How to Choose the Right Storage Container Size

Here’s a mistake we see all the time: somebody rents a 40-foot container when they really only needed a 20. They’re paying for twice the space, and half the container sits empty for six months. On the flip side, we’ve had people show up with a 20-footer’s worth of stuff and try to cram it into an 8-foot unit. That doesn’t end well either.

Picking the right container size saves you money and frustration. It’s not complicated, but it does help to know what you’re working with. Here’s a breakdown of standard shipping container sizes and what actually fits inside each one.

An 8-foot container is roughly the size of a large walk-in closet. Inside dimensions are about 7 feet wide, 8 feet tall, and 8 feet deep. That gives you around 450 cubic feet of space.

This size works well for:

• Contents of one or two rooms (bedroom furniture, a desk, some boxes)
• Seasonal items — holiday decorations, patio furniture, winter tires
• A small workshop’s worth of tools and supplies
• Overflow from a renovation (kitchen appliances, cabinetry, flooring)

If you’re renovating a bathroom and kitchen in your Barrhaven semi and you just need the contents of those rooms out of the way for a couple months, this is your unit. It’s the cheapest option, and you won’t be paying for air.

A 40-foot container is serious storage. You’re looking at around 2,390 cubic feet — 8 feet wide, about 8.5 feet tall, and 40 feet deep. It’s the length of a school bus.

This is the right call when you have:

• The full contents of a three-bedroom (or larger) house
• A contractor’s inventory of materials, equipment, and tools
• Commercial stock or seasonal business inventory in bulk
• Multiple vehicles’ worth of parts or workshop contents
• Everything from a major estate cleanout

Contractors working jobs along the 417 from Kanata to Arnprior love the 40-footer. You can fit skids of lumber, bundles of drywall, a table saw, a compressor, and still have room to walk in and grab what you need. It beats renting warehouse space, and the month-to-month terms mean you’re not stuck with it once the project wraps up.

Pack Smart

Heavy stuff on the bottom, light stuff on top. Disassemble furniture where you can — table legs come off, bed frames break down, shelving units stack flat. Use uniform box sizes so they stack neatly. Ottawa’s humidity in July and August can be real, so throw a couple of moisture absorbers (you can grab them at Canadian Tire or Home Depot) inside the container if you’re storing anything fabric or paper-based.

Leave an Aisle

Especially in a 20-foot or 40-foot container, resist the urge to pack from wall to wall. Leave a path down the middle or along one side. You will need to get to something in the back at some point — that’s a guarantee, not a maybe.

Put Frequently Needed Items Near the Door

Sounds obvious, but people forget. If you know you’ll need the camping gear in August, don’t bury it behind the couch. Same goes for seasonal clothing, tools you use occasionally, or that box of tax documents your accountant might ask for.

Protect the Floor

Containers have plywood or steel flooring. Laying down a tarp or old blankets before loading helps protect your items from any condensation that might form on the floor during temperature swings. Not strictly necessary, but it’s cheap insurance.