Best Clear Tubs For Moving And Storage
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Clear tubs for moving and storage are plastic bins with lids that you can see into, stack in a truck or a closet, and carry by the handles. The person searching for them wants bins that hold up to a move and then fit a shelf, a closet or a garage afterwards. That means the numbers that matter are the outside size, the inside size, the lid and the latch, not the colour. This page compares six sets of storage bins, which some shoppers also call storage containers, from their Amazon listings. It uses only the sizes each listing states and shows where listings disagree. Check the current price on Amazon; this page does not list prices.
Quick answer
For most moves, the Sterilite Ultra Latch 70 quart (4-pack) is the safest first choice: the listing gives both outside and interior sizes, the lid has heavy-duty latches, and the base is clear. If you are packing blankets, bedding or other bulky soft items, the Sterilite 116 quart is the biggest here, at 33 inches long on the outside. If you want bins that nest when empty, the IRIS USA 72 quart is the one whose listing says so. If you want something light enough to carry full, the Amazon Basics 32 quart set of 6 is the smallest bin here. None of the six listings states a weight limit or a maximum stack height, so check your loaded bin on a scale before you stack it.
Specs checked on 2026-10-17 from the Amazon listing of each product.
How we chose
Each set here is a rectangular plastic bin with a lid, and its listing calls it clear or see-through. We left out pantry-sized bins (one 6-pack in the search results is 11 by 7.5 by 6 inches, which is too small for moving), wheeled totes, and fabric cubes. The comparison uses the capacity in quarts, the outside size, the interior size where the listing gives one, the lid type and the made-in claim. The listings do not say how long the plastic lasts or what each bin can carry, so this page makes no durability claim.
Comparison at a glance
| Set | Pack | Capacity (listing) | Outside size, in (L x W x H) | Interior size, in | Lid and closure (listing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterilite Ultra Latch, 70 qt | 4 | 70 quarts | 26 1/8 x 16 1/4 x 13 1/2 | 20 x 13 1/2 x 12 5/8 (bottom) | Heavy-duty latches; clear base; stackable |
| Sterilite Ultra Latch, 116 qt | 4 | 116 quarts | 33 x 20 1/8 x 13 1/2 | 26 3/4 x 17 1/2 x 12 1/8 (bottom) | Heavy-duty latches; clear base; stackable |
| Sterilite Latching Box, 64 qt | 4 | 64 quarts | 23 3/4 x 16 x 13 1/2 | 19 3/8 x 13 1/8 x 13 | Latching lid, one-handed opening; recessed lid for stacking |
| IRIS USA, 54 qt | 6 | 54 quarts (the size selector on the page reads 53) | 22 x 16.5 x 13 | Not stated | Locking lid; stackable; built-in pull handle |
| IRIS USA, 72 qt | 4 | 72 quarts | 25.6 x 16.6 x 13.3 | 20.5 x 12.5 x 12.4 | Locking buckles; stackable; tapered, nests when empty |
| Amazon Basics, 32 qt | 6 | 32 quarts | 18.8 x 14.4 x 10.5 | Not stated | Latching grey lids on clear bins; stackable |
The bins
1. Sterilite Ultra Latch Box, 70 quart, 4-pack: best all-round moving tub
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): Outside size 26 1/8 x 16 1/4 x 13 1/2 inches, interior size at the bottom 20 x 13 1/2 x 12 5/8 inches. Plastic, with heavy-duty latches that attach the lid to the base, a clear base so you can see what is inside, and a stackable design. The listing says it is made in the USA and is BPA-free and phthalate-free. The same page also sells 18, 30 and 116 quart sizes.
What the listing does not say: the lid colour, any weight limit, and how many bins can be stacked.
Best for: General moving and closet or garage storage where you want a latched lid and a published interior size. Skip if: You need to see through the lid as well as the sides; the listing only describes the base as clear.
