Books are one of the sneakiest things to pack on moving day. They look manageable sitting on a shelf, but the moment you start loading them into boxes you realize just how heavy they get — fast. Pack them wrong and you’ll end up with boxes that are impossible to lift, broken spines, water-damaged pages, and a very unhappy moving crew. Here’s how to do it right.
Declutter Before You Pack a Single Box
Moving is the perfect time to be honest with yourself about your book collection. That textbook from 2009. The novel you didn’t enjoy. The duplicate copies. The self-help book you bought with good intentions and never opened. If you haven’t read it in three years and don’t plan to, this is your moment to let it go. Donate to a local library, drop it at a Little Free Library in your Vancouver neighbourhood, or leave a stack outside with a “free books” sign. Fewer books means fewer boxes, less weight, and an easier move.
Use Small Boxes — Always
This is the single most important rule for moving books. Books are dense and heavy, and they fill a large box to an unmanageable weight very quickly. Use small moving boxes only — the kind sometimes called a book box or a 1.5 cubic foot box. Keep each box under 30 to 40 pounds. If you pick up a box and struggle to hold it comfortably, it’s too heavy — take some books out and start a new box. Your movers and your back will both thank you.
How To Position Your Books in the Box
Start with a layer of crumpled packing paper at the bottom of the box for cushioning. Then pack your books in one of these ways depending on size and type. Hardcovers do well standing upright like they would on a shelf, spine facing the side of the box. Paperbacks can be packed the same way or laid flat in stacks. Never pack books with the spine facing up — this puts stress on the binding and can cause permanent damage. Fill every gap with crumpled packing paper so nothing shifts in transit.
For large coffee table books and oversized hardcovers, lay them flat at the bottom of the box and stack lighter books on top.
Protect Valuable or Sentimental Books
If you have rare editions, signed copies, or books with sentimental value, give them extra care. Wrap each one individually in packing paper or acid-free tissue paper before placing it in the box. For the most valuable pieces, consider transporting them in your own vehicle rather than the moving truck.
Where To Find Free Boxes in Vancouver
Small boxes are easy to find for free across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Check local liquor stores — their boxes are small, sturdy, and built for heavy loads. Bookstores and grocery stores are also worth asking. Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing groups in Vancouver regularly have people giving away moving boxes after a recent move.
Keep a Book Out for Moving Day
Moving day is long. Keep one book out of the boxes and in your personal bag — something you can read during downtime or on the first quiet evening in your new place. It’s a small thing that makes move-in night feel a lot more like home.
Whether you have a single bookshelf or an entire library to move, our team at Brothers Moving handles every box with care. We’ve been relocating families and businesses across BC since 2008 — and we’ve moved a lot of books along the way. We serve Metro Vancouver including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, New Westminster, Delta, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Langley, Abbotsford, White Rock and Horseshoe Bay. We also serve Vancouver Island including Victoria, Nanaimo, Courtenay, Campbell River and Parksville, and throughout BC including Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton, Chilliwack and Prince George.
Give us a call at 604-720-0931 or request a free quote online — we’d love to help with your next move.