You should expect approx.20 to 30 moving boxesper adult person and approx.10 boxes per child. The rough area formula is0.5 to 1 box per square meterLiving area.
You probably know the situation: The kitchen is half empty, the books are still on the shelf and there are boxes waiting in the basement whose contents you haven't seen in years. The boxes we ordered suddenly seem scarce. The question “How many moving boxes do I need?” therefore cannot be answered with a single number for all households. Living space, number of rooms, people, region of residence and living situation change demand significantly.
Why the question about the number of boxes is so often answered incorrectly
At the beginning, a move often seems manageable. A few boxes in the living room, dishes in the kitchen and clothes in the bedroom. Then the first closet becomes empty: bags, bed linen and winter jackets appear behind the front clothes. There are heavy books on the shelf that take up significantly more space than light decorations.
General calculators hardly capture these differences. The ruleone box per square meteris a useful starting point for Swiss apartments, but not a personal final settlement. A reduced single household with little storage space may remain below this. A family with a cellar, supplies, sports equipment and a large library quickly lies above it. Comparis expressly mentions the one box per square meter rule as a guideline, not as an exact calculation (Faustregel von Comparis).
Practical rule:The old apartment is decisive. What is actually packed is what is actually there, not just what fits in the new apartment.
The region also changes the initial situation. The Federal Statistical Office reported an average of 102.3 m² and 3.7 roomsfor occupied apartments in Switzerland in 2020. On average,46.3 m²were available per person (Bundesamt für Statistik). In northwestern Switzerland, central Switzerland and eastern Switzerland, the average apartments were 106.0 m², 108.8 m² and 109.6 m²larger. The Lake Geneva region was95.0 m².
These values do not provide a personal box number. But they show why the same type of household can move different amounts of household goods depending on the region. When planning, the type of living space, number of rooms, storage space and region all count together. The article provides a classification of general moving processesUmzug fĂĽr Markenverantwortliche bei Echt AG.
Three calculation methods for a reliable estimate
A reliable estimate does not come from a single online calculator. In practice,Living area, number of people and roomsare compared with each other. Each method shows a different side of the household.
The living area as a quick starting value
Multiply the living area by0.5 to 1 box per m². An apartment with80 m²results in a first span of40 to 80 boxes(Richtwerte von easyumzuege.ch). The lower half is more suitable for a well-arranged household, the upper half is more suitable for a lot of furniture, storage space or a long living period.
The strength of this method lies in its speed. Your weakness: cellars, attics, large collections of books and hobbies are easily underestimated.
The number of people as a cross-check
Do the calculations20 to 30 boxes per adultand10 boxes per child. A household with two adults and one child receives a person value that you can compare with the area calculation. The Swiss guide from wepa.ch also mentions20 to 25 boxes per adult Person,20 per teenagerand about10 per child(Richtwerte von wepa.ch).
This method works well for households whose possessions are roughly evenly distributed. It becomes inaccurate if one person uses the basement, another has a large collection, or just a single shared room is moving.
The Room Method for Outliers
Go room by room and estimate the contents by actual volume. This method reflects a cluttered kitchen or basement better than a pure square meter formula. It takes more time, but provides the most practical control.
Technically, it helps to look at the moving volume:10 standard boxes correspond to approximately 1 mÂł, round3 mÂł per adult person(Umzugsvolumen-Berechnung von Movu). Use the area rule for the start, the number of people as a cross-check and the room method for the correction.
Specific guideline values ​​depending on the size of the apartment and the type of household
For Swiss households, ranges are more reliable than a seemingly exact number. A shared room usually contains a person's personal possessions. Your own apartment also includes a kitchen, supplies, bathroom, cellar and fully furnished rooms. Region and type of housing also change demand: despite a small area, a densely furnished city apartment can require more packing work than an economical household in the country. You can find out which box sizes and materials you need for this at
.Cartons approx.3 rooms about 30 to 45 boxesWG room3.5 rooms about 35 to 50 boxesOne person, mainly personal possessions4 to 5 rooms about 80 to 100 BoxesSchweizer Checkliste fĂĽr UmzugsmaterialApartment sizeVerpackungsmaterial fĂĽr den UmzugHousehold type
| 10 to 15 | 1 to 2 Rooms | Single household |
|---|---|---|
| approx. 30 | 3 rooms | Single, couple or small household |
| 30 to 45 | 3.5 rooms | Couple or small family |
| 35 to 50 | 4 to 5 rooms | Multi-person household with extensive household contents |
| 80 to 100 | The shared room lacks a kitchen, cellar and common areas. It is precisely these adjoining rooms that explain why a single household can need significantly more boxes. | For a single household in a 1 to 2 room apartment, wepa.ch mentions about |
| . A Swiss relocation study, on the other hand, comes to an average of | and | ( |
). The values ​​do not contradict each other. They refer to different households and calculation approaches.
