Bookworm’s Tips on How to Pack Books for Moving

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Most of us would agree that a good, well-organized home library is one of the bright points of every household. We spend years trying to build it and improve it with every new title we add. Then comes the relocation, and we ask ourselves – how to pack books for moving? What should we do to take care of our favorite tomes?

Relocating your entire library is tricky for many reasons, but luckily many great tips can help you get through this process without a single wrinkled page. Don’t believe us? Read our ideas on how to approach packing. Once you try them, you’ll realize that transporting a book isn’t as complicated as it initially seemed to be. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Packing Books for Moving Is Stressful for Every Bookworm, But Does It Have to Be?

Book lovers are known to take care of their precious tomes. Cleaning them, arranging and rearranging numerous times, sorting them by genre or significance, these are all things we do out of love. Collecting publications, or comics, is a common hobby, and people are often very attached to their collectibles. So, it comes as no surprise that transporting them to your new, most extraordinary neighborhood in Chicago will bring you plenty of relocation stress. The question is, do you need to torture yourself with all that worry?

Luckily, books are not amongst the items movers won’t move, and your movers in Chicago will gladly help you move your collection. We can say with certainty that no matter how many volumes and tomes you have, they can all be brought safely to your new home. Like any other task on your to-do list, this requires learning some packing techniques and relocation hacks. Starting from finding supplies to step-by-step instructions, we will teach you how to pack efficiently and safely.

Man and woman packing publications in the package
With our instructions, you won’t have any problems

First Things First – Should You Transport Every Book You Own? Maybe It’s Time for Decluttering

No way you’re going to throw away a book, right? It sounds like a crime, honestly. You can always find a suitable place for it. Start with your friends and family members. Would they like to read something new? Your moving away party is a great occasion to give them something from your collection. If your tomes don’t suit their taste, be sure to check out where you can donate them. You will brighten someone’s day, and you’ll have less to transport. Another wise option is to sell, and this is an excellent idea if you require cash for all the unexpected expenses, which can add up to a high amount.

Decluttering is a must-have stage of preparing for a move. It’s the time of your life when you realize that you have way more things in your home than you need or use, so you decide to get rid of some to make transporting your belongings simpler. You likely know that movers charge based on the weight of items that they carry – taking some weight off your back will help you stay within the expenses checklist. Check out the video below to see how to approach the decluttering process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvDStB8Lky4

What Are the Best Boxes for Books?

The only problem you’ll have with packing countless tomes you own is the fact that they are heavy, for real. Therefore you must find strong boxes, the ones that can take all that weight. It’s the same logic as it is when you’re boxing up dishes. The box must endure a lot of pressure during transportation.

Where to Get Suitable Packages?

The funny thing about finding packages for relocation is that you can always find them for free. Check the local stores. They will be happy to help you since they have plenty of those to get rid of. Liquor stores always have some quality crates, and if there’s a bookstore close to you, consider asking them to donate you some of theirs. That is probably the best way to go. Obviously, theirs can hold the weight.

What Is the Best Size Box for Moving Books?

The general rule is, the smaller, the better, the same thing as when you’re packing plates. If you use large cardboard containers, they will get extremely heavy when filled, and your Chicago movers will have trouble carrying them, not to mention that the cardboard could easily tear under pressure.

Other Supplies You Will Need

This is optional and susceptible to change. You can buy some materials in the supply stores, but some are available for free, meaning they are household items you already have. People most commonly use these supplies:

  • Packing paper,
  • Tape,
  • Markers,
  • Bubble wrap,
  • Acid-free paper.
Packages and a tape gun
Medium size packages and tape are a must-have

Pro’s Tips on How to Pack Books for Moving

The first step before putting anything in the box is preparing your collection for transport. What does that mean? A couple of standard practices are a must-do if you want to preserve pages in excellent condition, especially if you won’t unpack right away when you get home.

  • You should clean the covers. The chances are that you won’t be keen on doing that after the move, and you don’t want to stack dusty tomes in your brand-new library.
  • Sort the titles by genre or importance. This depends on how you want to arrange them on shelves. Sorting by genre may sound like the obvious way to go, but sometimes a sentimental attachment to a publication is what matters the most.
  • Divide them into two sections, paperback and hardcover. It will be helpful once you get to fill the crates. It would be better if they are not together.

How Best to Pack Books for Moving?

After you’ve sorted everything out, the next step is putting your precious belongings into packages. Start with inserting a layer of clean paper on the bottom, and when you’re at it, check if the cardboard is dry and clean. Additionally, you can tape the outside of the box for extra protection.

The best way to pack books for moving is to make sure you put the heaviest ones first. This is the key, and after that, there’s not much that can go wrong. Basically, what you need to do is put heavy hardcovers first. After that, the less heavy ones, and then continue in the descending order. The lightest editions go to the top.

