July 13, 2022
The packing part is perhaps the most exhausting point of relocating. But no matter how much hard work we put into it, if we don’t do it properly, we may regret it later. That’s why it’s essential to know how to pack books for moving and use simple tips and tricks to ensure our novels arrive undamaged.
When we plan to relocate to another state, most of us dread the moment we have to start taking care of our household items and placing them into packages. Some get nervous about their favorite china set and worry that it may break along the way. But the biggest fear of any bookworm is that their hardcovers and paperbacks might tear, bend or rip. So, how do you pack books for moving and avoid adjustment insomnia because your favorite book got ripped in transport? Let’s see some tips that can help you out.
Novels Are Valuable Possessions
We get attached to the magical world inside our favorite novels, and it’s no wonder we want their company, especially when we’re relocating to another state alone. From the Epic of Gilgamesh, the epic poem written on stone tablets in Ancient Mesopotamia, to the first printed novels with covers that were works of art, they were always considered valuable. Today, people of Iceland are known to read more than anyone, but the US has its fair share of bookworms, too. So, no matter our reasons to move or our destination, taking care of each book is essential for organizing our move.
A book can brighten up any day
Thin Down Your Collection Before Packing
Decluttering is always an essential part of saving money on relocating costs. Although you probably believe you couldn’t part with any of your precious novels, there are certainly some titles that you could get rid of. You can sell unwanted items online or throw a garage sale, where you can display everything you won’t be putting on the relocating to another state checklist.
Where to Donate Any Book You Want to Separate With
Getting rid of unnecessary items is a must when you plan to move, and especially when you’re preparing your home for sale. Some of the titles you won’t be keeping can cheer up someone else. Charities such as Goodwill and Salvation Army will welcome all kinds of donations, from electronics to dry foods, and novels are included on the list of things they accept. Your local library is also a good option, as well as retirement homes.
Give away and donate any title you don’t want to keep
Obtain Boxes for Books and Begin Preparations
There can be many things you forget to do when you move, but if you are a true bookworm, protecting your invaluable novels is not among those things. To tackle it like a breeze and ensure each book stays intact, you should stock up on boxes of adequate size. Since paperbacks and hardcovers tend to be on the heavy side when piled up, it’s best to prepare smaller and medium-sized packages. Aside from cartons, you should also get some packaging paper, dividers, heavy-duty tape (and a dispenser, too,) and a marker for labeling.
Prepare the Boxes, So Each Book Is Protected
Novels are your pals in every situation – whether you’re waiting in line or you want to spend some quality time alone, they are always by your side. But they can even help you make friends in another state more efficiently by joining a bookworm club or attending a literary convention. That’s why you should pay special attention to protecting them. The most crucial part is to tape the bottom lids of each box with several layers of tape to ensure that packages won’t open while being carried.
Group the Novels by Size and Cover
After deciding where to live, one of the biggest relocating mistakes we could make is to be disorganized. Going through each step of the process with a plan in mind will enable not only a smooth move but a quick unpacking, too. So, how to pack books in boxes with a goal in mind? Before you start placing each title into the packages, you should divide them into groups. You can split them into categories by size and separate hardcovers from paperbacks. As soon as you’re done, you can begin packaging.
Divide your novels into categories before you place them into packages
A Few Tips for Protecting and Packing Your Hardcovers and Paperbacks
Before the cross-country movers group arrives, your novels should be packed and ready to get loaded into the back of a truck. But there’s probably one question still bothering you – should books be packed spine up or down? When it comes to hardcovers, it may seem that both ways could work, but to enjoy the benefits of relocating and avoid stress because of damaged novels, we suggest steering clear of the spine-up option. If there are any valuable pieces among your titles, such as rare or luxury editions, you should wrap them in paper and place cardboard dividers or foam sheets between them.
How to Protect Paperback Books – Packing Them Needs a Few Hacks
Finding a place of residence with some peace and quiet can be done in two ways – by relocating to a small town or perhaps to the suburbs of the metropolis. But there are three ways to take care of your paperbacks safely. If you’ve divided the novels by size, you can stack them by laying them flat on their backs. This way, they will fit perfectly in the package. The other way is to place them to stand up – the same way they were on the shelf, but ensure that the spines are facing the walls of the package. The pages will less likely get damaged if your novels are placed spines down, but you could simply combine these solutions, so there’s no free space left.
