For many of us, book collections are much venerated. Not to mention that some of the tomes and publishings at your disposal might be rather rare and collectible items, much like antiques. Therefore, it would be wise to group and pack them as they deserve before loading up for transportation. Bent pages, stained covers and torn off spines aren’t worth chasing time in a hectic tempo.
Apart from tips for organizing the books compactly and conveniently within moving boxes we would like to give you an easy-to-follow guide that would let you prepare for a moving day with no rush. So let’s take a look at how to pack books to move hassle-free.
1. Oversee your collection
As we already mentioned in our previous blog post describing the steps you might take to move easier on your family, it would be nice to involve your kids in revision of books snowballed at your place. Try to decide together whether you want to keep some of them or not. We bet that not every story from the days your children learned to read is worth keeping another couple of years.
To lessen the number books, you can do 3 things:
- Put them on a garage sale in front of a house.
- See if your friends have an interest in some reads you’re unlikely to take along while moving.
- Donate your books to a local charity fund or public libraries.
2. Start with grouping the books by size
To help you realize how to properly pack books for moving we suggest you start grouping them by size. To have a comprehension of what possible number of items can fit in a single cardboard box, check the dimensions of those you already have or draw on standard dimensions. The typical sizes of moving boxes are 17”x12 3/8”x 12 3/8” (1,5 cu ft) and 18” x 15” x 12.5” (2 cu ft).
Try to separate the entire heap of books into different bunches consisting of items of approximately the same size. In case you have a considerable amount of serial books of the same standard size, it would be better to stow them into the same box. By doing so you’ll easily ascertain that none of the fascicles from the same serial isn’t missing.
It is a great way to organize your book collection for putting them to storage too. Thanks to this, you’ll easily retain the exact series of books without digging through every package left in storage.
3. Take into account how much books weigh
Overburdened packages are no good for neither you to handle them nor for the books contained inside. The moderate and rational loading would be the best approach as to how to pack heavy books for moving. Try not to exceed the recommended weight of 40 lbs.
4. Use appropriate boxes or… be inventive
While staking the books inside, don’t forget to wrap them around with a layer of wrapping paper or newsprint. That will secure the corners and give an additional cushioning during transportation.
Where to find appropriate boxes if you have none?
Our company may supply you with a variety of boxes to pack household possessions, including small (16 ⅜” x 12,5” x 12,5”) and medium ones (18” x 13” x 16”) that best suit for transferring books. For your convenience we as well provide prompt and cheap packing service if you can’t manage with pre-move preparations by yourself.
Alternatively, you can look for moving supplies in the local bookstore or check if there is a spare box at your office. Probably there are some spare boxes left after shipments. Or scan local message boards and Facebook groups to interest if there is a family living in your neighborhood that has moved recently. Quite likely, they have a stash of boxes left, and they can give it away.
Ever thought about moving books in a rolling suitcase?
To think of it, it is a great vessel to transport books. These cases have plenty of space, lock tightly and have a sturdy shape, which makes them perfectly suited for carrying books. You may stack books into a rolling suitcase and easily transport them even apart from the rest of the moved belongings.
5. Consider multiple ways of stuffing the box
In most guidelines, you can find reasonable tips on how to place books into boxes for transportation: the hardback should be stowed spine to spine or spine down, while paperbacks have to be stacked vertically. For both occasions we recommend to lay down mashed paper or a towel to protect the bottom.
Finally, don’t miss filling in the gaps between books and the sides of the packing box with additional padding. But be careful and work gently so as to not smash or rip the pages.
6. Don’t forget to label sealed boxes
Indeed, there would be hell of a lot of frustration if you ever happen to look for a certain book among plenteous boxes. So don’t ignore labeling and giving the detailed description for boxed contents. Additionally, we recommend you mark box with something like “Books, This End Up” so the movers will know exactly how it should be placed.
We ensure your books will arrive safely at no time!
At The Miami Movers we know exactly how to treat your favorite precious reads during the move. Not only do we manage the packing and careful loading but also suggest you to take advantage of our climate-controlled storage facility where you can safely store books along with other home belongings.
Contact our managers to arrange the details of how your home library can be moved.