A four-bedroom house usually needs a 10x30 storage unit — 300 square feet, the largest standard self-storage size. A tightly packed four-bedroom with no garage can fit in a 10x20. One with a full garage, large furniture, or a vehicle usually needs more than one standard unit.

The quick answer by situation

Your four-bedroom house	Unit size to start with
Packed tight, no garage, modest furniture	10x20 (200 sq ft)
Typical furniture and appliances	10x30 (300 sq ft)
Typical furniture, appliances, and a full garage	10x30 plus a 10x10, or a 20x20 (400 sq ft)
Everything above plus a car, boat, or camper	20x30 (600 sq ft)

What a 4-bedroom house usually adds up to

Compared with a three-bedroom, the fourth bedroom is rarely the problem. It's everything that tends to come with a bigger house:

• A fourth bedroom set or home office — a bed and dresser, or a desk, chair, and filing cabinets.
• A second living area — a family room or game room means a second sofa, another TV, and often a sectional.
• Bigger dining and kitchen — a larger table, a hutch or buffet, more small appliances.
• A second refrigerator or a freezer.
• A garage that's actually full — tools, a workbench, bikes, sports gear, holiday bins.
• More boxes — 100 to 140 medium boxes is common.

One big unit or two smaller ones?

Once a house outgrows a 10x30, most people end up renting two units: a 10x30 plus a 10x10, or two 10x20s. That works, but it has real costs:

• Two doors, two locks, two trips every time you need something.
• Splitting the load means guessing which unit you put the kitchen boxes in.
• Two rents that, added together, can come close to the price of one larger unit.

One wider unit is usually easier. A 20x20 (400 square feet) holds a four-bedroom house with a garage in one space, if you can find a facility that builds them.

Packing tips for a big house

• Load by room, in reverse — what you'll need last goes in first, against the back wall.
• Label boxes on two sides with the room and a short contents list.
• Leave a center aisle in anything deeper than 20 feet, or the back half becomes unreachable.
• Use the height — freestanding shelving turns wasted air above your furniture into usable space.
• Protect furniture from heat — in Bakersfield, cover wood and upholstery with breathable pads, not plastic, which traps moisture.

When the move includes a vehicle

Many four-bedroom moves include more than furniture: a car that won't fit in the rental, a boat or camper with nowhere to go, or a long build in between houses. That's usually two or three standard units, and it's where Elite's units make sense.

Our smallest unit is a 20x30 — 600 square feet with a 16-foot ceiling, so roughly 9,600 cubic feet in one space. That's enough for a four-bedroom house and a car side by side. Every unit is enclosed and drive-up, with a 12- to 14-foot roll-up door you can back a moving truck to, concrete floors, lights and outlets, insulated walls and ceiling, and month-to-month terms.

If you're storing a four-bedroom house and nothing else, a 10x30 at a standard facility is probably cheaper, and you should go with that.

Frequently asked questions

What size storage unit do I need for a 4-bedroom house?

A 10x30 for most four-bedroom homes. A 10x20 can work if it's packed tight and there's no garage; with a full garage, plan on a 10x30 plus a 10x10, or a 20x20.

Will a 4-bedroom house fit in a 10x20?

Sometimes, if the furniture is modest and you pack every foot to the ceiling. Most four-bedroom homes need more. See how big a 10x30 is.

How many boxes does a 4-bedroom house need?

Usually 100 to 140 medium boxes, plus wardrobe boxes for closets.

Is it better to rent one large unit or two small ones?

One, if you can. You'll save trips and keep the load together, and two rents added up can come close to the cost of one larger unit.

What about a 5-bedroom house?

Plan on a 20x20 or larger. See what size unit a 5-bedroom house needs.

Get a size recommendation

Try the Bakersfield storage size calculator. If a single big unit sounds easier, see the current move-in special, reserve online, or contact us.