The Best Way to Pack Books for Moving Is to Make Sure They Don’t Shift Inside
All your novels should be placed into packages before you can prepare for relocating furniture (you’ll need to disassemble the shelves for loading into the truck.) But since most of them aren’t made to fill the box perfectly, there can be some shifting inside. To avoid it, you should place some crumpled paper to fill out free space between each stack.
Leave Out a Few for the Essentials Bag
Whether you’ll travel by your car or you’re shipping it through an auto transport service, it’s crucial to take a bag of relocating essentials with you, to survive the first few days in your new home. Sure, it’s vital to bring things such as toilet paper and other basic toiletries, a change of clothes, some snacks, and chargers, but food for thought is not less important. You can bring your child’s favorite novel to keep them entertained while you unload your stuff and some titles for you to read a few pages before bed.
Antiques will require special care
Visibly Label Each Package
One of the tips that will ensure the whole relocation process is a bit easier is to place relocating labels on each box. Although it may seem that this is only important when you pack fragile items, so they don’t end up smashed, it’s also vital for packages with novels. If you label them correctly, the cross-country moving company will know how to load them into the truck. Since packages with novels are usually heavy, movers tend to place them on the bottom so they don’t crush lighter boxes. If you have time, you can snap a photo of the contents of each box and create a photo inventory for a swift unpacking.
By labeling each package, you’re making sure your novels remain intact
How to Pack Books for Moving by Using Household Items
One of the most excellent relocating hacks for packaging is to use your everyday household items instead of buying materials and cardboard packages. But, how do you pack books for moving without a box? It’s quite simple – the suitcases are a perfect solution for this. They are sturdy, have wheels and handles, and can be managed without doing heavy lifting. And besides, after you’ve unpacked them, you won’t have any recycling to do.
A suitcase is a great way to take care of items as heavy as novels
Prepare Them for Storage
Perhaps you’ll need some time in your new home to figure out the arrangement and what new pieces of furniture to buy. If this is the case, it’s best to store your novels using the storage service. But, what is the best way to pack and store books? All the previous tips apply for storage, too, and simply ensure that the packages are clean and dry so you don’t end up with moldy hardcovers and paperbacks. A reliable company will keep their storage units under climate-controlled conditions so that you won’t receive ruined novels.
The packages must be clean and dry, and firmly secured for storage
Unpack Them in Your New Home
When you start to unpack, you probably think that your novels are nowhere near as important as other items in your house (although no true bookworm would agree,) but it’s wise to put them on the priority list. That is because you’ll have a lot of free space in your unpacked stuff, and shelves are easily organized when empty. Here are some suggestions on how to transform your library so when you meet new neighbors, you can impress them:
- Those of you who own large libraries should probably organize bookshelves in alphabetical order. That is especially important if you reference the titles often and need a system to get around them easily. The visual side is not imperative in this case.
- If you are a fan of several genres, dividing the novels by their genre is an interesting way to organize them. It makes any comprehensive collection easier to manage.
- To get a sense of visual balance, you can separate the paperbacks from hardcovers and then use some other method to organize them. This way, you can even make a weight balance on your shelves.
- You can freely say that even in the world of bookshelves, there’s some controversy. We’re talking about rainbow bookshelves, but we’re going to point out that this system makes sense. Those who don’t reference their novels often (all of you who are collectors of already read titles) can freely embrace this method. Go from dark to light and from bottom to top to get visual satisfaction.
- Stacking up a part of the shelf is also pleasing to the eye. You should organize around 70% of your library vertically and the remaining 30% horizontally.
- The two-thirds rule is a nice touch for those who want to leave some open spaces on the shelf or leave them to place other objects and decorations.
- Arranging titles by height will also bring some balance to the library. You can play with this method, too, and organize them in a Z pattern. Place tall novels on the right side of the top shelf, and do the opposite on the shelf below. This way, you’ll create a visual wave.
If you own an extensive collection of novels, sometimes it’s hard to keep track of each novel. You can easily make an online library of owned titles with an app called LibIb, which scans the barcodes found on each book and adds them to your collection. Need some inspiration for organizing your bookshelf? You’ll find some in the following video.
The Movers Can Take Care of Your Library for You
Perhaps you are running out of time, and other move-related tasks are catching up. If you’ve decided to invest in cross-country moving services, it’s not a bad idea to ask the movers about their packing service and whether they can take care of your novel collection for you. This way, you’ll be less tired and have more free time to figure out the bookshelf arrangement in your new place.
