How to Pack Books for Moving

Divide Them Into Categories

The best way to start your packing is to organize according to one of the following criteria: size, shape, importance, or condition. You can go further and divide them according to genres, writers or publications, but we are primarily going to focus on the physical aspects of your books. These aspects make it easier for storage and transport, which is your ultimate goal.

Proper Packing Before Shipping

Some of the hardcovers or paperbacks you own may need to be shipped separately from your moving cargo or be placed in a storage unit. Whether you are using the services of long-distance movers, professional shipping company, or some other transport method, you need to make sure each book is wrapped and protected. Pack them tightly, cover in bubble-wrap and seal the boxes with tape. You shouldn’t leave it to chance for any of them to get damaged, damp or somehow deformed.

Find the Right Boxes

You may have heard a tip or two on where to find free boxes and other cheap moving supplies.  Now, before we move on to how you need to treat each book, you have to find a box that fits it well. Unfortunately, not every free box you can find will be great for shipping your books. Nine times out of ten, they are heavy, and you need special kinds of boxes that offer sturdiness. You wouldn’t want your precious reading material to fall through the bottom of the box while being carried. To avoid these problems, either look for tough moving grade boxes online or go to a liquor store nearby, where they should have some spare ones to give you.

Secure Books Individually

You can already guess that each book can’t have its own box. You need to sort your reading collection well and find those that match. Once you’ve chosen proper boxes, it’s time for the placement of the items. Before wrapping them in protective material, place them on the bottom of the box horizontally, and start stacking. You should avoid stacking them vertically as that may lead to bowed pages.

General Tip on How to Pack Books For Moving – Be Systematic

Check around your home if all of your reading material is there. You don’t want to have to place them in containers with other stuff, so it’s really important that a book always goes in a box with other books. Relocation can get hectic, we know, and you are more than likely to start just packing into small boxes at random, at some point. We recommend you start packing on time so that you can go through your household systematically.

More Fantastic Tips

After showing you some elaborate steps on how to treat books while moving, we want you to pay attention to some short pieces of advice that will help you sort through your home, look for a place to store them, and find the best way to relocate your reading collection.

Looking For Storage

If you’re not sure where to temporarily store your extensive book collection, then you should consider renting a storage unit to find them a proper home for the time being. Here’s why any cheap storage space might not be the best solution: you don’t want to keep them in damp spaces, without proper locks or safety measures against the event of a fire. No matter what, your copies need to be kept inside, on cooler temperatures.

Fantastic Tips for Shipping and Relocation

Those who travel with a book frequently know how many things can go wrong when shipping a book. So avoid cramming them in small backpacks, make sure they aren’t in suitcases as they aren’t flat-bottomed and tend to get tossed around. It’s important to treat them with respect.

Pack Book by Book

Why is this tactic important? You want to make sure all the copies are in good condition, that no moisture has taken place and that the dust comes off before you pack them. You can use packing paper to separate the elements, bubble-wrap works well too, but don’t tie them up in plastic bags as they can get damp quickly left like that.

Label Each Box

It might seem unimportant to you now, but labeling each box will make life easier later on. If you are the one doing all the packing and unpacking without the help of professional packers, you will be glad to find out that you can organize your bookshelf more efficiently when they arrive at your new home. It’s a clean and precise organization tactic you’ll love.

Tips For Quick Removals

If you are moving in a hurry, and don’t have the time to make a strategy and stack everything so very carefully, at least make sure that your paperbacks are separate from your hardcovers. Sometimes, the paperbacks end up wedged in between and the separate box for them that doesn’t have to be super sturdy will do the trick.

Wrapping Up

Much like many writers, we like to wrap up on a happier, hopeful note. We would like to wish you a successful relocation and hope that now you have a clearer picture of how to execute the moving of your collection.