planning / calculator

Will it fit? Storage calculator

Screen a storage box, shelf insert or cart against a rectangular space. Enter the narrowest usable dimensions along the route in and the item’s full outside dimensions. Use inches or centimeters consistently.

Check a rectangular fit

Usable space: narrowest dimensions along the route
Outside dimensions of the product

Subtracted once from width, depth and height. The default is an example, not a recommended minimum. For 0.5 inches on each side, allow 1 inch in total.

Planning example. Product sizes must include handles, wheels and other protrusions. Keep the path into the space and all obstructions in mind.

How the calculation works

The tool subtracts your selected working clearance once from the width, once from the depth and once from the height of the space. Each resulting dimension must be at least as large as the corresponding product dimension. With horizontal rotation enabled, it also tries swapping product width and depth. Height stays unchanged.

A worked example

A space measuring 24 by 22 by 8 inches becomes 23.5 by 21.5 by 7.5 inches with a half-inch total allowance. A 17 by 20.75 by 7.5-inch item passes the rectangular check, with 6.5 inches of additional width, 0.75 inches of additional depth and no additional height beyond the selected allowance. A space only 7.9 inches high would fail the same check.

Choose your own working allowance

The default half inch is an example. It is a total allowance per dimension, not half an inch on every side. If you need half an inch at the left and at the right, enter at least one inch of total width allowance. This simple tool uses the same allowance for all three dimensions; use the largest allowance you need, or check the dimensions separately. Follow any larger clearance specified by the manufacturer.

Check the movement as well as the final position

Include handles, wheels and lids in outside measurements. A rectangular pass does not check a lid opening, a drawer sliding, a box turning through a doorway, pipework, stability or weight limits. Measure around those constraints first. Test the footprint with cardboard and check the current product instructions before buying.

Keep your measurements

Record your measurements and the selected allowance on the free planner. The calculator runs in your browser and does not send or save your entries. A smaller container you already own or another storage position may solve a failed fit without a purchase.