For bibliophiles preparing for a move, it might be tempting to speed up the packing process by heedlessly tossing your literary collection into random boxes just to get the chore over with. However, there’s actually an art to packing up paperbacks and hardcovers so they arrive at your new home in the same condition they left your old place. You can learn to pack like a pro, and it starts with choosing the best moving boxes for books.
Finding the right moving boxes for books
One of the first rules of packing is to find the right materials. After all, the right box isn’t just any old box! Different containers are better suited for certain contents, and it’s important to choose your boxes carefully.
For example, since moving boxes for books can get very heavy very quickly, it’s best to use small boxes to keep the weight down. If you’re using cardboard boxes, try to find something in the 18”x12”x12” ballpark. Packing a bunch of small boxes with books might sound tedious, but when your collection arrives at your new dwelling in great condition—and when you don’t have a pulled muscle from picking up an overfilled box—you’ll thank yourself.
Sometimes oversized books are just too big for small boxes. In those cases, consider using larger boxes or eco-friendly plastic moving bins instead. To keep the weight of these larger containers manageable, only put a couple of books into each tote and fill the rest of the box’s interior with lightweight, bulky materials like comforters or winter coats. Including this padding around your books helps prevent them from sliding around inside the box, so it’s one of the most effective packing methods you can use.
Tips to effectively packing your books
Once you have the right boxes, you’re ready to start packing your books. Here are a few tips to help you along the way:
- Determine how you’ll organize your books. Do you want to pack them by size, genre, author, or a different category? You might want to organize the books into piles or stacks before you start boxing them up.
- Dust off each book before you place it in a box. Don’t bring your old home’s dust into your new place—clean off each book first.
- Keep tabs on each box’s weight. After every couple of books you pack, pick up each box to make sure the weight is manageable.
- Pack the book you’re currently reading into your first night kit. During your packing process, put things like your toiletries, snacks, and other must-haves—including the book you’re currently obsessed with—into an essentials box.
- Label the top and sides of each box. Write “BOOKS”, “HEAVY”, and the room you want the box to go in at your new home. This might be your living room, primary bedroom, or children’s room.
As you pack up your books—and the rest of your home—try to keep in mind that careful packing is one of the best ways to set yourself up for a smooth and stress-free move. To help keep you on track, find a moving checklist that contains pro tips and a suggested timeline of the weeks leading up to your move day.
Specialty packing materials for antique or rare books
Your love of books has likely taught you that some are more valuable (whether it’s monetary or sentimental value) and delicate than others. Maybe you have a collection of first editions or other rare or antique books—and these need more intricate packing and more specialized materials than hardcovers or paperbacks that you might’ve picked up at your local bookstore.
Fragile, old, or particularly sentimental books require more protection than run-of-the-mill books that you can pick up at any old store. One of the best ways to treat these during a move is to wrap each one carefully in acid-free or archival quality paper, then in a piece of clean cloth like a towel or a shirt. Place the wrapped books carefully into your moving boxes for books and fill any voids with other soft items like linens or crumpled up packing paper so they won’t slide around inside the box during transport.
Keep in mind that in most cases, movers can’t pack or transport antiques or high-value items, including special or rare books that fall into those categories. To protect your most prized editions as best as possible, plan to pack them on your own and bring them to your new place in your personal vehicle on move day. If you have questions on whether your local movers are legally allowed to handle certain books, just contact the experts on their customer service team.
Let us provide—and pack—your moving boxes for books!
Bookworms greatly value their collections, and with good reason! Maybe you’ve spent much of your life finding rare editions of your favorite titles, or perhaps some of your most prized books are family heirlooms. However you might’ve built your collection, you want to give them the utmost care and protection when you move. And since we’re the experts in all things moving and packing in Chicago, we can help ensure that your hardcovers and paperbacks receive the white-glove service they deserve.
Contact us today to learn more!