Key Takeaways
The clear goal
Twelve Oxford Essentials A4+ spiral notebooks are needed from Action in the Netherlands (Europe).
The exact item
The chosen notebook is the Oxford A4 project notebook, listed by Action with article number 2565494 and 160 pages.
The shipping reality
Twelve notebooks are estimated at about 7.2 kg in total, so weight limits matter more than box size.
Story & Details
A small family mission in December
In December 2025, a simple request lands with warmth and patience: please bring twelve notebooks from Action in the Netherlands (Europe). A photo is offered to make sure the right notebook is picked, and there is no rush. The plan is steady on purpose—buy some one day, buy the rest another day, and keep going until the count reaches twelve.
The notebook, named and pinned down
The target is specific: an Oxford project notebook in A4 format, with spiral binding, a hard plastic cover, and 160 pages. Action lists it as 80 sheets and about 1 cm thick, under article number 2565494, priced at 3.99 euros each. Twelve at that price comes to 47.88 euros for the notebooks alone.
Size, paper, and the weight that drives everything
The notebook description includes a premium paper note—Optik Paper at 90 g/m²—and a roomy A4+ footprint around 22.5 × 29.7 cm. The practical detail that matters most is weight: each notebook is estimated around 580–630 g, often treated as roughly 600 g. Multiplied by twelve, that becomes about 6.96–7.56 kg, commonly rounded to about 7.2 kg.
Boxes, limits, and two different price pictures
One set of shipping options is framed as “DHL boxes” with simple limits. A medium box is capped at 5 kg, meaning it might fit the notebooks by space but not by weight beyond about eight. A large box is capped at 10 kg with dimensions noted as 32 × 33 × 34 cm, and it is presented as the right single-box match for all twelve at a stated cost of 122 euros. An extra-large box is capped at 20 kg with dimensions noted as 40 × 48 × 38 cm, also workable but priced higher at 140.50 euros.
A second view comes from published consumer tariffs in the Netherlands (Europe), where standard parcel shipping can start at 5.45 euros to a ServicePoint and 6.45 euros to a home address, while an express option can start at 17.50 euros at a ServicePoint. Put side by side, the story is simple: the service type and route can change the price dramatically, even when the same 7.2 kg parcel is being discussed.
A tiny Dutch lesson for the labels on the page
Dutch phrase: pakket versturen
Simple meaning: send a parcel
Word-by-word: pakket = parcel; versturen = to send
Dutch phrase: verzendkosten
Simple meaning: shipping costs
Word-by-word: verzend = shipping; kosten = costs
Dutch word: tarieven
Simple meaning: rates
Word-by-word: tarieven = rates
Dutch phrase: spiraalgebonden
Simple meaning: spiral-bound
Word-by-word: spiraal = spiral; gebonden = bound
Conclusions
One notebook, bought slowly, shipped smart
The heart of the plan stays gentle: keep buying the same Oxford Essentials A4+ notebook at Action until twelve are in hand, even if it takes a few store visits.
One parcel if the scale agrees
At roughly 7.2 kg for twelve notebooks, a single large parcel can make sense under a 10 kg limit—especially when the final packed box stays comfortably below the cap. If the scale creeps upward, splitting into two smaller parcels keeps the mission smooth.
Selected References
[1] https://www.action.com/nl-nl/p/2565494/oxford-projectboek-a4/
[2] https://www.dhlecommerce.nl/nl/consument/support/verzenden/tarieven
[3] https://www.dhlexpress.nl/nl/consument/tarieven
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYep-j9IhyY
Appendix
A4 A common paper size standard used for school and office pages and many notebooks.
A4+ A notebook size slightly larger than A4, often used to give a little extra margin around the page.
Action A discount retailer where the notebook listing and price are shown for shoppers in the Netherlands (Europe).
Box L A “large box” label used in a shipping comparison, described with a 10 kg maximum and dimensions of 32 × 33 × 34 cm.
Box M A “medium box” label used in a shipping comparison, described with a 5 kg maximum.
Box XL An “extra-large box” label used in a shipping comparison, described with a 20 kg maximum and dimensions of 40 × 48 × 38 cm.
DHL A global shipping and logistics brand named in the shipping options and consumer tariff pages.
DHL eCommerce A DHL consumer parcel service brand referenced for standard shipping tariffs and options.
DHL Express A DHL express shipping brand referenced for faster, higher-priced consumer shipping options.
g/m² A unit meaning “grams per square meter,” used to describe paper weight.
Optik Paper A branded paper name used to describe the notebook paper quality.
ServicePoint A drop-off and pick-up location where parcels can be handed in or collected.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 