You'll Need A 20FT or 26FT Truck To Move a Three Bedroom House.
- American National Movers
- Jun 7
- 3 min read
Homes with three bedrooms and other fully furnished rooms (living room, dining room, kitchen, basement, etc.) will likely need a 26 foot truck to accommodate your load. If you have a lot of stuff, you may even need more than one 26ft truck. However, if you're in a three-bedroom home with minimal furniture, a 20-foot truck is likely to suffice. The key words are "minimal furniture" because a 20-foot truck has a capacity of only 1,000 cubic feet, which is a relatively small amount of space.
What Size Truck Do I Need For A Three Bedroom Home?
Moving a three-bedroom home long distance marks the point where truck rental options become a bit tricky. Unlike a studio or one-bedroom apartment, a three-bedroom home typically includes multiple large items, such as sofas, dining tables, mattresses, and possibly appliances. Below, we lay out exactly how to decide between a 20-ft and a 26-ft truck (and when you're better off hiring full-service movers).
Rule Of Thumb: 20FT Truck (1,000CF) Vs. 26FT Truck (1,600CF).
A 20-foot truck is recommended for the smaller three-bedroom homes with minimal furniture. However, if you have a three-bedroom with a basement garage and a lot of furniture, understand that a 26 foot truck is not as big as you think:
To put It Simply:
Choose a 20-foot truck if:
Your home is lightly furnished.
You don't have bulky items such as large armoires, hutches, or extensive garage storage.
You have fewer than 50 boxes.
Choose a 26-foot truck if:
You have multiple fully furnished rooms.
You own bulky furniture items or large appliances.
You have a moderate to large number of boxes (around 60 to 100 boxes).
26-Foot Truck Is Not As Big As You Think.
On Reddit forums, a consumer reported that they didn't have much, including two beds, three dressers, a couch, a recliner, a dining table, and some other miscellaneous items, but not everything fit. Though a 26-foot truck is significantly larger than a cargo van, it's not an 18-wheeler.
Here's what you need to know:
Bulky items quickly consume space: Even a single sectional sofa, large dining set, or appliances can significantly reduce your available cubic footage.
Box counts add up fast: 50 to 100 boxes might seem manageable, but each box takes up valuable space, especially if poorly packed or awkwardly stacked.
Professional packing matters: Professional movers know precisely how to maximize space through efficient stacking and disassembly. DIY movers often lose 15-20% of usable space due to inefficient packing.
Consider Affordable Long Distance Movers.
When getting a quote from an overpriced major van line, it's normal to want to rent a truck and do it yourself. However, there are cheaper long-distance moving options, such as American National Movers, with an average cost of $5,000. After factoring in the costs for lodging, fuel, packing materials, and other misc expenses, the cost to use a U-haul is almost the same price as working with affordable movers.
Professional movers provide:
Full loading, stacking, and unloading
Furniture disassembly and reassembly
Insurance options and liability protection
Fast, efficient, and less physically demanding relocation
Three Bedrooms Need A 26FT Truck or More.
When moving a fully furnished three-bedroom home, a 26-foot truck is usually the minimum. While a smaller, 20-foot truck might seem appealing to save money, it will only work for homes that are minimally furnished. For most average-sized three-bedroom homes—including living rooms, dining areas, garages, basements, or offices—a 26-foot truck is essential.
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