the garage, or one car with a little space around it.
A 2 ft (60 cm) aisle down the middle of a 10 × 20 uses 40 of its 200 sq ft, so plan on about 20% less capacity if you need to reach items without unloading the front.
Matching a storage unit to a moving truck or container
If you are moving straight from a truck into storage, compare cubic feet. These are the published interior volumes of U-Haul trucks and PODS containers set against the unit volumes above.
| Vehicle or container | Inside (L × W × H) | Volume | Closest unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ft truck | 9′ 11″ × 6′ 4″ × 6′ 2″ | 402 cu ft | 5 × 10 |
| 15 ft truck | 15′ × 7′ 8″ × 7′ 2″ | 764 cu ft | 10 × 10 |
| 20 ft truck | 19′ 6″ × 7′ 8″ × 7′ 2″ | 1,016 cu ft | 10 × 15 |
| 26 ft truck | 26′ 2″ × 8′ 2″ × 8′ 3″ | 1,682 cu ft | 10 × 20 or 10 × 25 |
| PODS 8 ft container | 8′ × 7′ × 8′ (nominal) | 402 cu ft usable | 5 × 10 |
| PODS 16 ft container | 16′ × 8′ × 8′ (nominal) | 835 cu ft usable | 10 × 10 or 10 × 15 |
Truck volume includes the shelf over the cab, which holds boxes but not furniture. Storage ceilings are usually higher than truck boxes (8 ft vs about 6-7 ft), so a load that fills a truck usually fits a unit of slightly fewer cubic feet. A 20ft shipping container has about 149 sq ft of floor and 1,172 cu ft of volume, close to a 10 × 15 unit.
Will my furniture fit?
The door is usually the limit, not the floor. Roll-up doors are narrower than the unit and their rolled-up drum hangs below the ceiling, so the opening of an 8 ft tall unit is often closer to 7 ft. Measure your largest items against the door:
| Item | Typical size | Storage note |
|---|---|---|
| Queen mattress | 60 × 80 in (152 × 203 cm) | Stand on its long edge: needs 80 in (6 ft 8 in) of length along a wall |
| King mattress | 76 × 80 in (193 × 203 cm) | On edge it is 76-80 in tall or long; check door height |
| Three-seat sofa | 84-90 in long, 35-40 in deep | Takes 7.5 ft of a 10 ft wall; stand on end only if the frame allows |
| Refrigerator | 30-36 in wide, 66-70 in tall | Store upright with the door propped open |
| Washer or dryer | 27 × 30 in footprint | Drain water fully first; stack boxes on top |
Dimensions for specific pieces are in the mattress size chart, the sofa dimensions guide and the refrigerator size guide.
Storage units for cars, trucks and boats
| Vehicle | Typical length | Minimum unit |
|---|---|---|
| Compact car | about 180-185 in (15-15.5 ft) | 10 × 20 |
| Midsize sedan or SUV | about 190-196 in (16-16.5 ft) | 10 × 20 |
| Minivan | about 200-205 in (17 ft) | 10 × 20 |
| Full-size crew-cab pickup | about 230-245 in (19-20.5 ft) | 10 × 25 (10 × 20 leaves inches at most) |
| Car plus household goods | vehicle + 5-10 ft | 10 × 30 |
A typical car body is 6-6.5 ft wide, so a 10 ft wide unit leaves 3.5-4 ft of side clearance in total. Park close to the passenger side and the driver's door can open partway. Boats on trailers and RVs usually go in outdoor or covered parking spaces rather than enclosed units, sold by length. For car sizes by model, see car dimensions.
Choosing the size: five checks
- List the big items first. Beds, sofas, appliances and tables decide the floor area; boxes fill the space above and around them.
- Add up box volume. Count boxes by size and multiply: small 1.3 cu ft, medium 3 cu ft, large 4.5 cu ft (see box sizes). Fifty medium boxes are 150 cu ft.
- Check the ceiling height. Some indoor units are 10 ft or more, which adds 25% capacity at the same floor area. Drive-up units tend to be about 8 ft.
- Decide whether you need an aisle. Long-term storage can be packed solid; anything you will visit needs a path, which costs about 20% of the space.
- Choose climate control for sensitive items. Wood furniture, pianos, electronics, documents and photographs are better in a temperature- and humidity-controlled unit, usually held roughly between 55 and 80 °F (13-27 °C). The size names are the same; only the building differs.
For space at home instead of off-site, compare shed sizes.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a 5x5 storage unit?
5 ft wide and 5 ft deep: 25 sq ft (2.3 m²) of floor, about the size of a small walk-in closet. With an 8 ft ceiling that is 200 cu ft, enough for about 45 medium moving boxes stacked five high, or boxes plus a chair, bike or a few small furniture pieces.
What are typical storage unit dimensions?
Widths are 5 or 10 ft and depths 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 ft, giving 5 × 5, 5 × 10, 5 × 15, 10 × 10, 10 × 15, 10 × 20, 10 × 25 and 10 × 30. Ceilings are usually about 8 ft, though some indoor buildings offer 10 ft or more.
What size storage unit do I need for a 2-bedroom apartment?
A 10 × 15 ft unit (about 1,200 cu ft) is the usual fit for a two-bedroom apartment with appliances. A sparsely furnished one fits in a 10 × 10; one with a washer, dryer, large sectional and many boxes may need a 10 × 20.
Can a car fit in a 10x20 storage unit?
Most cars, compact SUVs and minivans fit. A 10 × 20 ft unit is 240 in long, and a midsize sedan is about 190-196 in. Full-size crew-cab pickups run about 230-245 in long; the shortest may squeeze into 240 in, but a 10 × 25 is the practical minimum. Check the door width and height too.
Are storage unit sizes exact?
No. Sizes are nominal and rounded. Partition walls, corrugated steel and door frames can take a few inches off each dimension, and the roll-up door opening is narrower and lower than the unit. Measure your largest item and ask the facility for the actual door size.