The Best Ways to Pack Books for a Move
Your bookshelves are full of books, and Moving Day is right around the corner. Putting your books into boxes is one of your moving tasks that you can check off early. While over the years you may have accumulated many books, packing all of your books for moving can be completed quickly and easily with our tips and tricks. Read on to find out how to make moving your personal library enjoyable.
Best Ways to Pack Books for a Move #1: Declutter
As you begin thinking about your move, start by downsizing your book collection. You probably have several books on your shelf that you are no longer interested in reading or using. Why pay to have these books transported to your new home? Go through your books and decide which ones you want to keep, resell, give away, or recycle. The other option is to switch out your books for ebooks or audiobooks that won't need packing or moving.
Best Ways to Pack Books for a Move #2: Pack Books First and Unpack Them Last
You will probably not use most of your books in the final four to six weeks before Moving Day, so you can pack these books early in your moving process. With your book collection packed up, you’ll feel like you have made significant progress in the preparation work for Moving Day, motivating you to keep moving forward!
When you move into your new home, you can place your book boxes off to the side. There is no reason to rush to empty your book boxes. Unpack essential items before bringing your books back out.
Best Ways to Pack Books for a Move #3: Pack by Shelf and Label Clearly
Pack books for your move by shelf rather than the size of the book. You will probably want to unpack your books and place them directly on the shelf in the order they are now.
Place the books in the box in the same direction they sit on the shelf. The upright position of the books helps them bear their weight appropriately, and keeps them from sliding, which may cause the binding to loosen. Packing your books vertically, in the center of the box, with towels, clothes, or packing materials around them will keep the box’s weight centered.
Label the boxes clearly as you pack up your books. Clearly labeled boxes are unloaded and delivered faster and make for easier unpacking. Label them by room and contents, such as “kitchen” and “cookbooks” or “kids’ room” and “children’s books.”
Best Ways to Pack Books for a Move #4: Consider Box Size and Weight
Book boxes are small for a reason. Books are heavy! Using only small moving boxes for books will keep each box light enough for lifting and your moving crew happy and healthy!
Boxes often have multiple lives to them, so making the most of used boxes is a great, earth-friendly way to move. However, be sure to only use industry-specific moving boxes, which are specially designed with greater sturdiness to handle the demands of relocating your belongings, including your books.
On that note, make the most of your suitcases to transport some of your belongings, such as your clothes and linens, during a move. But avoid using suitcases to pack and transport your books. The suitcase will be deceptively heavier than it looks, possibly causing injury. And your books, especially hardcovers, could damage the inside of your suitcase.
Best Ways to Pack Books for A Move #5: Valuable and Antique Books
If you have expensive or antique books to move, they will need extra care when packing. You will want to ensure you load these books snuggly and correctly in the boxes. Bubble wrap and packing paper are excellent choices to help protect valuable books.
Weather and moisture are other aspects to think about when packing antique books for moving. Pack these books so they are protected from moisture in the air. Wrapping them in plastic wrap or placing them in plastic storage containers for long storage periods may help reduce moisture decay and damage to these books. Also, be sure to choose a suitable, climate-controlled storage space for these special books to protect them from the elements, such as extreme heat, rain, or snow.
Professional Boxes and Movers for Your Books
Moving books can seem like a time-consuming chore, but with this list of the best ways to pack books for a move, you will have your entire book collection packed in no time! Whether you need moving box supplies, storage services, or professional movers, Camelot Moving & Storage is here to help with all your moving needs.