For a typical furnished 2-bedroom apartment (~1,000 sq ft), a 10×15 storage unit (150 sq ft) is usually the right size. For minimally furnished or smaller 2-bedrooms, a 10×10 works. For 2-bedroom apartments with a full living room, dining room, and lots of boxes, step up to 10×20.

The quick math

A typical 2-bedroom apartment contains:

• 1 sofa + loveseat or 2 chairs
• 1 coffee table + 1-2 end tables
• 1 dining table + 4 chairs (sometimes)
• 1 entertainment center + TV
• 2 mattresses (queen + queen, or queen + full)
• 2 dressers + 2-4 nightstands
• 50-100 boxes of clothes, kitchen items, books, decor
• Lamps, mirrors, rugs

Total: roughly 125-175 cubic feet of packed volume plus furniture footprint.

A 10×10 unit (100 sq ft, ~800 cubic ft when stacked to ceiling) holds this if you pack efficiently and stack to the ceiling.

A 10×15 unit (150 sq ft, ~1,200 cubic ft) holds this comfortably with room to access items.

A 10×20 unit (200 sq ft, ~1,600 cubic ft) is overkill unless you have unusually large furniture or additional items (bikes, kayaks, large electronics).

When 10×10 is enough

• 2-bedroom apartment with minimal furniture
• One person’s stuff from a 2-bedroom shared apartment
• You’re willing to pack densely and don’t need to access middle items often
• You don’t have oversized furniture (sectional, king bed, oversized dining table)

When 10×15 is the right pick (most common)

• Standard furnished 2-bedroom apartment
• You want to be able to access items without unloading the whole unit
• You have a queen or full bed plus standard furniture
• You’re storing for more than 60 days

When 10×20 is necessary

• Furnished 2-bedroom apartment + outdoor equipment (bikes, kayaks, exercise equipment)
• 2-bedroom with sectional sofa, king bed, or oversized dining table
• 2-bedroom plus office/extra room contents
• You want enough room to walk into the unit

How to size accurately

The most reliable method: list every furniture item + estimate box count, then look at a sizing chart.

A typical 2-bedroom has:

• 5×5 worth of “small stuff” (lamps, decorations, kitchen items in boxes)
• 5×10 worth of bedroom contents
• 5×10 worth of living room
• 5×5 worth of misc (vacuum, ironing board, small appliances)

That’s roughly 25 ft × 10 ft of flat layout, which fits in a 10×15 stacked.

Tips for packing efficiently

• Disassemble what you can — bed frames, dining tables, shelving units
• Stack to the ceiling — most units have 8-9 ft ceilings; using full height nearly doubles capacity
• Box uniform sizes stack cleanly; mixed sizes waste 15-25% of space
• Hollow furniture holds boxes — dresser drawers, oven (if storing it), refrigerator (cleaned and propped open)
• Leave a center aisle so you can reach the back without unloading everything

Climate-controlled or standard?

For a 2-bedroom apartment’s contents:

• Climate-controlled if storing wood furniture, leather, books, electronics, photos, instruments for more than 90 days
• Standard is fine for outdoor equipment, garage stuff, items in sealed bins

For most apartment contents stored over a season change, climate-controlled is worth the 20-30% premium.

Frequently asked follow-ups

What size for a 1-bedroom apartment? Usually a 10×10. Smaller efficient 1-bedrooms fit in a 5×10.

What size for a 3-bedroom apartment? Usually a 10×20. Larger 3-bedrooms with extensive furniture often need a 10×25 or 10×30.

What size for a house? 2-bedroom house = 10×15 or 10×20. 3-bedroom house = 10×25. 4+ bedroom house = 10×30.

Can I just upgrade later? Yes — Forward Storage allows unit-size changes mid-rental subject to availability. Better to slightly oversize than to scramble for a second unit later.

Ready to compare?

Use our Size Guide → or call 888-684-4933 to walk through your specific situation.