Founder, Hartmann Removals
Published 17 September 2026
Updated 17 September 2026
One 10 cubic metre storage pod holds roughly the contents of a one-bedroom or small two-bedroom apartment. That’s the quick answer — but how much you need depends on your home size, how much you’ve decluttered, and whether you’re storing everything or just the overflow. Here’s how to work it out.
Get it right and you pay for exactly the space you use. Get it wrong and you’re either cramming or paying for empty pod. So this guide covers what actually fits, how many pods each home needs, and how to estimate before you book.
What fits in one 10m³ pod
A single 10m³ pod is about the size of a small single garage’s worth of space. Packed properly, it comfortably holds:
- A three-seat sofa or a two-seater plus an armchair
- A queen bed frame and mattress
- A fridge and a washing machine
- A dining table and chairs
- A chest of drawers or a small wardrobe
- A TV and a bookshelf
- 20–30 medium moving boxes
The catch is packed properly. Disassembled furniture, uniform boxes and filled gaps mean a pod holds far more than the same items loaded loosely. A badly packed pod can hold half what a well-packed one does — which is the single biggest reason people think they need more space than they do.
How many pods by home size
Pod count is what drives your monthly cost, so size it honestly:
| Home | Pods you’ll likely need |
|---|---|
| Studio / 1-bed apartment | 1 pod |
| 2-bed apartment or unit | 1–2 pods |
| 3-bed house | 2–3 pods |
| 4-bed house | 3–4 pods |
| 5+ bed house | 4+ pods |
These are honest ranges. A decluttered two-bed often fits one pod; a full one with a study and a balcony’s worth of extras runs to two. The number moves with your volume, not just the bedroom count.
How to estimate your space
Three ways, from quickest to most accurate:
- Home-size rule of thumb. Use the table above as a starting point. It’s right for most people within one pod.
- Count the big items and the boxes. List the furniture that won’t disassemble flat (sofas, fridge, mattress) and estimate your box count — most homes run 5–10 boxes per room. That tells you whether you’re at the low or high end of the range.
- A walk-through or video call. The most accurate by far. We look at what’s actually going and size the pods with you, so you’re not guessing. It takes ten minutes and it’s the difference between one trip and an awkward “we need another pod” on the day.
Tips to fit more in a pod (and pay for fewer)
- Disassemble the big pieces. Bed frames, table legs and flat-pack shelving stored flat save enormous space.
- Box uniformly. Same-size boxes stack into a solid wall; odd shapes leave gaps.
- Fill the gaps. Soft items — linen, cushions, clothes — pack into the spaces around furniture.
- Store heavy low, light high. Same as loading a truck: it’s stable and you fit more.
- Declutter first. The cheapest space is the stuff you don’t store at all — our guide to decluttering before a move is the biggest saving here.
When you’ll need a second pod
If you’re storing a whole home rather than the overflow, if you’ve got a garage or shed to clear as well, or if you simply haven’t decluttered, plan for the higher end of the range. The good news with pods is that space flexes: a second pod is added at the same monthly rate, so an underestimate is a quick fix, not a redo. We’d still rather size it right up front so collection day is smooth.
Work it out with us
The surest way to size your storage is to let us do it on a quick call — no guessing, no paying for empty pod. See the full Sydney storage pods rundown, check what storage pods cost, or get a storage quote and we’ll confirm the pod count with you before we arrive.