Planning a road trip soon? If so, you’re probably thinking about what you need to pack. And if you’re going to be putting your things inside boxes, you’ll want to know how many of them can fit inside your car.
You can fit 38 medium-sized U-Haul boxes in a medium-sized car, such as a Toyota Camry. This includes the passenger and trunk space. Alternatively, you could fit 77 small, 25 large, or 6 extra-large boxes. 5 medium, 10 small, 3 large, and 2 extra-large boxes can fit in the trunk.
Read on to find out how many suitcases you can fit in a trunk and how to maximize space in your car when packing.
What Affects How Many Boxes You Can Fit in a Car?
Now that you know how many boxes you can fit in a car, I can discuss why you’d pack more or fewer boxes into a car.
The number of passengers, pets, and the box size and shape affect how many boxes you can fit in a car. Other factors include leaving space for back window visibility and other luggage.
The Number of Passengers or Pets
I just described how many boxes you can fit in a standard sedan, but this assumes that you don’t have any passengers.
The number of passengers or pets will affect how many boxes you can fit into your car. For example, if you have only one passenger in the front, you can dedicate the backseat and trunk area for boxes.
Box Size and Shape
The size and shape of your boxes will affect how many you can fit in your car. In the first section, I described the dimensions for standard-sized boxes, such as those you’d buy from U-Haul.
If your boxes have a standard square or rectangular shape, you can stack them to optimize space. However, if they have odd shapes, it will be more challenging to fit other boxes around them.
Back Window Visibility
The first section described how many boxes you can fit into a Toyota Camry, assuming you fill it completely. This doesn’t free the space around the back and side windows and can obstruct your driving visibility.
Although this would be acceptable for a short journey, if you’re embarking on a long road trip, you should pack fewer boxes to have a clear view of the windows.
Other Luggage
If you’re only transporting boxes, you can fit more into your car than if you’re also transporting luggage and other items.
On a road trip, you might have the following items in your car:
- Food
- Bag for trash
- Winter jacket
- First aid box
How Many Suitcases Can You Fit in a Trunk?
You can fit 10 small, 5 medium, and 3 large suitcases in a standard sedan’s trunk. If you have an SUV, you can fit 26 small, 14 medium, and 9 large suitcases in the trunk.
Below is a table explaining this in more detail:
| Trunk Capacity | Small Suitcase Capacity(1.41 cubic feet/40 liters) | Medium Suitcase Capacity(2.65 cubic feet/75 liters) | Large Suitcase Capacity(4.13 cubic feet/117 liters) | |
| Toyota Camry (standard sedan) | 15.1 cubic feet (427.58 liters) | 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Toyota RAV4 (standard SUV) | 37.6 cubic feet (1064.71 liters) | 26 | 14 | 9 |
How To Maximize Space in Your Car
Need to transport a lot of boxes or luggage during your road trip? Here’s how to maximize space in your car:
Pack Large Items First
If you have large suitcases or boxes, pack them into your car first. It’s easier to fit smaller items into nooks and crannies after you’ve found space for the big ones.
For instance, you can easily squash a bag of candy or some books between a box and a suitcase.
Lay Blankets Flat
Many people enjoy camping or staying at a self-catering cabin. If this sounds like you, you might bring your own bedding with you.
When rolled up, bedding is bulky and takes up valuable real estate in a vehicle. However, if you lay it flat, it takes up very little space, and you can easily pack other items on top.
Consider Roof Storage
If you don’t want to fill your car to the brim with boxes and luggage, consider roof storage. This can make your road trip safer and more comfortable.
MeeFar Car Roof Bag from Amazon is waterproof and straps securely to your car’s body. It provides 20 cubic feet (566.34 liters) of space and is compatible with most vehicles.
Use a Sports Bag Instead of a Suitcase
Suitcases (especially hard ones) are pretty inflexible and more challenging to squeeze into tight spaces. Most also have wheels and handles, which take up extra space.
If you don’t have to drag your luggage through an airport, consider using a soft sports bag instead. Sports bags are more pliable and easier to fit into tight spaces.
Use the Glove Box
Surprisingly, your car’s glove box can hold many items. Most people use glove boxes to keep the car manual and an ice scraper. However, if you’re going on a road trip during the summer, you can leave both things at home. This should get you a bit of extra space.
Here are some examples of things you can store in the glove box:
- Small bag of snacks
- Hand sanitizer
- Wipes
- Trash bag
- First aid kit
Spring Clean
Before leaving on your road trip, give your car a thorough clean, and remove any unnecessary items, such as work tools, spare jackets, and trash.
After the spring clean, there might be some extra space that you can use for luggage or boxes.
Conclusion
If you have a standard sedan, you can fit many boxes in your car: 77 small, 38 medium, 25 large, or 6 extra-large boxes.
This assumes that you use the area behind the driver and passenger seat and the trunk and doesn’t account for leaving space around the windows to have a clear view while driving.
For a safe road trip, you might consider packing fewer boxes so that you have good visibility.
Sources
- Andy Mohr Toyota: Toyota Camry Dimensions Avon IN
- U-Haul: Medium Moving Box
- You Could Travel: Guide To Suitcase & Luggage Sizes
- Andy Mohr Toyota: Toyota Rav4 Dimensions
