How to Pack Books for Moving
Of the many items that any book worm has in their possession, books hold a special place. They are nicely arranged on the shelves and kept well decorated. But when it’s time to change houses, carting these books from one place to another especially for long journeys can be a challenging task. Not only are they an item that is most likely to be misplaced, but they are also very heavy when packed in numbers. However, it is time to put aside all the fears. Let us look at some points to help us when it comes to relocating and books.
A Comprehensive Guide to Packing Books For Moving
To begin with, it is imperative that one gets the moving supplies they require to ensure that the books are safe and secure during transit. One can either decide to let professionals do the packing as well in melbourne. However, for the individuals that prefer to do it themselves, jot down these essential materials:
- Cardboard boxes: These boxes have to have a fair bit of thickness to hold several books without giving in.
- Packing paper: The packing paper will help to prevent the books from opening up and generally keep them safe from moisture and dust.
- Bubble wrap: The bubble will prove to be an additional layer of protection or to fill up the space in the box that cannot fit more books.
- Tape: Finally, remember to close up the box with tape to keep the contents more compact.
Now that the material has been bought, it is time to execute and carry out the actual move.
1. Determine Essentials:
A major aspect of the moving process, in general, is learning to distinguish between needs and wants. The same goes for books. Although it can be a painful process to let go of some books, it will still have to be done especially for homes that have a large collection or if the new home is smaller. While making the difficult decision of donating it or keeping it, one should look for the pros and cons of keeping a book. For example, one can do without a book that is in tatters.
2. Pack-It First:
Since the above step can take a significant amount of time, it is advisable to pack up books before any other item in the house. This is because packing up one’s books will require multiple boxes and some planning as well. In addition to this, it will also give one time to donate or get rid of the books before actually moving.
3. Different Sized Boxes:
Professionals state that packing books for moving will be significantly easier if one uses the right-sized boxes. This will help to reduce the bubble wrap that one will have to use to fill up the extra space. In addition to this, stacking one book on top of the other can also affect them over a long journey. In fact, to make this process easier, one can buy differently sized boxes to hold books of different sizes.
The boxes should also have good sealing to ensure that they will not open up while one carries them.
4. Right Placements:
One will also have to segregate the books on the basis of their type. That is, hardbound books cannot be placed in the boxes the same way that paperbacks are kept. The placements are of three types: Flat, standing up, and on their spines.
Placing a book flat can be better for paperbacks. This is because placing them standing up or on their spines could cause the pages to open up and fold at the edges. Hard-bound books have to be placed on their spines as they tend to take up more space if present in stacks like paperbacks. One can also choose to cover the books in packing paper to provide more protection.
5. Fill in Gaps:
This process is especially important when it comes to packing paperbacks. The extra space in the box could pose a great risk to the crisp papers of a book without a hard bind. For the hard-bound books, this extra space would mean that any movement could cause the bind to receive damages or scratches. Therefore, this space should have packing paper or bubble wrap to ensure that it is a snug fit.
6. Label:
Labeling is the next step in the process and will help one keep track of the books that require a bit of extra care. This will also prove helpful to the team of removalists that are helping in the moving process. To ensure that more care is taken, one can add warning signs and more.
7. Utilize Dollies:
Once the books are packed and ready to be moved, it will be easier to place the boxes on dollies and roll them in or out of space. This will not only reduce the weight that one will have to carry by hand but it will also mean that one can carry several boxes safely at a given time.
8. Unpacking First:
Unpacking the boxes that hold books will also be a great way to reduce the clutter in one’s home. This is because the space that these boxes take up in a room like the living room or a bedroom will significantly disrupt one’s movement.
With the above steps, one can ensure that their books sustain the least possible damage during a move. Despite a complete relocation, books can continue to remain in the mint condition that they are meant to be in.