Are you a bibliophile on the move? Nothing can be worse than this. With thousands of books in your personal collection, moving is certainly a thorn in the side. Also, each and every book is precious to you and you have to ensure that they are moved safely. During the removal, books may:

• Get damaged during packing – torn or their spines may get cracked.
• Come in contact with water and get spoiled.
• Go missing.
• Get their leather bindings dehydrated in the wrong conditions.

To avoid all these unpleasant situations, we have listed down some of the best ways to pack books for moving. Let’s begin!

Packing advice for moving

Getting the right supplies

The $900 billion packaging supplies industry is flourishing for a reason. Safety of cargo is of utmost importance in any logistics scenario. To pack your books safely, it is necessary that you get the right kind of packing supplies. Here’s some packing advice for moving when it comes to getting the right stuff:

• Get small and sturdy boxes for they are the best boxes to move books. Large cardboard boxes are not as sturdy as the small ones and can come apart under heavy weight. Small and sturdy cardboard boxes can be purchased online or can be procured from any general store in your area.
• Get lots of sticky tape and ensure that they stay put on the cardboard surfaces. Lots of tape available in the market doesn’t go well with cardboard.
• Get packing paper or tissue paper to line the base and the walls of the box. It might seem unnecessary but it saves the book from environmental damage as well as from common issues such as ripped pages, bent spines, dog ears, etc. Packing paper makes the boxes retain their shape during transit.
• Get packing peanuts to fill the empty spaces in the boxes so that the contents do not move during the journey.
• Get towels, bubble wraps, or newspapers to pack old books that are more likely to get damaged.

How to pack books for moving

After you have all the supplies in place, it is time to start packing. Follow these packing tips to get the job done quickly and efficiently:

• Put the largest books at the bottom of the box and then move down in size as you stack them on top of each other.
• Line the walls and the base of the boxes with packing paper especially if you are moving books with hardback covers or books with dust jackets.
• Pack the books flat instead of on their sides. Packing books by their spine can result in some damage.
• Use lots of packing tape to make the boxes more sturdy. Add an extra line of tape on the bottom of the boxes to make them even more sturdy. Even the best boxes to move books available in the market can fall apart under the weight.
• Label the boxes properly. You categorize the books based on which room they will unpack into in your new house.
• One of the best ways to pack books for moving is to avoid overfilling the box. Use lots of boxes – it will be worth the investment.

Packing old books for moving

Old books hold so much sentimental value and you wouldn’t want them to face any kind of damage during their removal. Some packing advice for moving old books are given below:

• Wrap individual books with towels or packing paper.
• You can also use cling wrap to further fortify the packaging.
• Put a piece of cardboard between each book to save the boom spines from bending or breaking.
• Contrary to new books, you can actually put thick old books on their sides so that there is less strain on the spine.
• Fill the empty spaces in the box with crushed newspaper to ensure that the books do not move around the box. 

Moving advice for books

Plan your move

Before you even begin packing, it is crucial that you at least have a rough idea about how the process would unfold. Certain decisions such as choosing the moving date and whether you’d prefer to move with removalists or on your own need to be made in the initial stages of the plan. You’ll also need to decide where you’d get your packaging supplies from. Your budget is also a topic of discussion. All in all, these few points have to be covered once you decide that you have to move.

Moving on your own

If you decide that you will move on your own, here are a few things that you’ll need to do:

• Firstly, choose a specific moving date and plan towards it.
• Buy your packing supplies from a local store or online.
• Declutter your belongings. In case of books that you don’t want anymore, you can donate them or sell them in a garage sale.
• You might require a trolley or a dolly to move the books around. It will save you some time. Ask your contacts if they can arrange it for you.
• Contact your friends and family and ask them if they are available to help you move the books.
• Arrange for a moving truck or van.

Moving with professional movers

Things get a lot easier here. Professional packers and movers know how to pack books for moving. They are experienced and have the appropriate equipment and vehicles to help you move efficiently over long distances. For interstate removals, it is better to call in for help. The only downside of moving with packers and movers is that they are expensive. They will also use their own packing supplies that will add up to the final cost. You can, however, only opt for the moving service and pack the books on your own. You can use this article as a ‘how to pack books for moving’ guide and follow the tips to do the job better. At the end of the day, whether you pack and move on your own or otherwise, the main thing is that your books are moved safely and securely.

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