--- title: Moving Truck Size: How Much Space Your Home Needs url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-truck-size/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving guides](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/) - How big a truck does your move need? # Moving truck size Truck size follows the volume and weight of what you own, not the number of bedrooms. A useful way to picture volume is a vault: an O'Brien's wooden storage vault is 7 by 7 by 5 feet, or 245 cubic feet, and a household is a count of how many such vaults it fills. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) Renting a truck that is too small means a second trip. Hiring a crew whose truck is too small is the mover's problem, not yours, because the estimator sizes the load before the day. Either way, the sizing starts with the same thing: an honest count of what you own. ## Think in volume and in weight Volume decides whether the load fits. Weight decides how a long-distance move is priced. A shipment of books and a shipment of curtains can fill the same truck and weigh very differently. Long-distance moves through the Bekins network are priced by weight, so a careful survey matters more than a guess at truck length. A wooden vault of 245 cubic feet gives you a unit to count. Picture a vault filled to the top: a few boxes and a chair, or a dresser, a mattress set and a pile of boxes. A household that fills many vaults needs a large truck; one that fills a few might share a truck with another shipment. ## Walk through the home, room by room - Living room: sofas, chairs, tables, TV and stand, shelves and the contents of every shelf. - Bedrooms: beds and mattresses, dressers, nightstands, closets and what hangs in them. - Kitchen and dining: the table and chairs, and the contents of every cabinet. - Garage, attic and shed: the rooms households forget, and often the heaviest. - Outdoors: patio sets, grills, planters, tools and playsets. - Large items: piano, pool table, hot tub, safe, treadmill. Each one changes how the load is built. ## Let the estimator do the sizing An O'Brien's estimator walks the home, counts the furniture and the boxes you expect to pack, and writes an itemized written estimate. That visit is where the truck, the crew size and the days are decided. Because it is free and carries no obligation, it is also the cheapest way to avoid a wrong guess. See [how our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/). ## If you rent a truck yourself Rental companies publish capacity guides for each truck, and those are written for average homes. Add a margin for the garage and for anything you plan to buy before the move. If the load does not fit, the unplanned second trip costs more time than a larger truck would have. Another option is to hire a crew to load and unload a rental truck, trailer or PODS container that you drive; [loading and unloading help](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/loading-and-unloading-help/) explains it. The [load planner](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/tools/load-planner/) gives a first look at how much space you need. ## Heavy and awkward items Count a piano, a pool table or a hot tub on their own line. They take floor space, need straps or a ramp, and can set the order in which the truck is loaded. Tell the estimator at the start so the crew arrives with the right gear. ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [eCFR, 49 CFR 375.401 to 375.407 (estimates)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-375) - [FMCSA, Protect Your Move](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move) ### Free in-home estimate - An O'Brien's estimator walks through your home - A written, itemized estimate - 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep [How our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Load Planner: estimate your move size (no prices)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/tools/load-planner/) - [Storage vault sizer](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/tools/storage-vault-sizer/) - [How our estimates work: phone ballpark, online request, in-home estimate](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) - [Hiring movers vs renting a truck](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/hiring-movers-vs-renting-a-truck/) Moving guides ## Read next - [How many boxes do I need?](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-many-boxes-do-i-need/) - [Portable containers vs full-service movers](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/pods-vs-full-service-movers/) - [Vault storage vs self storage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/vault-storage-vs-self-storage/) - [How to prepare furniture for storage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/preparing-furniture-for-storage/) - [Long-term storage tips](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/long-term-storage-tips/) - [How to pack for a move](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-pack-for-a-move/) - [How to pack dishes](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-pack-dishes/) - [How to pack glasses and stemware](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-pack-glasses/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### Is a bigger truck always safer? A truck that is too large wastes space and fuel and lets the load shift, so the goal is a good fit. ### Why is long-distance pricing by weight? Interstate shipments through Bekins are priced by weight, which is also why a careful estimate matters. ### What size is a vault? An O'Brien's wooden vault is 7 by 7 by 5 feet. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) N Nadine K. May 15, 2025 The guys were very friendly and hard working. Would definitely use them again! ### Owner's reply Nadine, We are pleased you chose us for your move, it was a pleasure working with you! We are extremely happy the move was a success. G Greg S. January 22, 2025 3 O'Brien movers came down from Reno to South Lake Tahoe to assist our company moving a lot of big furniture out of a large warehouse. They showed up on-time, were friendly, and were professional and got the job done quickly and diligently. Will definitely use them again. ### Owner's reply Thanks for the great review Greg! We really appreciate you taking the time to do that for us. We look forward to working with you again! B Bruce E. December 25, 2024 My family moved exclusively with Bekins when I was young and O'Brien's made it a pleasure to return to this fine local company. I would be pleased to have any members of O'Brien's as friends and highly recommend O'Brien's to anyone needing the services they provide! ### Owner's reply Bruce thank you so much for taking the time to review our company. It was an extreme pleasure to work for you, please do not hesitate to call us for any help you need in the future. ## Get your free, in-home moving estimate An estimator visits, walks through everything and gives you a written, itemized estimate. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070