Almost every move in Ventura County starts with a guess. "We probably need 40 boxes?" Then it's either a midnight run to buy more, or a garage full of empties you paid for and never used. Here's what our neighbors in Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, and Oxnard actually use, room by room.
Why room count is the wrong way to estimate
People estimate by bedrooms. Volume doesn't work that way. A home office full of books and files packs completely differently from a guest room with an empty closet. Density matters more than square footage.
Three questions settle it for any room:
- Furniture: What's coming with you versus staying or being sold?
- Storage density: Are the closets, cabinets, and drawers packed or half-empty?
- Specialty items: Books, tools, holiday decor, sports gear, collections?
Why totes make the math easier
Every one of our totes is identical — 27" x 17" x 12", rated to 65 lbs. No guessing between "medium" and "large," no tape, no assembly. One size means one number to plan around, and because they're rigid they stack flat in the truck without crushing what's underneath. A rigid tote also holds its shape the whole way, so the way you packed it is the way it arrives.
Studio and 1-bedroom tote counts
A studio in Ventura runs about 18–22 totes. Our Studio package is $119 and includes ~20 totes plus a dolly, delivered and picked up free.
- Living/sleeping area: 5–7 totes
- Kitchen: 4–5 totes
- Bathroom: 1–2 totes
- Closet and off-season: 5–7 totes
- Books, decor, tech: 2–3 totes
A one-bedroom in Newbury Park or Thousand Oaks typically lands at 26–32 totes — that's the 1-Bedroom package at $149 with ~30 totes.
- Bedroom and closet: 9–12 totes
- Living room: 5–7 totes
- Kitchen: 5–7 totes
- Bathroom: 1–2 totes
- Hall closet and misc: 4–6 totes
The single biggest swing at this size is the closet. A walk-in versus a single rod is an easy 4-tote difference.
2-bedroom tote counts
Two-bedroom homes in Camarillo, Ventura, and Simi Valley usually need 36–45 totes. Our 2-Bedroom package is $179 with ~40 totes — it's the one most families pick.
- Primary bedroom: 10–13 totes
- Second bedroom: 6–10 totes (guest room low, kid's room or office high)
- Living room: 6–8 totes
- Kitchen: 6–8 totes
- Bathrooms: 2–3 totes combined
- Hall closet, laundry, misc: 5–8 totes
Quick checkpoint: if both bedrooms are genuinely lived in with full closets, plan for the top of the range. If one is storage or guest use, drop 6–8 totes.
3-bedroom tote counts
Three-bedroom homes in Oxnard, Moorpark, and Santa Paula generally need 48–60 totes. That's the 3-Bedroom package at $229 with ~55 totes and two dollies. Larger households with a full garage often move up to the 4-Bedroom package ($299, ~75 totes).
- Primary bedroom: 12–15 totes
- Bedroom two: 8–11 totes
- Bedroom three: 6–9 totes
- Living and dining: 8–12 totes
- Kitchen: 7–10 totes
- Bathrooms: 3–4 totes
- Hall, laundry, misc: 6–10 totes
Don't forget the garage
This is where estimates blow up. "Garage stuff is just a few boxes" turns into a full afternoon and a dozen extra containers. Add 8–15 totes if you check three or more of these:
- Holiday decorations and a tree
- Off-season clothing or sports gear stored out there
- Tools, workshop, or craft supplies
- Bulk paper goods and pantry overflow
- Camping or beach equipment
Garage items are exactly where plastic beats cardboard — sharp tools, damp gear, and heavy hardware punch straight through a box. Coastal fog and a rainy morning in Ventura will soften cardboard before you've finished loading. Our totes don't care.
The 3-step formula for your exact count
- Walk each room and rate how full it is: sparse, moderate, or packed.
- Convert: sparse = 4–6 totes, moderate = 7–10 totes, packed = 11–15 totes.
- Add the garage separately at 8–15 totes.
Example: a three-bedroom with a packed primary (12), moderate second bedroom (9), sparse guest room (5), moderate living room (9), moderate kitchen (8), bathrooms (3), and a busy garage (12) comes to about 58 totes — the 3-Bedroom package with a little room to breathe. Our tote estimator post walks through more examples.
Rental window and what's included
Every package includes free delivery and pickup countywide, at least one dolly, and a free swap if any tote arrives damaged. Studio and 1-bedroom rentals run 5 days; 2-bedroom runs a week; 3 and 4-bedroom run 10 days. Need longer? It's $59 per extra week, no drama.
The local angle
We're Jason and Jessica — a family-owned Ventura County business, not a national chain. We deliver free to Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, Moorpark, and Santa Paula. Not sure which package fits? Text us at (805) 273-8732 with your home size and we'll size it with you — it takes about two minutes.
♻️ Every rental keeps roughly 40 cardboard boxes out of the landfill.