How to Pack Books for Moving

Co-authored by Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO® and Amber Crain

Last Updated: October 28, 2021 References

If you're a book lover and you're about to move to a new place, you're probably wondering how to pack up your volumes as safely and efficiently as possible. Don't worry—we'll walk you through everything you need to know, including the best boxes to use, safest packing strategies, and how to keep your collection organized in transit. Keep reading to learn more!

Method 1

Method 1 of 11:
Streamline your book collection.

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Moving is a great opportunity to downsize your home library. Chances are, there are books on your shelf that you wouldn’t mind getting rid of. Doing it now means you’ll have fewer books to move. Sort through your shelves and create a separate stack of books that you don’t want anymore.^{[1]
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Research source} Once you've culled your collection, you can:
- Give the unwanted books to family and friends as gifts
- Donate the books to a local charity or school
- Recycle them if they're damaged
- Put the books in storage if you can’t bear to part with them
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Method 2

Method 2 of 11:
Group books by size and type.

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That way, you’ll be able to pack each box as efficiently as possible. Start by separating the hardbacks from the paperbacks. Then, organize the piles of hardbacks and paperbacks into groups of similar-sized books.^{[2]
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Research source} Create a separate pile for super heavy books, as well.^{[3]
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- If you jam a bunch of different formats and sizes into a single box, the books might get damaged. Plus, grouping maximizes efficiency since you won't be wasting space between mismatched book sizes.
- Place fragile or expensive volumes in a separate pile. It’s best to wrap those individually in packing paper and box them up by themselves.^{[4]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 11:
Use small, sturdy cardboard boxes.

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If you use large boxes, they'll be way too heavy to move around.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
Library of Congress
Official library of the U.S. and main research institution for Congress and the American public
Go to source} An ideal box size for books is 12 x 12 x 12 inches (30 x 30 x 30 cm), but it’s okay if your cardboard boxes are a little bigger than that. Just keep in mind that the bigger the box is, the heavier it’ll be (and the harder it'll be to lug around).^{[6]
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- Regular cardboard boxes work fine. You can buy them at a moving supply store or ask around town for free ones (check with local grocery and big box stores).
- If you’re collecting free boxes, make sure each one is clean, sturdy, and dry before you put your books inside.^{[7]
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- Feel free to reuse old Amazon Prime boxes.^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
  Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
  Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}
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Method 4

Method 4 of 11:
Reinforce the bottom of each box with packing tape.

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This prevents the boxes from bursting during your move. Use heavy-duty packing tape so your boxes are super secure. Place a strip of tape along the outer bottom seam of the box. Then, add a second strip along the bottom seam for extra protection.^{[9]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 11:
Line the bottom of each box with crushed packing paper.

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Creating an extra layer of insulation helps protect your books. Lining the boxes with packing paper prevents your books from shifting around too much. This is an especially good idea for heavier boxes filled with hardcover books.^{[10]
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Research source}^{[11]
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Expert Source

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}
- Plain white printer paper will work in a pinch.
- Don’t use printed newspaper since the ink may come off on your books.^{[12]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
  Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
  Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}
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Method 6

Method 6 of 11:
Pack 1-2 layers of heavy books first.

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Position heavy books horizontally to prevent damage. If there's room to place 2 heavy books in a single layer at the bottom of the box, place the books spine to spine (with the pages facing the sides of the box). Never place books side by side with their pages touching.^{[13]
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Research source} If the box will only accommodate 1 large, heavy book on the bottom and you want to stack one on top of the other, orient the second book so the spine faces the opposite direction from the bottom book.^{[14]
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- Avoid filling boxes top to bottom with heavy books. The boxes will be too heavy.^{[15]
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- Putting heavy volumes on the bottom helps prevent boxes from toppling over in transit.

Method 7

Method 7 of 11:
Fill the rest of the box with lighter books.

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Light volumes and paperbacks can be packed flat, upright, or on their spines with the pages facing up. Filling up the rest of the box is a bit like a game of Tetris. Since you've grouped books by size, you can pack them in tightly without wasting space. You’ll probably find that using a combination of techniques works best so you can fit as many books in the box as possible.^{[16]
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- For example, if you can fit more books by packing them upright, do that.
- When packing upright or flat, make sure the pages touch the sides of the box and the spines face inward. Position the next row so the spines are touching the spines in the first row (with pages facing outward). Always pack books spine to spine.^{[17]
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- Once you fit as many books as you can using one technique, you'll probably have some extra space left over. Switch to a different technique to keep fitting more books in there.
- Never pack books with the pages facing down since this puts too much pressure on their spines. Their spines may warp and pages can get detached.
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Method 8

Method 8 of 11:
Fill in the gaps with crushed packing paper.

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This prevents books from shifting around inside the box. Once you've fit as many books in the box as you can, just crumple sheets of packing paper and wedge them into any empty spaces.^{[18]
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Research source} If you don't have packing paper, materials like bubble wrap and packing peanuts work just fine.
- You can also stuff the extra pockets of space with your dish towels, socks, blankets, and undies. You have to pack that stuff anyway, so you might as well maximize efficiency and use them for cushioning.
- Don't be afraid to use extra packing paper. After all, damaged goods are a lot more expensive to replace than the cost of packing paper.^{[19]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
  Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
  Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}

Method 9

Method 9 of 11:
Seal each box with packing tape.

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Close the top flaps and use 1-2 strips of tape along the seam. A couple of strips should do the trick but if the box is particularly heavy, feel free to use a third layer. For extra security, it's a good idea to reinforce all of the edges with a layer of tape, too.^{[20]
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Method 10

Method 10 of 11:
Label the boxes to stay organized.

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Loading and unpacking boxes is easier if you know what’s inside! To keep it simple, just write “Books” on at least 1 side of each box with a permanent marker. That's all there is to it!^{[21]
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Research source}^{[22]
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Expert Source

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
Expert Interview. 14 January 2020.}
- You can also label boxes with their destination if that works better for you—for example, “Living Room,” “Office,” and “Bedroom.”

Method 11

Method 11 of 11:
Place the boxes on the floor of the moving truck.

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You don’t want these heavy boxes shifting around in transit. Load your heaviest items, like furniture and boxes of books, into the moving truck first. Create a single layer along the floor or bed of the moving vehicle. Then, you can load other items around your heavier items.^{[23]
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- Don't stack heavy items, like boxes of books, on top of each other. It's totally fine to stack lighter items on top of your books, though.^{[24]
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Community Q&A

Question

Do I need to keep old magazines?

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®
Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager
Marty Stevens-Heebner is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) and Founder of Clear Home Solutions, a home organizing and senior moving management company based in southern California. Marty is the first Certified Senior Move Manager (SMM-C) in the United States and is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) through the National Association of Home Builders. She is the President-Elect and is on the board of directors of the National Association for Senior Move Managers, a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, and has been acknowledged as a Hoarding Specialist and ADHD Specialist through the Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

Marty Stevens-Heebner, SMM-C, CPO®

Certified Professional Organizer & Senior Move Manager

Expert Answer

Not at all! Despite popular belief, your old magazines won't get more valuable over time. Instead of hanging onto the entire publication, rip out the articles or pages that mean the most to you and recycle the rest.