You’ve probably already scrolled past three near-identical size-guide posts today, all giving the same vague “small, medium, large” answer. Here’s a straight number you can actually book against, from the operator whose units you’d be booking.
Lightly furnished flat, minimal boxes? 50 sq ft, see the list below. Standard, fully furnished 1-bed flat? 75 sq ft, the default most readers want. Bulky furniture, both large appliances, or seasonal and outdoor gear? 100 sq ft.
What Size Storage Unit Does a One-Bedroom Flat Actually Need?
A one-bedroom flat’s contents typically need 50 to 75 sq ft of storage. A bulkier, more furnished flat, or one with seasonal or outdoor items added, is better served at 100 sq ft.
The short answer
These figures come from Wigwam’s own published size tiers, and they match the independent consensus from removals companies and other UK storage guides too.
Why Generic “Small, Medium, Large” Size Guides Get This Wrong
A vague size label doesn’t tell you anything you can actually book against. This page uses Wigwam’s own real tiers instead of invented bands.
Wigwam’s tiers, not a guess
The same 50, 75 and 100 sq ft tiers used here line up with Wigwam’s full size guide and its 2-bed and 3-bed house guides, so the ladder is consistent whichever page you land on, not a one-off number picked for this article. That matters because a size guide that quietly uses different numbers on different pages is exactly the kind of inconsistency that makes a reader trust none of it.
What Actually Fits: The Itemised 50, 75 and 100 sq ft Breakdown
Here’s exactly what fits, using Wigwam Self Storage Bath as the example. This is an illustrative scenario, not a named real customer.
50 sq ft, lightly furnished flat
A double bed and mattress stood on its side, a two-door wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a two-seater sofa or armchair, and 10 to 15 medium boxes. This suits a flat with modest furniture, someone downsizing from a part-furnished let, or storing while between short-term lets. If you’re renting furnished and the appliances are staying with the property, this smaller band is usually enough.
75 sq ft, the standard fully furnished flat
Everything in the 50 sq ft list, plus a dining table and two to four chairs, one large appliance (a washing machine or a fridge-freezer), a TV stand and coffee table, and a further 10 to 15 boxes, 20 to 25 in total. This is the default recommendation for most readers landing on this page, a genuinely fully furnished one-bedroom flat with its own appliances and a normal amount of accumulated belongings.
100 sq ft, bulkier furniture or seasonal extras
Everything in the 75 sq ft list, plus the second large appliance, seasonal or outdoor items like a bike or garden furniture, and a further 5 to 10 boxes. This band also suits anyone who’d rather have comfortable walking space inside the unit than a tight pack right up to the door. UK units are measured in square feet, not the US “10×10” convention you might see elsewhere.
Worried It Won’t Fit, or You’ll Pay for Space You Don’t Use?
Book close to your band rather than guessing high “to be safe.”
Get it confirmed before you book
The 14-day notice period and refund for unused paid days mean a wrong first guess isn’t a trap, you’re not locked into paying for space you don’t need. The most common sizing mistake isn’t picking too small, it’s picking too big “to be safe” and paying for empty floor space every week for months. If you’re genuinely between two bands, the smaller one with efficient packing usually beats the larger one half-empty. Get a price for a personalised quote rather than guessing at a fixed figure.
What Actually Keeps a 1-Bed Flat’s Contents Safe and Accessible
Beyond the size itself, what protects your things and how easily you can get to them matters just as much.
Individually alarmed units
Every unit is individually alarmed. For a flat’s worth of belongings, that means a laptop, a bike or a box of kitchenware sitting in storage for a few months is genuinely covered, not just locked behind a shared gate.
Smart entry, 6am to 10pm, seven days
Access runs 6am to 10pm, seven days a week, via smart entry, not round the clock.
14-day notice, refund for unused paid days
You give 14 days’ notice to end the agreement, and any paid days you don’t use are refunded, two separate facts, not one blurred promise.
Need More Space, or Less, Than a 1-Bed Flat Needs?
If your flat is bigger, or you’re moving a whole house, here’s where to go instead.
Moving into a 2-bed?
See our 2-bedroom house size guide.
Storing a whole house, not just a flat?
Our room-by-room moving guide covers the fuller method, this page is the shortcut version for a typical flat.
Want every tier Wigwam offers?
See our full size guide for every unit size from 10 sq ft up.
Is This the Same Across Every Wigwam Site?
Yes, the tiers are the same system across all 15 Wigwam towns.
Find your nearest Wigwam
See the full list of locations for your nearest site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing varies by location and current offers. See our pricing guide for current figures.
Access runs 6am to 10pm, seven days a week, not around the clock.
Contents protection is required, either Wigwam’s own cover or proof of your own equivalent cover.
You’re not locked in. Give 14 days’ notice and any unused paid days are refunded, so a wrong first guess isn’t a trap.
Get a price or call 0800 2545585.