30 boxesof the people who moved within the country moved to another one in Switzerland Apartment size. People in19 boxes for a single-person householdchanged their place of residence with31 boxes for an average Swiss householdtwice as often as people in apartments with at least four rooms, for which the rateSmall apartments move differentlyMovu-UmzugsstudieIn 2024, almost
was (
).living space, while a move from the country to the city meant on averagethree quartersless space. Clear out before packing instead of taking all of your old household items with you without checking them.1 to 2-room apartments17 m²15.3 %24 m²7.4 %Wohnverhältnisse im Kanton ZürichFor planning this means: Small apartments often contain fewer possessions, but do not automatically mean less packing work. High cupboards, books and a busy kitchen increase the need. In 2024, a move to the country added on average
Find the hidden box eaters room by room17 m²Wohnfläche hinzu, während ein Umzug vom Land in die Stadt durchschnittlich24 m²weniger Fläche bedeutete. Vor dem Packen ausmisten, statt den gesamten alten Hausrat ungeprüft mitzunehmen.
Raum fĂĽr Raum die versteckten Kartonfresser finden
Space control does not start in the living room, but where many small and heavy objects come together. Go through the old apartment with a tally sheet and mark rooms with particularly high content. This is how you can tell whether your rough value is realistic.
Kitchen and living area
The kitchen is the most common box eater. Dishes, glasses, pots, kitchen utensils, supplies and spices are spread across many cupboards. Fragile things need padding and therefore take up more volume than a casual glance would suggest. Pack heavy pots and supplies into smaller boxes to keep the boxes portable.
In the living room, the main demand is for books, electronics and decorations. Books don't belong in big boxes. A small box with tightly packed books makes more sense than a half-full large box that is still too heavy.
Bedroom, children's room and bathroom
Clothes, shoes, bed linen and bags collect in the bedroom. Clothes seem light, but they quickly fill up closet compartments. Hanging clothing should be transported as upright and as wrinkle-free as possible, while folded textiles can serve well as cushioning material for delicate items.
Children's rooms change the estimate with toys, craft materials and books. Sort out damaged or no longer used items before packing. The volume in the bathroom is usually smaller, but bottles and care products must be sealed so that they do not leak.
Basement and attic
Basement, attic and hobby rooms often decide whether the original order is sufficient. Tools, sporting goods, Christmas decorations, memorabilia and supplies are rarely arranged neatly according to box volume. You should record these areas separately and not simply include them in the living space.
Practical tip:If the basement and attic are well filled, do not rely on the lower half of your estimate.
The Swiss relocation study states on average19 boxes for a single-person householdand31 boxes for an average Swiss household(Ergebnisse der Movu-Umzugsstudie). Use these values ​​as a guide, but correct them after your room inspection. A household with few possessions is lower, an apartment with many additional rooms is significantly higher.
Box sizes, weight and typical errors when packing
The right number is of little help if the boxes are chosen incorrectly. In Swiss volume guides, standard boxes with approximately 64 Ă— 35 Ă— 38 cmor50 Ă— 30 Ă— 35 cmare used as a reference (Checkliste fĂĽr Umzugsmaterial). Mix sizes, but convert different boxes based on their volume instead of counting each box as equivalent.
A small box fits books, files and heavy dishes. Medium standard boxes are suitable for kitchen utensils, decorations and smaller electrical appliances. Large boxes are useful for clothing, bed linen and light items. Special solutions are worthwhile for hanging clothes, bottles and delicate dishes because they make packing more stable and clearer.
What regularly goes wrong when packing
- Books in large boxes:The box quickly becomes too heavy and is difficult to carry.
- Dishes without solid layering:Voids and a lack of padding increase this Risk of breakage.
- Overfilling boxes:The lid must close and the handles must not come off.
- Only one box size use:A uniform box is easy to order, but impractical for heavy and light contents.
- Forget furniture and archive loads:For particularly heavy contents you need additional stability and a realistic volume reserve.
Safety rule:A box is well packed when it is closed, stable and can be carried without compensating maneuvers.
A clear selection of suitableUmzugskartons und Verpackungsmaterialmakes it easier to mix small, medium and specialized boxes. Don't just buy by quantity. Check load capacity, handles, lids and the possibility of passing on used boxes later.
Buffers, procurement and disposal after the move
Plan a small practical buffer after the combined calculation without treating an unused percentage as an exact rule. Objects appear from drawers, basement shelves and the attic, especially in the final packing phase. Those who have a tight budget for boxes often opt for bags or unstable used boxes.
A 4-room move can60 to 80 moving boxescreate. The folded boxes result in around 10 to 15 bundles of 25 kg each(Hinweise zur Kartonentsorgung in der Schweiz). This quickly exceeds the usual municipal cardboard collection for households. Therefore, clarify early on whether return, resale, reuse or a separate collection point is planned in your community.
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