How to Pack Books When Moving House

Packing books for a home move would seem fairly straightforward, but there are some things you should be aware of. As with most things in life, there is a right and a wrong way to do it.

People often make the mistake of packing too many books into a box making it both dangerous and difficult to lift the box.

Then people will often come to unpack their book collection to find the spines are damaged or the books have moved about inside the box and damaged the pages.

So in this week’s home moving blog, we will share with you packing tips to ensure that your precious books arrive in your new home unscathed.

How To Prepare Books For Packing

Before you start packing your books into boxes, there are a couple of preparatory steps you need to take to ensure their safe transportation.

Declutter Your Book Collection

Even if you’ve always been a careful book buyer, time can either render many of your books obsolete or it can cause considerable damage to them, especially if they were not stored under the correct conditions.

Therefore, make sure you go through each book in your house and decide whether it is worth the time and cost to pack and move them.

Designate two huge piles in two opposite corners of the room which will serve as your packing station.

Then, place all the books you are taking with you to your new home in one corner, while the ones you are disposing of should go to the other part of the room.

Of course, decluttering your book collection will not be easy, we often have a deep-rooted attachment to our books. But here are a few questions to ask yourself to help you decide whether to keep a book or not.

1. What’s the current condition of the book? Books in poor shape are less likely to survive the residential move.
2. What are the dimensions and weight of the book? Big and heavy books will make your packing job even harder.
3. Does the book hold a special sentimental value for you? These are often the most difficult books to let go of.
4. Realistically, will you ever read that book again? It may be that the book was a disappointment to read the first time so you are unlikely to want to read it again. Or maybe the content is outdated or have your tastes in literature changed?
5. Do you have the room in your new home? If you are downsizing your home do you have the physical space to keep your books?
6. Do you really need it? Things like recipes are readily available online so do you really need to keep your recipe books for example?

You may also like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering For a Home Move. Decluttering before packing is the one guaranteed way to save time and money during your home move. In this guide, we look at not only how to physically declutter your home but also how to let go of things emotionally.

Get Packing Supplies

To make packing and moving books easier use small to medium-sized packing boxes.

You can buy brand new ones from your local removal company or office supply shop, or you can even attempt to save some money on moving containers and ask around your circle of friends if they happen to have boxes they can spare.

Visiting your nearest recycling centre or a few local supermarkets may also prove to be beneficial in the end, but remember that you do need clean cardboard boxes in good condition that can handle the weight of your books.

Having managed to gather a good number of cartons, the next step for you is to inspect each container really carefully for any possible signs of damage – dampness, tears, holes, or any other general weaknesses you can spot.

Don’t risk having unreliable moving boxes for transporting your books – you can easily use them to store much lighter household items inside.

To pack books properly, you will need:

• Good quality small and medium-sized boxes
• Clean and soft packing paper
• Newsprint as a filling material
• Bubble wrap
• Packing tape
• Tape gun
• Black marker pen

You may also like to read: How to Motivate Yourself to Pack for a Home Move. Packing for a home move can seem like an overwhelming task and it can be hard to get motivated to make a start. In this guide, we suggest some ways to motivate yourself to start your packing marathon.

How To Pack Books In Moving Boxes

Packing books in boxes may sound like a piece of cake for some people, but the correct book-packing process has its specific tricks which we will share with you below.

1. Before you start packing your books in boxes, take the roll of tape and reinforce the bottom of each cardboard box you have decided to use. Keep in mind that books are much heavier than you might think, so you need to make sure the bottoms won’t just break under the considerable weight.
2. Take one small or medium-sized box, and place a sheet of packing paper on its already reinforced bottom.
3. What is the best way to pack books? There are 3 good options when it comes to packing books efficiently:

How to Pack Books Standing Upright

Pack your books standing upright as their open parts face the sides of the moving box.

How to Pack Books Spine Down

Pack your books in such a way that their spines are facing the bottom of the box while their open parts are staring at you. You definitely don’t want to do it the other way around with the book spines facing you due to the increased risk of bindings ending up damaged under the book’s own weight.

How to Pack Books Laid Flat

Pack your books flat and stack them along the box sides. If you choose to go with this option, remember that heavier books should always be placed first inside the moving container.

4. All of the three book packing methods above are correct and the choice of exactly how to arrange your books in boxes is ultimately up to you.
5. Do not position books too tight one next to the other as you might damage a printed work while trying to get it out of the box later.
6. For best results, utilise the space inside each box to its maximum capacity but without making the container too heavy to be lifted. No box should weigh more than 20kg. After you’ve finished arranging the first row of books, start the second one if there’s still enough room, or start placing the next books sideways while keeping the pages of different books from touching. Use soft crushed paper to separate the volumes.
7. Fill in the remaining spaces between the books with bubble wrap, packing paper, clean rags, soft towels, thick socks, and so on. The idea here is to minimise any book shifts during transportation.
8. Place a clean sheet of packing paper on the very top of your packed books, close the box lid, and tape it shut.
9. Take your black marker pen and write /BOOKS/ and destination room /LIVING ROOM, STUDY/ on at least two sides of each packed box. Also, mark the box as “HEAVY”.

You may also like to read: How to Choose the Right Boxes for Moving Home. Not all moving boxes are equal. In this guide, we walk you through the process of choosing the right type and size box for all of your packing needs.

How to Pack Heavy Books

How to pack heavy books for moving? There are 3 main rules to observe when packing heavy books for moving house:

• Rule #1: Heavy books should stay at the bottom. The idea behind this rule is that heavier books could damage lighter and more fragile ones if placed on top of them.
• Rule #2: Limits should not be tested. There is an unwritten safety rule that packers should keep book-filled boxes under the limit of 20kg. Going over that weight is considered unsafe both for the cardboard box as well as for the person lifting it.
• Rule #3: Think outside the box. If you have travel suitcases with wheels at the bottom then you can use these to pack your books in, but again be careful of the weight you pack in them.

You may also like to read: How to Pack a Living Room for Moving Home: The Ultimate Packaging Guide. Most people tend to keep their book collection in the living room, so you may be interested to learn how to pack every item commonly found in the living room.

Questions And Answers When Packing Books For Moving

• What box sizes to use when packing books for shipping? Small boxes are used for packing heavy items and larger boxes are used for packing lighter items. So, small to medium-sized cardboard boxes should be just fine.
• How to pack books for storage? If you’re thinking about packing books for long-term storage, then use the book packing steps above and finish the packing process by wrapping your precious books inside a final layer of durable plastic sheets as protection against possible moisture and dust in the storage area.
• How to pack valuable books when moving house? When packing antique books or packing expensive books for shipping, adequate protection is key. Wrap each book first in an extra soft and perfectly clean sheet of paper and then add a layer of bubble wrap over that same paper for extra safety. Tape the bubble wrap in place so that it won’t fall off and place the book of extraordinary value, either monetary or sentimental, in a special moving container away from the rest of the printed works. Repeat the packing process for all your special books you own.
• What should I do with all the unwanted books? Donating to a charity shop or selling them are two easy options to get rid of the books you no longer need or want.
• What if I need help packing my books when moving? If you feel nervous about packing up your books for safe transportation to your new home or you simply don’t have the time to do it properly, then your best bet is to hire experienced professional packers who know exactly what it takes to pack your books for moving quickly and safely.

You may also like to read: Packing Services. Are They Worth the Money? In this guide, we look at what packers do, how much they cost, and whether hiring professional packers will make your home move easier.

Whatever item you are packing, or whatever question you have regarding your home move, you will find a comprehensive answer in our home moving blog so be sure to spend some time reading those invaluable guides.