Paper is dense. A single medium carton filled with hardcovers can become one of the heaviest boxes on the truck, and the bottom of a standard carton was never meant for it. The fix is simple: choose the right size, stack with care and keep the weight honest.
Pick the right box
Use a small carton for hardcovers and a small or medium one for paperbacks. The 10 free heavy-duty boxes that come with an O'Brien's in-home estimate are built for dense loads like these, and they are yours to keep.
Reinforce the bottom seam with a strip of packing tape down the center, then a strip along each edge.
Stack to protect the spines
Lay hardcovers flat, alternating the spine direction so the stack stays level. Large art books and atlases go flat on the bottom, and smaller paperbacks stand on their spines along the top.
Pages down is the one position to avoid. The weight of the cover can crease the page edges, and the spine takes the shock when the box is set down hard.
- Spine down is gentler than spine up.
- Fill small gaps with a paperback or a sheet of crumpled paper.
- Tape the top shut so the flaps do not sag under the weight.
Keep the weight under control
Mix books with lighter items to keep the box manageable. A layer of books on the bottom with a layer of towels above it gives you a carton that is easy to carry.
Fill the carton only to the rim. The box has to close flat and stack on the next one, and an overfull box splits at the corners.
Valuable and fragile books
First editions, family Bibles and old photo albums need their own handling. Wrap each in clean white paper and lay it flat in a rigid box, away from damp walls. The Library of Congress explains the basics of storing books, including why heat and moisture are the main threats.
If a collection is valuable enough to list on your inventory, mention it at the in-home estimate; the moving inventory and high-value articles explains how it is recorded.
Before you pack a single book
Sort the collection first. Paperbacks you will not read again can go to a library sale, which means fewer boxes on moving day. For the rest of the room, see how to pack a home office.