First Apartment IKEA Haul: What Fits in a Small Car

Most people assume that furnishing a first apartment requires a van. They're wrong — at least for the essentials. IKEA's flat-pack format is purpose-built for small car transport. The trick is knowing which items have car-friendly box sizes and which ones (we're looking at you, PAX wardrobes) genuinely need a bigger vehicle.

A standard hatchback like a Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Golf, or Hyundai i30 has a boot roughly 40cm (16in) deep, 90–100cm (35–39in) wide, and 40cm (16in) tall with the seats up. Fold those rear seats down and you unlock a load floor of 150–170cm (59–67in) — long enough for most IKEA flat-pack boxes.

Before you leave home, use stowey's free IKEA calculator to enter your exact list and your car's dimensions. It'll tell you definitively what fits — and in what order to load it.

Don't think of your car as a boot. Think of it as a 3D puzzle. Here's the approach that gets the most into a small car:

• Fold seats before you go. Not in the Bunnings car park while a queue of trolleys stacks up behind you. Do it at home so you can load directly.
• Largest flat boxes first, lying flat on the load floor. The KALLAX, bookcase, or desk goes in first — slid from the tailgate all the way to the back of the front seats.
• Stack box items on top. Chairs, organiser bins, and soft goods (pillows, linen, cushions in bags) go on top of the flat boxes.
• Use the footwells. Bags of small items, bedding, and anything flexible can fill the rear footwells — space most people waste completely.
• The passenger seat is fair game. Recline it fully, remove the headrest, and you can load items up to about 170cm (67in) long through the passenger door alongside the dash.

This is the first-apartment starter kit that we've confirmed fits in a mid-size hatchback in one trip:

These items look manageable but will beat you on dimensions. Budget for delivery or a second trip:

• MALM bed frame (double): The longest box is typically 210cm (83in) — longer than most hatchback load floors even with seats fully flat.
• PAX wardrobe: Multiple boxes, the largest being around 236cm (93in). This needs a van, full stop.
• KIVIK or EKTORP sofa: Even flat-packed, sofa boxes are large and awkward. Get delivery.
• KALLAX 4×4: At 147cm × 147cm (58in × 58in), you'd need a station wagon or SUV with seats down — and significant loading effort.

IKEA's home delivery is often cheaper than you expect. For large items, compare the delivery fee against van hire and your time — it frequently wins.

When you're moving in for the first time, not everything needs to arrive on day one. Prioritise what makes the space liveable immediately:

• ✅ Bedding (can compress into one bag — use as padding around furniture boxes)
• ✅ Towels and bathroom basics
• ✅ A desk and chair if you're working from home
• ✅ Storage unit for clothes (temporary until wardrobe is delivered)
• ✅ Side table and lamp (transforms an empty room instantly)
• ❌ Sofa — a mattress on the floor with a good book works for a week
• ❌ Large art — wait until the furniture layout is finalised