Moving to a new home is a complex process that requires excellent organisation and attention to every detail. If your hobby or job involves reading, then you will probably face the challenge of how to pack books for moving. Cover editions bring us more than just informative or entertainment value, we often develop sentimental feelings for them. That's why it's wise to take care of packing them properly ourselves. In the following lines you will learn how to do this.
First things first! Start by securing your books.
The aforementioned sentiment readers have built up for their home library creates a sense of quality care. Therefore, their security during transportation becomes a must. It depends on several factors and is definitely the most important as far as your personal peace of mind is concerned.
First of all, make sure that you choose a trusted moving company that will take care of the safety of your belongings. You'll know experienced professionals by the way they approach not only fragile items such as televisions, lamps, and display cases with care, but also commonly more neglected items such as books. They'll make both the preparation of transporting them and the whole process of moving them easier for you.
You can ensure extra security by following our recommended steps on how to pack books for moving in advance. These include careful selection of the boxes you will be moving your books in, securing them properly, and last but not least, good organisation during the packing process itself. This is what will help you save time and optimise the process.
Packing books: Step by step process
Packing books securely involves a lot of seemingly small steps that matter. We're sure that if you familiarize yourself with the tips on the subject, you'd do just fine even on your own.
Step 1: Choosing the proper box sizes
Although you would transport more books with larger boxes, this is not good practice. Surprising or not, it is advisable to use smaller boxes. Stacking a large number of books in large boxes can cause the bottom of the box to tear, leading to the integrity of the books being compromised, greater difficulty in carrying them by hand, and friction that could damage the pages and covers during transport. Select boxes with an optimum size no larger than 1.5-cubic-feet. To achieve maximum security during transport, opt for boxes made of thick cardboard whose edges and bottom are sufficiently sturdy. Taping the outside of the box with paper and placing several layers of duct tape at the bottom are additional measures you can take when packing.
Step 2: Packing books with different sizes
Another important aspect of packing books is the way you place them in the box. It is recommended to arrange them lying down, not standing up as you would in your home library. This arrangement would strengthen the base of the box and make it easier to carry. Make sure that the largest books are placed at the bottom of the box, followed by smaller sized reads. Stack the books on top of each other in the form of columns.
Step 3: Avoiding space between the books
Always try to fill in the gaps between the books. This way, you would insure yourself against the danger of them being dislocated during movement, thus reducing the danger of friction between them. It is advisable to use soft materials such as wrapping paper or cloth. These would lighten possible collisions between the individual reads. Do not overfill the box, the level of the books should not exceed its top edge.
Step 4: Packing books according to their cover type
As for paperback books, they need extra protection. You can wrap them in wrapping paper and try to place them over the heavier books.
Hardcover books, on the other hand, often carry sentimental value, as they are luxury or limited editions that you probably associate with a kind gesture from a loved one or represent a long-sought title. Because their edges are sharp and can damage softer reads, we recommend wrapping them individually with bubble wrap. Although this step may reduce the volume of your carry boxes, you'll definitely ensure the integrity and intactness of your hardcover books.
Step 5: Packing books when moving in a rush
Usually, packing books is a lengthy process as you have to carefully take care of the individual reading materials. You should wrap them separately in protective material and think about their proper arrangement in the boxes you choose. In addition, the memories associated with the books make the movers dwell on various excerpts or wishes, which further prolongs the process.
In case time is pressing you, make sure you use the spare minutes precisely to stock up on the right materials: appropriately sized boxes, materials to wrap the individual readings, thus protecting them from scratches, and strong tape to take care of securing the box.
For the more chaotic personalities, it is recommended to create a list to follow beforehand, which may include the packing materials needed as well as the titles you have decided to carry during the move.
Step 6: Being more organised when packing books
First of all, start the process as early as possible. This way, not only will you save yourself the potential stress, but you'll also be able to recall some of your collection. In case you have more time, you can divide your books into boxes by genre, series, or even colours. This would definitely streamline the process of re-arranging them in your new home.
Create a list of contents by box, and label each one. This will avoid the chaos when moving into the new home and make it easy to keep track of forgotten or lost boxes.
If you don't want to manually record each title, then trust technology, which allows you to capture individual books with just a few clicks, and assign them to folders that correspond to the boxes you're moving them into.
Donating books, or how to update your collection in a beneficial manner
Having a large number of books creates difficulties in packing them for moving. A good alternative, if you want to part with some of the readings before moving, is to donate them to a local institution: schools, libraries, community centres or care homes. You can also make use of the reads by donating to a cause that is important to you. We believe you would feel satisfied rather than sad about parting with the books. This way, you can keep only your favourite titles and make room for more books on your wish-list.
With our tips on how to pack books when moving, relocating will be easier and more organised, and your books in perfect condition.
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