density

When Mara started packing her kitchen for the move , she paused to assess each item's contribution to the total weight . She knew that density , rather than size alone , would determine which boxes would become unwieldy , so she placed heavy ceramics in small , clearly labelled cartons . To avoid surprises she arranged items by feel and by lifting them briefly , making sure the distribution remained balanced . Although a thick cookbook seemed bulky , its relatively low density meant it could be stacked with lighter objects without risking damage . By the end of the afternoon she had developed a simple system that minimized strain and made the whole process more efficient .