I have 3 very large (as in coffee table book size) books that have been requested from me.  I'm not sure how to go about packing these up.  Each goes to different requestors. Only one is a hardback book.  These are brand new and my daughter paid a lot of money for them - then lost interest in the subject (horses).  I don't want them to be damaged in transit. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.   Yes, I realized that this would become a problem when I posted them...I just didn't expect them to be requested immediately!  LOL! :D

I got a tip when I first joined to use cereal boxes, so I've done that for most of my bulky hardbacks.  :)  You just cut it along the seam and flip it inside out (and make sure it's one that is blank cardboard on the inside and not covered with special offers LOL).  Tape it up good and add a little extra padding if necessary...  This works with other kinds of boxes also, so hopefully you can find one near to the shape of your book.  :)  Only time I didn't/won't use this is for extremely heavy books (which I don't list often but I did have one) which are better in a normal/heavier box or for vintage books that I like to give lots of extra padding and TLC for their age.  :)

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Thank you for the replies.  I'm a little afraid to put the largest one - which is a floppy paperback - in a large mailer.  I'm afraid that it would get really mashed up in the PO machinery.   I'm putting cardboard on each side of one large paperback and using a mailer.  These are just too expensive to package for mailing.  I don't think I will do this again.

:D

When I wrap books that I've sold online, I generally wrap them in some scrap cardboard and then put that inside a mailer.  Wrap a piece of cardboard around the book (making sure it covers the corners of the book and tape it into place, then put in a big envelope (making sure to have tape going around at least once horizontally and vertically so if it does get snagged the contents dont fall out).  You might want to put some plastic around the book before wrapping in cardboard to help protect a bit if the package does get wet.  This is the method my dad devised for mailing his books, and he has sent thousands of them with no problems that I know of.  If you don't have an envelope big enough for the book, you can wrap in a paper bag.

I've mailed out coffee table books in the largest bubble mailer I can find and i have not heard any feedback that there were any problems.

IFor really large books, I've taken 2 lids from banker's boxes which I had leftover from a move, and created a sort of box by slipping one lid outside the other. Also, i used consideralbe bubble wrap inside.

All the books I have sent so far have been hardback.  I use manila folders.......you can only cross out or tape over that tab so many times!  I 1st wrap in plastic then tape, tape, tape!

Thanks again for all the good suggestions!  I've re-used an Amazon mailer in which a large book arrived.  The other books I am eyeing critically!  LOL!!  I'm defintely going to wrap in plastic first.  I always do that. because I can attach tape to it and the outer wrapper.  Also - you never know what mud puddle may be lurking along the way to the requestor! :D   I've also started recycling the padded mailers that can't be reused in their current state  by cutting them up to use as padding for corners for the hard backs.  And I've also discovered that I prefer to use cut up dry cleaners' plastic to the Saran Wrap.  It's much easier for me to handle.   Anyway, I'll be using several of your ideas and I appreciate them.

Ruth

For that oversized paperback, you can also add two or three or more rubber bands to protect it if the package does somehow manage to come apart.  They will keep the book from getting torn up and mangled.