If you look around your place and you feel frightened by the idea of relocating your entire home library from one part of LA to another – these well-honed tips on how to pack books for moving could offer some help with that arduous task.
You will find out precisely what type of boxes to get, and further advice on how to sort, pack, and label your books during a local move to keep them in order and wrinkle-free.
#1 Streamline Your Collection and Pack Your Books Early
While it is important to purge and get rid of what you don’t need before the big day comes, books are treasured items that can sometimes be really hard to part with. Use this time as the perfect motive to clear some parts of that collection that have been lingering on your shelves for years.
One of the first tips to give is to start with the assessment of your library collection a month or two before your planned move. Carefully evaluate every book, and take a few extra runs through your shelves to make sure you’ve made all the right decisions. The best way to streamline your collection is to make a book a gift or donate to your local community as much as you can.
To make this purge a bit easier to handle, create a list of the best titles you will commit to once you settle into your new place. This will keep you motivated during the hard work of streamlining your collection.
#2 Sort Your Library by Categories
Even though organizing your favorite reads sounds complicated or time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be. If you follow these tips and the famous organizing mantra of “like with like,” you can easily simplify the process. The best way to start is to organize your book collection by type (paperback or hardback), size, importance, and condition. This will save you time and frustration, and you can continue decluttering to lighten the final shipping load.
If you wish to arrive at your new place and have to do nothing but unpacking, you should do most of the job at your current home. Categorize and divide all of your books to have them ready and sorted out according to a system. Take some time to sort them into general categories like fiction and nonfiction. Afterward, you can subdivide fiction to the genre and then alphabetically by author. The fiction editions go into one pile and later into one type of boxes, and nonfiction to the other. Nonfiction ones should be broken into categories such as history, travel, biographies, art, etc. and packed separately.
#3 Get the Right Packing Materials: Use Small, Sturdy Boxes
Think “out of the box” about packing materials you should use, and if your move is a short one, reusable grocery bags, small, sturdy boxes, storage baskets, and even brown paper bags could do the trick. Whatever you use, make sure the bottom is sturdy enough and can hold the weight. There will be lots of heavy lifting, so it is essential to pick the right boxes according to the weight of your collection. It is important to find small boxes as they are the ideal choice for packing the heaviest parts of your collection. Additionally, you would want to secure the boxes in advance using bubble wrap or tape, especially if you carry some valuable or antique editions. You can use the same materials to fill in empty or remaining space in a box.
#4 Be Creative: Use Suitcases With Wheels
This is one of the life-changing tips you’ll wish you thought of sooner. If you find the boxes unreliable for carrying your precious collection or just want to eliminate all the heavy lifting – try putting your beloved titles inside a suitcase with wheels. This is a great alternative that you can easily wheel right onto the moving truck and into your new home.
#5 How to Pack Your Book Collection for Minimal Damage
Every part of your collection requires a specific treatment before the transport. You must sort the entire collection beforehand because you need to put the same type of book together. You should do this mainly because the same kind of book will need the same level of protection. We offer a brief guide to the best ways to pack specific books to prevent damage.
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Moving Your Paperback Titles
When it comes to ordinary paperback editions, it is crucial that you place them in flat stacks or set them spine-first so that pages are facing outward. Avoid packing them at odd angles because that may cause the pages to bend. Additionally, secure any gaps and the top of each edition with tissue paper before sealing the box. Keep them even more secure by covering the top of the box with bubble wrap and tape the box shut. This way, you will keep your beloved library safe, prevent torn pages, or any other damage to the delicate covers.
Moving Your Hardback Titles
As for hardback editions, you must place them the same way you would put them on your shelf. Place them spine against the side of the box and make sure they fit in snugly to avoid any gaps between. Use packing paper and protect each one before putting them in the box. Once they are tight-fitting, add packs of silica gel on the top of the box to protect it from moisture during transportation.
Packing Your Antique Books into Boxes
While packing antique books, it is important to put them into boxes in a way that would keep some space between them to prevent damage to the covers. You should use stiff cardboard, which you should place between each book to ensure that spines remain straight and prevent any movement during transportation. If you wish to provide an additional level of protection to covers and edges, wrap each volume in packing paper and secure the box with bubble wrap or silica gel.
#6 Prepare Your Book Collection for Storage
Before placing your precious titles in a local storage unit, make sure that your collection is free of any dirt. If you are worried about possible decay to your beloved titles and wish to eliminate any possibility of moisture, try using acid-free tissue paper and wrap each book individually.
It is crucial that you find a climate-controlled storage unit that will help keep your goods within a set of temperature and humidity levels year-round. Don’t forget to ask whether the storage facility engages pest control services on a monthly or quarterly basis.
#7 Label, Label, Label
You have taken fantastic care of your home library so far during the process, but there’s more to do. If you wish to make unpacking much easier, don’t forget to label the boxes properly. Buy plenty of sticky notes and, most importantly, a bunch of markers in different colors to track all the sections you’ve made in your collection. Be aware that there is no such thing as overdoing it with labeling.
Give each box a number, color, and a priority, especially if you won’t be the one moving them. This will determine the number of boxes, their final destination, and the priority of items that should be unpacked right away. This is a clean and precise organization tactic you’ll love.
Call the Professionals to the Rescue
If you get lost somewhere along the way and relocating your precious collection doesn’t seem like something you can do successfully – turn to reliable local LA moving experts like Allin Moving. Our experienced team of professionals will take care of your belongings and deliver them safely to your new home anywhere in the Los Angeles area.
