How to pack books for moving
Books are small but heavy, so the golden rule is simple: always pack books in medium boxes, never large ones. A large box full of books is too heavy to lift safely and is likely to split. A medium removal box filled with books is still a full but manageable load.
What you'll need
- medium removal boxes: allow about one box for every shelf of a standard bookcase
- brown packing tape to tape the bottom of each box with an H shape
- A few sheets of packing paper, 5 kg to fill gaps and wrap special books
- A marker pen to label each box
How to pack books, step by step
- Sort first. Moving is the easiest time to donate or sell books you won't read again. Fewer books means fewer heavy boxes.
- Tape the bottom well. Fold the box into shape and run tape along the centre seam and across both edges (an H shape). Book boxes take more weight than any other box, so don't skip this.
- Put the heaviest books at the bottom. Lay large hardbacks flat, spine to spine, as the base layer.
- Stand paperbacks upright. Pack them spine-down or standing as they would on a shelf, snug but not forced, so the pages don't bend.
- Never pack books spine-up with the pages facing down. This puts the weight on the page edges and can pull books out of their bindings.
- Fill the gaps. Scrunched packing paper stops books sliding around and rubbing covers.
- Keep it liftable. Our boxes are marked with a 20 kg maximum, but for books it's better to stop well before that. If you struggle to lift it, take some out and top up with light items such as tea towels.
- Label two sides with "Books" and the room they're going to, and mark the box "Heavy" so whoever lifts it is ready.
Protecting valuable or old books
Wrap first editions, signed copies and anything fragile individually in clean packing paper, which doesn't leave ink on covers the way newspaper can. Pack them together in one box, cushioned on all sides, and keep that box with you in the car if you can. Avoid plastic bags or cling film for long periods, as they can trap moisture.
Packing tip: Pack books a couple of weeks before the move. They are easy to live without and you can do a shelf an evening without the house filling up with half-packed boxes.
How many boxes for a bookcase?
As a rough guide, one medium box holds about one shelf of a standard bookcase, so a five-shelf bookcase takes around five medium boxes. If you have a lot of books, add them on as an extra in the box calculator or in build your own kit.
Questions
What size box is best for books?
Medium boxes. A large box full of books is too heavy to lift safely and more likely to split. Use large boxes for light things like bedding instead.
How many books fit in a moving box?
A medium box (18 x 13 x 13 inches) holds roughly one shelf of a standard bookcase. Stop before it gets too heavy to lift comfortably.
Should books be packed flat or upright?
Large hardbacks lie flat at the bottom; paperbacks can stand upright as on a shelf. Never pack books with the pages facing down.
Can I move books in the bookcase?
It is not recommended. A loaded bookcase is very heavy and the shelves or frame can break. Empty it and pack the books in boxes.