So I need to start packing up my stuff to get ready for a subletter moving in tomorrow. I purchased a bunch of standard cardboard moving boxes and a tape dispenser but I am stuck trying to figure out what the ideal method of folding the flaps might be? As far as structural integrity (I don’t plan to put anything super heavy inside but would still prefer not to have anything come flying open during the move) is concerned, should I interweave the flaps or should I fold the two shorter flaps and then the two longer ones which get tape applied to them.
Obviously the bottoms need to be taped, and make sure to run it around a quarter of the distance up the side of the box as well while applying the bottom strip. If you know it’s going to have a lot of heavier stuff in it, I might overlap another strip of tape along the bottom. It’s easier to stack boxes that have the tops taped because you don’t risk hanging up on a flap and snagging the box/folding the flap over. Also, if a taped box slides and falls over in transport, it’s less likely to spill the contents.
If you aren’t moving far and don’t think it’ll be an issue, interweave the flaps. As a compromise, tape only the boxes with heavier/more fragile stuff inside.
Shorter flaps towards each other, then longer flaps towards each other. Piece of tape down the middle. If a particular box is going to be extra heavy, run another piece of tape down each edge of the flaps (so the tape makes an “H”).
If you are packing anything heavy, make sure to use brown packing tape, not clear tape. The clear stuff is much thinner and less sticky.
That’s totally dependent on the quality of the tape. At my work, we use clear tape without any problems whatsoever. In fact at one point we had to get cheaper tape because the tape we bought was so strong we were having a hard time pulling it off the rolls.
Also, that tape with the filaments running through it (so-called “strapping tape”) is worthless for packing boxes.
in my experience the brown mailing tape is far weaker than clear box tape. i suppose there are thin cheap clear tapes. go to an office supply store and get a name brand box tape.
shorter flaps in first, then tape the seams in a H with the long seam going 1/3 up the side.
I’m going by the stuff I’ve used working in warehouses packing boxes, maybe the stuff you get in shops is lower quality. I’ve never seen clear tape as good as good packing tape. This may be of limited use to the OP if it’s not easily available though.
wow, you all really take the URGENT thing seriously, thank you so much!!!
ok so smaller flaps folded first, facing each other, then longer flaps are the ones that get taped up seems to be the consensus.
I bought the brown box tape so I think that should work well.
now I just need to finalize securing a new apartment! I had already found one I liked but I have a funny feeling it belongs to a member of Ben Ali’s extended family and they decided to sell rather than to rent (well all I know is it is a Tunesian owner who wants to liquidate their French assets, such as the $1,500,000.00 apartment, very quickly and on the down-low).
will tell that story later if anyone is curious.
You’re stalling. Get back to packing. 
By the way, don’t overload the boxes. Even if you can fit more books in the box, don’t, not if it make it really heavy. And use lots of packing paper, bubble wrap or packing peanuts to wrap the delicate stuff.
Books! As convenient as it may sound, don’t put a lot of books in one box. If you don’t have a whole ton of boxes to work with, try to distribute your books among all of your other boxes so that you don’t get any back-breakers full of dense books.
Or go to U-Haul and rent a hand truck (dolly). I bought a rubber-wheeled dolly at Lowes and it’s an investment that keeps on paying.
At least use smaller boxes.
Dozens of identical small boxes are the way to move books. If you don’t have a good tape gun, tear off a dozen pieces at a time and hang them from the edge of a table or shelf to use as needed. A thick grease pencil is faster than a felt marker for labeling the boxes.
Local moving companies are happy to sell you used boxes, including book boxes, cheaply.
Forget the boxes.
Move homeopathically;
Take one small item from your old residence (the smaller the better) and put it in your new abode. Then, via the magic of sympathetic quantum tunneling migration, overnight, all the rest of your stuff will appear.
No muss, no fuss.
Tape them, way more stable and sturdy.
and if speed is an issue, point children at boxes and offer $20/$10 for fastest in folding X number of boxes. At my old warehouse job we made boxes as kinda a busywork thing and people involved would toss 5 bucks in a pot and whomever got through a fresh bundle of 50 flat boxes first took the pot. Frightening how fast our box supply got replenished that way. One time all 9 warehouse employees, warehouse supervisor, 2 truck drivers, branch manager, and I all threw in totalling $70 for a 12 min flurry of box folding 700 boxes.
I think clear tape will work fine, but I’ve always splurged for strapping tape, and of course leave enough edge extending up the sides of the box.
The good tip is one everyone will tell you – for heavy things like books, don’t, repeat do not use a large box. And the tip I learned as a keyboardist who has to carry heavy amps and keyboards around regularly – grab a handtruck for like forty bucks at Home Store and save your back.