3 Tips for Organizing Books in Boxes

What is the best way to organize your novels so that they don’t end up damaged? Experts suggest these three methods for transporting tomes in the package:

  • Flat method – This means that you’re stacking them one on top of the other. With hardcovers, you can always apply the flat method.
  • Spines down – The spines down method is self-explanatory, but it is essential to mention that spines up is never an option as it can cause some damage.
  • Upright – Upright positioning is the same as when you’re stacking them on the shelves. The method is suitable for hardcover editions.

It’s Time to Close the Box

Make sure not to overpack. It’s smarter to leave space than to fill the crate to the top and then not to be able to lift it, let alone carry it. Just don’t forget to put crumpled paper to fill the space that’s left inside, so the volumes can’t move around with every bump in the road. Bubble wrap or towels are good as well if you run out of papers. When you’re ready to close the package, don’t be shy with the tape. Spend as much as you think it’s necessary, or even more. The point is to make sure the crate can’t fall open. That, combined with protective materials filling the extra space, is bound to keep your items safe.

Shelves with publications
Sorting all of the titles is helpful for packing and later unpacking

How Do You Pack Paperback Books for Moving?

How to protect paperback books? They are not hard to transport and only require a bit of concentration when placing them in the package. If you think some of them are more fragile than you’d like them to be, you can always help them stay intact with a lot of papers that you can put on the bottom or between two editions, so they can’t bend.

Which Technique to Apply With Paperback Editions?

Out of the three methods that we have listed above, all of them are an option. Our first choice would be laying them flat (that is, one on top of the other). Upright and spines down are also good, and it is all the matter of what you prefer.

Open paperback publication with pages shaped like a heart
How to protect paperback editions during the transport?

Always Remember to Label Crates, That Way You’ll Know Where Every Single Book Is

Labeling is essential, no matter what kind of items we’re talking about. We’re assuming you have plenty of reading material to transport, so in case you forget to label, you’ll cause yourself some confusion when you get to unpacking. Labeling doesn’t take much time, but it will save you a lot of it later. So, be smart and get those markers ready. Write what is in every single box.

Tape and a package
Label, label, and always label which volumes are in the package

How Do You Pack Books Without Boxes?

Sometimes we don’t calculate the correct number of boxes we need, so we face this problem. What to do if you don’t have enough packages? The answer is way more straightforward than you would think. Suitcases are the perfect solution for the problem. They are durable, and they can support a lot of weight, all the qualities you want from a package. It is wiser to fill suitcases with heavy hardcovers than with light clothes. You can easily transport clothes in any container.

A pile of suitcases
Suitcases are the perfect substitute for cardboard

What Not to Do When Relocating Your Home Library

Let’s say a few words on don’ts when you’re transporting tomes. We’ve mentioned that you should have clean boxes. Using packages that have previously transported food is not a good idea, as they can be dirty. When stacking publications, never cram them too close to each other. They will damage once you try to take them out of the crate. Another way to damage them is laying them in the box at odd angles, and you must never do this.

How to Pack Books in Boxes if You’re Taking Them to Storage?

The storage you choose must have optimal conditions for storing any kind of publication. Pay attention to a couple of things. Is it clean and air-conditioned? Of course, storage must be a dry place. If it’s all good, storage can be home for your items, but you must adjust the way you packed them. The critical point here is that you should wrap them in acid-free papers and avoid regular ones. This is going to protect them in storage for quite some time.

Be Extra Careful When Packing Your Favorite Book

You were probably going to do this anyway, but we’re going to emphasize it. Some titles probably have sentimental value, and there’s no need to see any of them damaged, especially not the favorites. Add extra papers or bubble wrap, and you’ll feel more relaxed. Or better yet, take your favorite with you on the relocation day. Add it to the list of essentials that are going in the bag with you. It’s proven that re-reading a favorite book helps lower anxiety, and that’s precisely what you need on the relocation day.

Open publication with roses on the pages
Take your favorite reading material with you on the relocation day

Are You Looking for Reputable Chicago Movers to Take Care of Your Collection? Look No Further, You’re in the Right Place

Are you dreading the thought of your precious books ending up as a part of a relocation scam? There’s no need for worry when you can hire the most outstanding moving company in Chicago. We can promise you that you won’t find better movers in Chicago. As our name says, Legit Movers will provide you with legit, exceptional relocation services. You can have the easiest move yet with us, whether you just hire us for our labor-only service or require packers and movers. If you want commercial relocation, we got that as well. We’ve got your back, no matter what it is that you’re looking for. Contact us today and reserve our services for your move day.