5 Tips For Packing Your Books For Moving
Moving out of a home is often exciting, be it for college, a purchased house, or combining households for whatever reason. And when we say exciting, we also recognize that might include a fair dose of stressful chaos. Packing isn't always fun, and some items are more challenging than others. Books fall under this category — they are heavy, come in various sizes, and range in value. Chances are if you have lived in your current space for any length of time, you have accumulated a fair amount of books, and now moving them out seems like quite the challenge.
According to Cassidy's Moving and Storage, packing and moving books doesn't have to be a big dramatic task. From reducing your collection to utilizing some creative moving methods, the trick is to have a plan in action before you get started so you can prevent damage, injury, and a lot of frustration.
1. Reduce your collection
One of the easiest ways to move books and guarantee you don't have to move them ever again, is to get rid of them before you start packing. There are so many ways to offload books and benefit others at the same time. According to Moving.com, you should start with your local library. Check and see if they are accepting donations, and if not, try your local thrift store.
If you have books of particular value or that you are confident others would enjoy reading, you can also try to sell them on places like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or through a traditional yard sale perhaps with other items you need to get rid of to lighten your moving loads. When you donate books, however, make sure they are still in good condition. Even the largest thrift stores like Goodwill don't want to deal with items that should otherwise be trash. Thankfully, plenty of books that are too worn to donate can be recycled.
2. Choose boxes wisely
When you're packing up books, small and medium boxes are smarter than large ones. Upon first impulse, it might seem logical to use boxes as large as possible so you can pack boxes quickly and be on your way. But try to pick them up, and you'll realize what a mistake that actually is. Instead, when it comes to moving books, slow and steady wins the race.
According to Kerb, it's important to remember that even paperback books can carry a lot of weight when grouped together. Instead, opt for smaller boxes or only fill large ones about 60% full so the boxes are still easily liftable (via Home Depot). These smart moving pros also recommend less conventional transport methods for heavy items like books — for example, what is your rolling suitcase up to these days? Fill it up with books and roll they off to their new home.
3. Bottom of the heap
Books should always remain in the back and bottom of your moving experience from start to finish. Home Depot advises packing them before most other items — it's a great way to make a dent in your packing and feel motivated to do more. Some, if not all, of your books are considered non-essential compared to other items around your house. You can pack them up early and have one less thing to worry about.
You should also use the "bottom and back" room when loading up the moving truck. Place books in the back of the truck and at the bottom of box stacks. Book boxes are plenty heavy to support more fragile items that need to be front and center, and there's also less of a fall risk. If book boxes fall, the books inside can be torn or damaged, and the weight of the boxes can damage other items on the way down as well.
4. Giving books their best chance
The success of your book packing and whether or not your books will remain safe in the move depends strongly upon the packing materials you use. While hand-me-down moving boxes from your cousin are perfectly acceptable for many items, it's best to avoid them when it comes to books. Instead, Fantastic Removals recommends brand new boxes. If they have corrugated cardboard, even better.
For successful book packing, you'll also want a lot of packing tape — don't skimp on this by purchasing the cheapest brand. Again, these boxes get heavy and need quality support. It's also a good idea to have some newspaper, bubble wrap, or packing paper to help fill out the boxes and prevent the books from shifting around inside.
Finally, be sure to sort your books by size and place them in the boxes in stacks of similar size and shape. It'll put less strain on the boxes and make it not only easier to move, but also unpack.
5. Protecting those special reads
Of course, some books are more special and sentimental than others. Non-essential paperbacks you believe are worth keeping through a move can be stacked in neat rows and placed easily into boxes. The same goes for standard hardcovers. But, if you're a book lover, there are likely some special reads in your collection you'll want to treat with more care.
Piece of Cake Moving and Storage suggests that these special books are the ones that should be packed in the aforementioned rolling suitcase rather than the cardboard boxes. Not only will they be better protected and easier to move, but you'll know exactly where they are when the unpacking begins. For hardcover books that are valuable, pack them upright with the spine against the wall of the box. You can also use cardboard sheets or dishtowels to separate them from each other during the jostling of moving.
Finally, if any special books are going into short-term storage, wrap them in acid-free paper to prevent any yellowing or decay — some things tend to end up in storage longer than we anticipate.