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2. Sterilite Ultra Latch Box, 116 quart, 4-pack: for bulky items
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): Outside size 33 x 20 1/8 x 13 1/2 inches, interior size at the bottom 26 3/4 x 17 1/2 x 12 1/8 inches. Same heavy-duty latches, clear base and stackable design as the 70 quart. The same page also sells 18, 30 and 70 quart sizes.
Note: Its footprint is about 4.6 square feet (33 x 20 1/8 inches), more than twice that of the 32 quart Amazon Basics bin (about 1.9 square feet). A full one will be heavy and awkward for one person; the listing gives no weight limit.
Best for: Bedding, coats, pillows and sports gear that is bulky but light. Skip if: You plan to pack books or tools, or your closet shelf is shorter than 33 inches.
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3. Sterilite Latching Box, 64 quart, 4-pack: recessed lid for stacking
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): Outer size 23 3/4 x 16 x 13 1/2 inches and interior size 19 3/8 x 13 1/8 x 13 inches. The listing calls it a clear storage box, with a latching lid that opens one-handed and a recessed lid that lets bins stack securely. It says the box is made in the USA and is BPA-free and phthalate-free.
Note: This is a different listing from the Ultra Latch boxes above. The 64 quart listing gives its interior size without saying “at the bottom”, so do not compare the interior numbers one-to-one with the Ultra Latch figures.
Best for: A shorter, stackable tub for clothes and boots. Skip if: You want the heavy-duty latch wording of the Ultra Latch line.
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4. IRIS USA 72 quart, 4-pack: the nesting option
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): Outside size 25.6 x 16.6 x 13.3 inches, inside 20.5 x 12.5 x 12.4 inches. See-through plastic with locking buckles, a stackable lid and a built-in pull handle on the bottom to slide the bin off a high shelf. The listing says the tapered design allows nesting when not in use, and that it is made in the USA and BPA-free, acid-free and phthalate-free.
Why nesting matters: After a move, nested empty bins take less room than separate ones, which helps if you keep them. The listing does not say by how much.
Best for: People who will unpack and want to keep the empty bins. Skip if: You want a lid colour or latch style other than buckles.
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5. IRIS USA 54 quart, 6-pack: most bins per set
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): 22 x 16.5 x 13 inches. See-through construction, a securely locking lid that lets bins stack, a built-in pull handle, and made in the USA with BPA-free, acid-free and phthalate-free material per the listing.
Conflict to know about: The title says 54 quart, while the size selector on the same page lists 53 quarts. The difference is about 2 percent, but quote the figure you are using. The listing does not give an interior size.
Best for: Six matching mid-size bins in one purchase. Skip if: You need an interior size to plan fit.
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6. Amazon Basics 32 quart latching bins, set of 6: lightest to carry
Specs (listing, checked 2026-10-17): Product size 18.8 x 14.4 x 10.5 inches. Clear bins with grey latching lids, stackable, and the listing says the lids guard against dust, moisture and pests. The same page also sells other sizes, including a 5 quart 10-pack.
Listing limits: No interior size, no weight limit and no stack height. The dust, moisture and pest wording is a listing claim, not something we checked.
Best for: Books, kitchen items and anything dense that is easier to carry in a smaller bin. Skip if: You want one bin that holds a whole comforter.
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How many bins do you need?
The quart figure on a bin is a label, and the listings do not say how it was measured. The inside box tells you a different number. Take the Sterilite 70 quart: its interior is 20 x 13.5 x 12.625 inches at the bottom, which multiplies out to about 3,409 cubic inches. One US quart is 57.75 cubic inches, so 70 quarts is 4,043 cubic inches. The bottom box is therefore about 84 percent of the label. Because the bin is wider at the top, the true capacity sits between the two.
