Meet the Jump-Box Tote: Size, Strength and What Fits Inside
Before you book moving boxes, you probably want to know what you're actually getting. Every Jump-Box rental is built around one box: a rigid, reusable plastic moving tote.
In this guide we'll cover how much one tote holds, what fits inside it room by room, how the totes stack when they're full and nest when they're empty, and why a reusable tote is a better moving box than cardboard in almost every way.
The Jump-Box tote at a glance
- Capacity: about 94 litres, roughly the size of a large cardboard moving box
- Walls: rigid plastic that keeps its shape when stacked
- Lid: closes without tape, so there's nothing to assemble
- Weather: water-resistant, so a wet driveway or damp truck isn't a problem
- Full: stacks securely in even columns
- Empty: nests inside other totes to save space
- Hygiene: cleaned and sanitized after every rental
- Lifespan: built to be reused for move after move
Why a rigid tote beats a cardboard box
A brand-new cardboard box is fine for one light load. The trouble starts when you fill it and stack it. Cardboard flexes, so the box at the bottom of a pile slowly buckles under the weight above it. Any moisture makes this worse: a few minutes on a damp driveway softens the base, and a soft base can give way when you lift it.
A plastic tote doesn't have those problems. The walls stay rigid whether the box is empty or full, so a tote at the bottom of a stack supports the ones above it. Dishes, books and electronics at the bottom of a pile arrive in one piece. And because plastic doesn't absorb water, the tote holds its shape whatever the Vancouver weather does on moving day.
There's also a practical difference you notice right away: you don't build a tote. There's no folding, no taping the bottom, no reinforcing a weak seam. You open the lid and start packing.
What fits inside one Jump-Box?
About 94 litres sounds abstract, so here's what one tote holds in real life. These examples come from the most common rooms in a move.
Bedding and pillows
A full set of bedding, a duvet and pillows will usually fill one tote. Bedding is bulky but light, so this box is easy to carry, and it doubles as cushioning if you need to tuck in a fragile item.
One pantry shelf
The contents of a typical pantry shelf (cans, jars, pasta, rice and dry goods) fit in one tote. Put heavy cans and jars at the bottom and lighter boxes on top. Tape down any open packets so they don't spill.
One cupboard of dishes
A cupboard of plates and bowls fits in one box when you wrap each piece and stand plates on their edges. Upright plates are much less likely to crack than plates laid flat in a stack. Fill gaps with tea towels so nothing shifts.
Books: fill halfway
Books are heavy. Fill a tote about halfway with books, then top it up with something light like linens, towels or cushions. You'll get a box one person can still lift comfortably, and you won't strain your back or the handles.
Bathroom cabinet and towels
Most bathroom cabinets and a stack of towels fit in one tote together. Put toiletries in sealed bags and wrap the towels around them. This is also a good candidate for your "open first" box.
More rules of thumb
- Clothes: a drawer and a half of folded clothes per tote. Hanging clothes travel better in a wardrobe box, which you can add when you book.
- Kitchen: plan on roughly one tote per cupboard. A small condo kitchen might fill 6 boxes; a family kitchen can easily fill 12 or more.
- Kids' toys: one tote per large toy bin, which makes unpacking the playroom easy.
- Home office: paper and files are heavy, so spread them across several boxes rather than filling one to the top.
Packing a tote so it's easy to carry
Whatever you're packing, the same few rules make each box safer and easier to move:
- Heavy at the bottom, light on top. This keeps the box stable and stops fragile things getting crushed.
- Fill the box properly. Gaps let things shift. Fill them with towels, socks or soft items.
- Keep it liftable. If you can't lift it comfortably, take something heavy out and add something light.
- Label the destination room. Write where the box is going in your new home, not just what's inside.
- Close the lid fully. A properly closed lid keeps the stack square and the contents dry.
Full? They stack. Empty? They nest.
This is the feature people notice most on moving day.
When the totes are full, they stack. Same-size boxes form neat, even columns on a dolly, in an elevator and in a truck. Loading is faster because there's no puzzle of mismatched sizes, and the load is stable because every box supports the one above it. If you're paying movers by the hour, a square, tidy load is quicker to carry and stack.
When the totes are empty, they nest. Empty totes drop inside each other, so a delivery of 25 boxes takes up a small corner of your hallway rather than an entire room. After you've unpacked, they nest again for pickup, so they're out of your way while you settle in.
Cardboard can't do either. Flat-packed boxes need to be built before they hold anything, and once they're built, they take up full space whether they're empty or not.
Built for moving, not for storage shelves
You might wonder whether you could use storage bins from a hardware store instead. You can, but they're usually designed for shelves, not moves. Many are too small to hold a real load, too flimsy to stack when full, or oddly shaped so they don't sit evenly in a truck. You'd also have to buy enough for a whole home and then store them afterwards.
Jump-Box totes are sized for moving: big enough to hold a real load, small enough to lift, and shaped to stack evenly on a dolly or in a truck. And when you're done, they go back to us instead of filling your storage locker.
Clean between every rental
A common question about any rented box is whether it's clean. Every Jump-Box tote is cleaned and sanitized after every rental, before it goes out to the next customer. That makes them safe for kitchenware, bedding and kids' things. Used cardboard from a store or an online listing has no such process, and it can carry dust, moisture or pests into your new home.
One tote, hundreds of moves
A single-use cardboard box is usually used once and then recycled, if it's recycled at all. A Jump-Box tote is reused move after move. Over its life, one tote replaces dozens of cardboard boxes, which means less cardboard made, trucked and thrown away for every move in the Lower Mainland.
That's better for the planet, and it's better for you: no trips to buy boxes, and no flattening and hauling them to recycling after the move.
Quiz answer: how many litres does one Jump-Box hold?
On social media we asked whether one Jump-Box holds 50, 94 or 140 litres. The answer is about 94 litres: about the size of a large cardboard moving box, in rigid plastic that won't crush, with a lid that closes without tape and no soggy bottom when it rains.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a Jump-Box?
Each Jump-Box tote holds about 94 litres, roughly the size of a large cardboard moving box, but much stronger and water-resistant.
Can the boxes be stacked when they're full?
Yes. Jump-Box totes stack securely when full and nest inside each other when empty, which makes loading a truck faster and safer.
How heavy can I pack a tote?
Pack each tote so one person can lift it comfortably. For heavy items like books, fill the box about halfway and top it up with lighter things.
Are the boxes clean?
Yes. Every box is cleaned and sanitized after every rental, before it goes out to the next customer.
How many totes will I need?
Plan on about 12 per bedroom, or use our free moving box calculator to get a package recommendation in three questions.
Ready to move?
Jump-Box opens for bookings on Saturday, November 21. Join the waitlist to be first in line, and use the free moving box calculator to see how many totes your home needs. Want the full picture first? Read our launch post, Jump-Box Opens November 21.
