How to Pack Books
How to pack books isn’t among the questions we ask all too often. However, more often than not, improperly packed books are the main reason for an accidental mess in the back of a moving van.
We’ve covered quite a number of packing tips and advice before. Books, however, are a whole other story.
A Book Lover’s Painful Moments
For a true bibliophile, there’s nothing more flustering than:
- ripped pages;
- bent spines;
- dog-eared corners.
- Water damage
- Leather bindings dehydration
Unsurprisingly, house removals can be a stressful time for book lovers. It’s not just the risk of damaging them that makes moving your books a nightmare, though. It’s the whole process of planning what to pack and take with you. But still, let’s shed some light on how to pack books for moving.
How to Pack Books in Boxes – General Packing Tips
- Look for strong, but not too big cardboard boxes.
The smaller the box, the more heavy items it can contain. And, books are heavy. - Line the boxes with tissue or packing paper before filling them.
This is a good idea if you’re packing hardback books which feature attractive slipcovers. - Load in your largest, heaviest books first.
It makes sense, right?. - Pack the books flat.
Don’t pack your books vertically to avoid mishaps if you stack other boxes on top. Depending on the size and shape of your packing boxes for books, you should be able to fit in perhaps two separate stacks of flat-packed books. - Do not overfill a box.
Don’t be afraid to leave a gap of an inch or so between the books and the top. - Fill the gaps in the box.
This will secure the books in place. You can use old newspaper, clothes, bedding or towels will do the job nicely. - Don’t be shy with the packing tape.
You can tape the box around several times to secure its contents. Protecting the books with more tape will actually cut down on your moving costs as you will preserve the condition of the paperbacks and will not have to spend anything on restoration. - Don’t forget to label the boxes. It’s important to state that the box contains books, so the movers know it’s a heavy one and put it on the bottom. See our professional tips for labelling moving boxes.
Moving home is always going to be a very stressful event for anyone, not just for book lovers. Packing and moving all your stuff will take time and effort that most of us do not like to spare. But, even so, if you are on a budget, it’s better to pack everything yourself than give the task to someone else. And now, you at least know how to pack books before a move, so your precious darlings are safe and sound.
