Size guide
How big is a 20ft storage container?
About 5.9 metres long, 2.35 metres wide and 2.39 metres high inside. That is roughly 33 cubic metres, enough for a typical three bedroom house.
Dimensions
20ft container dimensions
- Length inside
- 5.9 m
- Width inside
- 2.35 m
- Height inside
- 2.39 m
- Floor area
- About 13.9 m²
- Volume
- About 33 m³
- Door opening
- About 2.34 m wide, 2.28 m high
Standard 20ft general purpose container measurements. Individual containers vary by a few centimetres.
Half or full
Which size do you need?
A half container gives you about 16 cubic metres behind your own lockable door for $140 a month. A full container gives you the whole 33 cubic metres for $220.
| What you are storing | Size to pick |
|---|---|
| Boxes, sports gear, seasonal bits | Half |
| Student flat or single bedroom | Half |
| One to two bedroom flat or unit | Half |
| Trade tools and a few pallets of stock | Half |
| Three bedroom house | Full |
| Four bedroom house with a garage | Full, plus a half if the garage is loaded |
| Renovation with furniture and materials | Full |
| Shop or office fit out | Full |
We would pick
Full 20ft Container
$220 a month, GST included
A full 20ft container is the standard pick for a three bedroom house, garage included.
Packing
How to pack a storage container
Heavy and square at the back
Whiteware, drawers and solid boxes go in first and low. Build a flat wall, then stack lighter things on top.
Stand it on end
Couches, mattresses and tabletops take far less floor when they stand upright along a wall.
Leave an aisle
A narrow walkway down one side means you can reach the back without unloading the front.
Lift it off the floor
Pallets or timber under boxes and mattresses let air move and keep things fresh over a long stay.
Same size boxes
Uniform cartons stack to the roof safely. Mixed sizes waste a surprising amount of space.
Label the side, not the top
You will be looking at a wall of boxes, so write on the face you can see.
Size questions
How big is a 20ft storage container?
A standard 20ft container is about 5.9 metres long, 2.35 metres wide and 2.39 metres high on the inside. That is roughly 33 cubic metres of space and close to 14 square metres of floor.
What fits in a 20ft container?
The contents of a typical three bedroom house, including whiteware, beds, lounge and dining furniture and the garage. As boxes, it holds roughly 180 to 200 standard moving cartons.
What fits in a half container?
About 16 cubic metres, which suits a one or two bedroom flat, a garage clear out, or tools and stock for a small business. Each half has its own lockable door.
Should I get a half or a full container?
If you are storing a whole house of three bedrooms or more, go full. For a flat, a single room, sports gear or business stock, a half is usually plenty. If you are between the two, text Kyle a quick list and he will tell you straight.
Still not sure on size?
Text Kyle a quick list of what you are storing. He will tell you straight whether a half will do.