How To Pack A Home Library For Moving

Packing and moving books is way less fun than reading them, but if you love to read then you’ll want to take your home library with you when you move. Luckily, there are some simple tips from professional movers NYC you can follow to more your books efficiently. You can always choose the most convenient way and hire full-service movers to take care of your entire move, but you can also DIY. If you prefer to do things yourself, these tips will help you organize your library before relocation. Follow our handy guide to learn how to pack a home library for moving.

Make a selection

Before you start packing the entire home library, go through your entire collection and decide what you want to take with you and what to leave behind. You may have some duplicates or some damaged books, or even those you don’t plan on reading, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If you don’t want to relocate some of your books, you can leave them behind, and here are some ideas on what to do with them:

Sell

Many people enjoy a good book they can find at a fair price, so the fact that it’s not new doesn’t bother them. Someone will be happy to pay for your old book, so take it out for a yard sale or post it for sale online. You can sell via Facebook Marketplace or any other online platform. You probably won’t earn a lot of money, but the main goal is to get rid of extra books while making a few extra dollars.

Donate

If you’re not in the mood to sell your books, you can also donate them to charity. Places like schools, orphanages, or libraries will be happy to have more books. You can also gift books to your friends, neighbors, or family members.

Recycle

If some books are too damaged to be sold or gifted, you can take them to the recycling center.

Categorize

After you make a selection and know what goes with you and what stays you should now proceed to organize them. You can make categories by hardcovers and paperbacks first, and then categorize them by size and shape. You can also take photos of your current shelves to remember how to arrange them in your new home.

Pack

There are various ways to pack books in the moving boxes, and these are the best methods to follow. Choose the way you find most convenient because all of them work just fine.

When you’re packing your library for moving, make sure books are not bent or at weird angles because they could get damaged. Always pack them in smaller boxes because books can get extremely heavy and you don’t want to overpack the box. Never put more than 40 books in one box, even if space allows, otherwise, it can lead to back injuries or breaking of the box (unless you have strong helpers and you’re absolutely sure you can manage).

Only use boxes in good shape and sturdy enough to hold the weight. Larger books should be placed at the bottom and lighter ones on top of them, combining three methods for packing to use space and get the best results. Even if you’re using brand new boxes, go ahead and double tape the bottom of the box using packing tape to prevent it from opening. Cover the inside of the box with packing paper to prevent boxes from getting damaged and pack books inside using combined packing methods.

You can also use cardboard dividers to separate books from each other if some of them are valuable. Another layer of protection can be created by wrapping the book with packing paper. There shouldn’t be any space left, but if there is, simply fill it in with crumpled packing paper or bubble wrap.

Consider storage

If your new home doesn’t have enough space for a library, or if you’re waiting between move-in and move-out dates, consider renting a storage unit. Watch out for pests or humidity, so avoid traditional storage units and rather go for climate-controlled ones. These types of units provide optimum conditions for keeping your books in the best shape. In case you have to store your books for an extended period, climate-controlled units are the best option.

Gather supplies

Having high-quality packing supplies is necessary for moving a library. You should get enough moving boxes, packing tape, packing paper, and bubble wrap. Be careful when you’re buying moving boxes because you may want to get the regular size, which can become extremely heavy when packed with books. A normal weight I usually a maximum of 40lbs, and anything heavier than that can lead to back injuries and can also cause the box to break. Therefore, get several smaller boxes to make sure they’re not too heavy and try using only brand new, sturdy boxes. You can also use plastic containers that are sturdy enough and can be rented which makes them extra convenient for moving.

Label

After you’re done with all the steps and your moving boxes are shut and sealed with packing tape, there’s one final thing to do –label them. Write “books” on each side of the box, or at least three different sides so that you can locate them with ease and this will also help you be aware of heavy boxes and use safe lifting techniques. Use printed labels or a simple sharpie marker for labeling your moving boxes.

Eventually, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a moving company and ask about their services and free quotes – you may be surprised how low moving rates are. Contact Movit Movit and receive a free moving quote.