When it comes to moving, there are many considerations concerning your possessions. For the book lover, moving books can present a challenge. Despite being heavy, they are fragile, vulnerable to water damage and tough to keep organized. To help you move your extensive library to your new California home, we at Prodigy Moving & Storage would like to share a few tips on moving books safely and efficiently.
Downsizing Book Collection
Moving presents the perfect excuse to take a critical look at your book collection. To help you have fewer things to pack and move, culling the collection is an ideal solution. A month or two before your scheduled move, start the process. Books you know you won’t read or need, can be sold or donated fairly easily. You can take the books you’re passing on to a used bookstore or one of many other places that take book donations. Not only will moving be made simpler, but you have the opportunity to make room for new books once you are settled in the new home.
Small Book Boxes for Moving
Packing boxes too full is one of the easiest mistakes to make when packing books. Their weight and bulkiness add up quickly. Ideally, boxes smaller than 16″ by 12″ by 12″ are best suited for moving books. Use smaller banana boxes, apple boxes, or old shipping boxes if necessary. In the event all you have left is larger boxes, don’t fill them to capacity, and instead only fill them about halfway with books and other half fill with lighter items such as linens or clothing. Even if it means packing up more boxes, you will want to spread out the weight of your books.
Prep Boxes Before Packing Books
The boxes that break more often than others are those filled with heavy items, especially books. You’ll have to prepare them first if you need to pack boxes full of books. With a double layer of packing tape, cover all the seams on the box. Ensure the tape runs at least halfway up the box on the sides when you tape the center flap on the bottom. For extra security, tape crisscrossed across the bottom of the box in addition to placing cut pieces of cardboard at the bottom of the box. Pack hardcovers vs paperback. When packing both paperbacks and hardcover cover books, the each have their own technique to increase safety.
How to Pack Hardcover Books for Moving
– Wrap moderately valuable editions in packing paper to safeguard the covers.
– Especially valuable editions should have cardboard slotted between volumes to keep them safer.
– Place hardcover books upright, with their spines against the side of the box.
– Pack them snugly but not too tight they aren’t able to get them out of the box.
How to Pack & Move Paperback Books
– To help limit any shifting in the box, fill empty spaces with wadded-up paper; it will also help keep the books from falling onto their sides or bending.
– For multiple options, pack paperback books either flat or spine first so that their paper edges face upwards. Avoid pack them so the edges of the pages face down, which can cause them warp or bend.
Packing, Moving & More in Chatsworth, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Glendale, Burbank & Greater Los Angeles, California
To ensure your books and other possessions are efficiently moved within the state of California, call Prodigy Moving & Storage and let our qualified experts take care of the rest.