🗃️ Storage Bin Count Calculator
Figure out how many storage bins you need based on your total volume of items and each bin's capacity.
How many bins the volume needs
One division, rounded up, because you cannot buy part of a bin:
bins = ceiling(total volume / bin capacity)The starting figures divide cleanly: 40 cubic feet at 2.5 cubic feet a bin is 16. Push the total to 41 and the answer becomes 17, since the leftover cubic foot still has to live somewhere.
Estimating the volume, and reading the capacity
Nobody knows their cubic feet offhand. Two ways to get a number worth typing:
- Pile it up. Gather everything into one heap, measure its length, width and height in feet and multiply. A 4 ft by 3 ft heap standing 3 ft high is 36 cubic feet.
- Count shelves. A loaded shelf 3 ft long, 18 in deep and 12 in high holds 4.5 cubic feet. Ten such shelves is 45.
Bins are usually sold in gallons, so divide by 7.48 to get the capacity box:
| Bin | Cubic feet |
|---|---|
| 12 gallon | 1.6 |
| 18 gallon | 2.4 |
| 27 gallon | 3.6 |
| 55 gallon | 7.4 |
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet is a 27 gallon storage tote?
About 3.6, since a cubic foot is 7.48 US gallons. An 18 gallon tote is 2.4 and a 12 gallon one is 1.6.
How many bins do I need for Christmas decorations?
Most households run 8 to 15 cubic feet, so three to five 27 gallon totes. Keep the tree in its own bin, since it alone is often 4 cubic feet.
How high can I stack storage bins?
Four to five for full-size totes, and lower if the contents are heavy. Plastic lids bow under load, so put the heaviest bins on the floor and anything fragile on top.