Moving & Storage Volume Calculator
Estimate the volume of your move or storage in cubic metres and cubic feet, room by room.
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What is a moving volume calculator?
Think of this tool as a packing list that does the maths for you. Add up the sofas, wardrobes and boxes you’re taking, and Matthew James Removals Spain’s calculator turns that list into a running total in both cubic metres and cubic feet. Start with the common items, then measure anything unusual by hand. What you get at the end is a useful starting estimate, not a fixed quote, and a good companion to our free UK to Spain moving planner if you’re still at the early planning stage.
Why measure in cubic metres and cubic feet?
Removal companies size vans and containers by volume, not by room count or item count. A cubic metre (m³) is a box one metre on every side. A cubic foot (ft³) is the same idea at a smaller, imperial scale, which tends to feel more familiar if you grew up with UK measurements. To work out a custom item’s volume yourself, multiply its width, height and depth in metres. A box measuring 1.2m by 0.8m by 0.5m comes to 0.48 m³, close to 17 ft³, before adding any allowance for packing.
How accurate is this calculator?
Treat the number as a solid starting point rather than a guarantee. Furniture varies more than people expect: wardrobes marketed the same way can differ by 30% in real size, and how something is dismantled, wrapped or shaped changes the true figure. The property-size field is just a nudge to check you haven’t missed anything. It plays no part in the maths itself, which is why a one-bedroom flat full of belongings can outweigh a sparsely furnished house. Curious how a professional survey improves on this? See how we assess a move to Spain.
How we estimate furniture volume
Every item in the list carries a standard volume figure, and we multiply that by however many you select. A double bed’s figure already accounts for the mattress. Wardrobes, cupboards and bookcases are measured empty, so whatever’s inside them needs counting separately as boxes. If nothing in the list matches what you actually own closely enough, skip it and enter a custom measurement instead of force-fitting the nearest option.
Why boxes can make a big difference
People consistently underestimate how much space loose belongings take up once packed. Kitchen items, books, clothes and cupboard contents typically fill more cartons than expected, so count small, medium, large, book and wardrobe boxes as their own line items. That box figure already includes whatever’s inside it, so there’s no need to list those contents again elsewhere. If your own boxes are a different size, the custom measurement tool handles that.
Does dismantling furniture reduce its volume?
Not automatically, and this tool doesn’t build in any discount for it. Taking a bed frame apart can change how it packs into a van, but the calculator has no way to know how you’ll transport it. The safest approach: measure custom items by their packed, external dimensions if you know them, or use the wrapping allowance for anything still unpacked. Your surveyor is the right person to flag what genuinely needs dismantling, and our guide on preparing your home for export packing covers the rest.
Using your estimate for a UK, Spain or international move
The volume total works identically no matter which direction you’re moving in. Heading from the UK to Spain, or back again? Your surveyor will still confirm access and parking at both ends, alongside packing requirements, and our complete moving process guide walks through what to expect from start to finish. Moving on from Spain to a third country adds another layer: export packing and destination-specific rules this tool doesn’t account for. And if storage is all you’re weighing up for now, use the figure to start a conversation about collection, protection and how long you’ll need the space.
Planning storage instead of a move? This works too
Choose “Storage only” from the move direction menu above and build your list the same way. The total you end up with is exactly what our team needs to plan warehouse space and consignment size for your storage in Spain, whether that’s a short gap between property completions or a longer stay while you sort out permanent accommodation. Read more about when storage makes sense during a move, then bring your figure to your self-survey or a call and we’ll take it from there.
Why you should still have a professional survey
A calculator can’t judge how heavy a safe is, whether a piano will fit round a stairwell, or what access a narrow street allows on moving day. That’s still a job for a person. Matthew James Removals Spain can look over your inventory and the practical side of your move or storage requirements before putting together a quotation, either through our online self-survey or with a surveyor visiting in person.
Complete Our Self-Survey
Work through your inventory whenever suits you. Our team reviews it before your quotation is put together, no phone call needed to get started.
Arrange a Home Visit
Prefer someone to see your belongings in person? Contact Matthew James Removals Spain to arrange a surveyor visit, covering access, packing and any specialist items.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this tool tell me how much my move will cost?
No, it only works out volume. Pricing depends on a proper assessment of your move, which is exactly what the self-survey or a home visit is for.
Do I need to list absolutely everything I own?
Just the items you’re actually taking. It’s easy to forget the loft, garden shed, or a cupboard under the stairs, so it’s worth a quick check there before you finish. Anything built into the property that you’re leaving behind doesn’t need to go on the list.
An item I own needs specialist handling. What then?
Those items are marked separately in the tool, and where we don’t have a reliable standard volume for them, they’re left out of your total rather than guessed at. A surveyor needs to look at these in person, whether that’s through the self-survey photos or a home visit, since volume alone doesn’t tell us how something needs to be handled.
Can I use this if I only need storage, not a full move?
Yes. Select “Storage only” as your move direction and build your list as normal. The total tells our team how much warehouse space to plan for your consignment, whether that’s a short stay between property completions or something longer term. Read more about when storage makes sense during a move to Spain.
Does using this send my details to Matthew James Removals Spain?
No. Everything you enter stays on this page for your own reference. If you download the CSV, that’s yours to keep or send on, it isn’t automatically shared with us or attached to any enquiry.
If I leave the page, will my list still be there?
No, closing or refreshing the page clears everything you’ve entered. Download your inventory as a CSV first if you want to hold onto it or bring it to your self-survey or home visit.