Worked example (our arithmetic): You have 20 cubic feet of clothes, linens and small goods to pack. That is 34,560 cubic inches. Using the label figure for the Sterilite 70 quart, one bin holds about 2.34 cubic feet, so you need 8.5 bins, which rounds up to 9. Using the bottom-box figure, one bin holds about 1.97 cubic feet, so you need 10.1, which rounds up to 11. Plan for 9 to 11 bins, and buy 12 so that you can leave each bin a little under full. With the 116 quart label figure (3.88 cubic feet) it is 5.2, so 6 bins. With the IRIS 54 quart (1.80 cubic feet) it is 11.1, so 12 bins, which is two 6-packs. Real loads never pack perfectly, so these are estimates, not guarantees.
Weight is the limit that counts. None of the six listings states a weight limit. Books and tools fill a bin by weight long before they fill it by volume. Weigh the first loaded bin on a bathroom scale and keep each one to what you can lift comfortably.
Stacking and storage space
The outside height of every Sterilite and IRIS bin here is 13 to 13.5 inches. Four stacked would be about 54 inches tall (4 x 13.5), if the stack sits at full height, but none of the listings states a maximum stack height. The Sterilite 64 quart lid is recessed for stacking, and the IRIS 72 quart and Amazon Basics listings say their lids lock or latch. If you want bins on a shelf rather than stacked, a metal rack such as those in our metal shelving guide may suit, as long as you check its per-shelf load against your loaded bin.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying by quart alone. Two bins can share a quart number and differ by several inches of length. Check the outside size against your shelf or closet.
- Packing a 116 quart bin with books. The listing gives no weight limit, and a bin that big is easy to overload.
- Assuming the lid is clear. The Sterilite Ultra Latch listings describe a clear base only, and the Amazon Basics lids are grey.
- Counting on the stack. No listing here states how many full bins can stack. Put the heaviest on the bottom and test with a short stack first.
- Using a listing’s dust or pest wording as a guarantee. Only Amazon Basics makes that claim, and we did not test it.
Who should skip clear plastic bins
If you are moving soft goods only and carrying them yourself, cardboard boxes or duffel bags cost less and weigh less. If you need to keep paper documents safe from water, the listings here do not promise watertight seals, so a bin is not a safe or fireproof document box. If your storage space is a damp basement or a hot attic, check the maker’s guidance for temperature limits first, because the bullets we read for these listings give none.
Related guides on this site
- storage ideas for the top shelf of a closet
- storage ideas for a house with no closets
- closet organizing ideas for small spaces
- DIY clothes storage ideas for small spaces
Frequently asked questions
What size storage bin is best for moving?
Mid-size bins are easiest to carry. Among these listings, the 54 to 72 quart sizes (22 to 26 inches long on the outside) hold a lot without reaching the 33 inch length of the 116 quart. The 32 quart Amazon Basics bin is the lightest to carry full.
Are clear storage bins better than opaque ones?
They let you see the contents without opening the lid, which saves time when you unpack. The listings here describe clear or see-through bins, but the two Sterilite Ultra Latch listings describe only the base as clear, and the Amazon Basics lids are grey.
Can I stack these storage containers?
All six listings describe their bins as stackable. None states a maximum number of full bins or a weight limit, so start with a short stack and put the heaviest bin on the bottom.
Do these bins nest when empty?
Only the IRIS USA 72 quart listing says so. It describes a tapered design that allows nesting when the bins are not in use. The bullets we read for the other listings do not mention nesting.
Are these bins made in the USA?
The Sterilite Ultra Latch, Sterilite 64 quart and both IRIS USA listings say they are made in the USA. The bullets we read for the Amazon Basics listing do not state where it is made.
How do I know how many bins to buy?
Estimate the volume in cubic feet, divide by the bin’s capacity in cubic feet, and round up. Our worked example above shows 9 to 11 of the 70 quart bins for 20 cubic feet, and the result changes if you pack by weight rather than by volume.
Conclusion
Pick the Sterilite Ultra Latch 70 quart if you want one safe default for a move. Pick the 116 quart for bulky bedding, the IRIS 72 quart if you want to nest the empties, and the Amazon Basics 32 quart if you will carry them full. Measure your shelf first, weigh the first loaded bin, and stack the heaviest at the bottom.
