How to Pack Books When Moving

Pick out the Books You Won’t Be Packing

You decided where to move, you know what are your reasons to move, and now is the best time of the year to move, however, before you start putting every single book into moving boxes, look at your inventory list (or a photo inventory) and take some time to pick out the titles you won’t be taking with you. Perhaps you have several copies of the same book? Or maybe you have a book or two you simply know you’ll never read again. Whatever the case is, put those in a separate pile for unwanted items to donate and consider selling them or donating them to charity. There’s no need to carry them all, especially if you’re planning your moving budget to reduce the costs of moving or moving into a smaller home.

Divide Books into Categories

Now that you’re left with a pile of items you’re definitely taking to your new home or to the storage, it’s time to get them organized. Divide them into meaningful categories to make packing easier. Here are a few tips you could use:

• Sort by cover type. Dividing all your book collection into hardcover and paperback is a great first step to organizing them for packing.
• Sort by size. Additionally, you may want to sort them by their dimensions, as this will make it easier to fit them into appropriate size boxes.
• Sort by shelf. While this method might not be that handy for packing, it will certainly make unpacking easier. Simply group together those titles that you keep on the same shelf and pack them as such. If you didn’t manage to find a job before moving to another state, or you’re still on a house-hunting mission, avoiding relocation depression will be much easier when you can easily find your favorite author and relax while reading.

Smaller Boxes are Fantastic for Books

Always use the smallest boxes possible to pack your titles. These will be more likely to sustain the weight they carry, as larger boxes could give in at the bottom. Alternatively, you might want to use a suitcase for heavier and larger volumes, as they will almost certainly carry the weight of their contents easily.

Use a Lot of Protective Materials

Before you start filling the box, cover its bottom and all its sides with at least two layers of protective paper. If you’re packing more expensive or rare volumes, you might even consider using bubble wrap or cardboard. Additionally, add protective layers between every two items for extra padding, especially if they are going to storage first.

Alternate Between Bound Edges

When stacking your book collection, either vertically or horizontally, don’t forget to alternate between bound edges. This will help protect the contents from moving around or stacking unevenly. However, when it comes to paperback issues, you should avoid stacking them bound edge up, as their covers aren’t sturdy enough to keep them in that position for too long, especially when they’re on the moving truck.

Tips on How to Pack Books for Moving – And How Not To

Now that you know what the most important things you should do when packing publications are, it is time to move onto things you should absolutely avoid doing. Without further ado, here are the most common moving mistakes people make when packing books for a relocation to a new home. Keep these tips in mind to make sure your belongings stay intact.

Not Preparing Books for Storage During Relocation

If you’re planning on storing your belongings in a storage unit for some time while you’re moving, there are certain things you should do to ensure your print survives this. Namely, you should use acid-free materials and waterproof protection. Of course, always make sure that the storage unit you’re renting is dry and cool, and don’t hesitate to ask movers for additional packing tips and tricks.

Packing Every Single Book

Are there any titles you might need during the moving period? For example, you could need some textbooks for school or you might simply want to have a book or two to read as you unpack. Perhaps your favorite one could help you cope with stress when moving? Whatever the case is, don’t box those issues that you’ll most likely need.

Being too Quick to Pack

Even if you’re working on a short deadline to move into your new home, you should take the time to carefully pack your belongings. Rushing through this task could easily result in unfixable damage to your items. So one of the most important moving day tips we have is to get organized early on and take your time to carefully handle your belongings.

Using Improper Supplies

Not using the right materials and supplies is a recipe for disaster when it comes to handling your book collection. For example, if you use large boxes, you run the risk of the box breaking and all of its contents falling out. If you use newspapers instead of clear paper for protection, the ink from the print might end up rubbing off on your items. So don’t hesitate to invest a little more in proper supplies.

Leaving Empty Space in a Box

One of the most important things you should do before sealing the package is to fill the empty space. You can use packing paper, foam peanuts, or even pieces of cloth to do this. The important thing is to make sure the contents of the box don’t fly around and get damaged.

Being Lazy with Labeling

We all know how important it is to label your boxes. Writing down the contents of each box will help you unpack in a much more organized manner later on. However, it probably won’t be enough to simply write “books” on a box. You should at least at the category as well, such as “textbooks”, “dictionaries”, or “living room shelf”. And if you really have some time on your hands, you might even write down every single title.

Time to Move

Now that you know how to tackle this task, and how to lower moving expenses, it’s time to check the safety of your future neighborhood and decide will you move during the holidays or maybe in the summer. If you’re moving alone to another state, to avoid relocation anxiety make sure you find a relocation company that has good reviews, its highly recommended, and offers a wide array of moving services you might need, such as auto transport or packing. Feel free to ask more about what is the process of their services, how they pack clothes and box up bulky furniture, they will also explain to you how car shipping works in case you’re planning to transport your vehicle across the country. If you like the answer, you can ask for a free estimate and book your relocation date.