Moving to a new home is an exciting moment, but for book lovers, it is a unique challenge. Books are unexpectedly heavy, delicate and prone to damage during relocation. Weather you own a modest collection or a sprawling personal library, protecting your books during a move always requires special care, handling, proper planning and techniques. AuSafe Removals will show you about How to Move Your Home Library Without Damaging Books. Stay Connected.
Understanding the Risks Books Face During Moving
Before you start packing your books into boxes, let’s talk about what can go wrong with your books. While shifting pages can get bent or torn accidentally. Book covers can also get crushed. Water can ruin your whole book. Sometimes boxes break because books are too heavy. Hot weather can make books warp and wetness can also cause mold. And when you know all these problems you can avoid them.
Planning Your Move:-
Sort Your Books First :- before you pack anything, first look at all your books and ask yourself (do i really want to keep these books ?) because sometimes especially as a book lover you always have a huge collection of books in which there are many books which you have read already and now you don’t need them and when we you will do this you will realize that there are a lot of books you actually don’t need and you can donate all these old books to libraries. You can also sell books you don’t need and hence this makes moving easier and cheaper because you have fewer boxes to carry.
Make a List of Your Books:- if you have many books make a list of them. Take photos of your bookshelves with you smart phone. Write down the names of expensive or special books (like gifted books). This helps you know if any book is missing. It also helps if somethings gets damaged and you need to make an insurance claim.
Get the Right Packing Materials :- Use Small Boxes:- Here’s a big mistake people make. They use big boxes for books instead of using small boxes. Books are generally very heavy. A big box full of books can weigh too much to lift. It can also break open. That is why you should always use small boxes and the best boxes are about the size of a shoebox or a little bigger. Make sure the boxes are strong and have good bottoms. Remember the boxes should be able to manage the weight of the boxes and protect the books from accidental drops.
Other Things You Need :- don’t use newspapers to wrap your books. Instead of newspaper use the white packing paper because newspapers can make books dirty, use bubble wrap for special books, plastic bags in case it rains, strong tape and markers or labels to write on boxes. Don’t use cheap tape because it comes off easily.
How to Pack Books the Right Way?
Packing Regular Books
First, put some crumpled paper at the bottom of each box. This protects your books. Divide all the boxes into sections and then place them into the box or stand them up with the spine facing down position. Never stand books on their edges because this hurts the blinding. Put books in different directions in each layer, just like building with blocks. This uses space better and keeps weight even.
Fill empty spaces with paper so that the books don’t move around. Here’s an important rule: if you can’t lift the box easily (it’s too heavy). Take some books out. A box should weigh about 30 pounds or less (generally).
Packing Special or Old Books :- As a book lover you may have a huge book collection. In which there are a lot of expensive and special books. For book lovers books have a emotional importance. And this becomes very important to wrap each book carefully in a bubble wrap or special paper which is able to protect the book from scratches. For specially for special books you should carry them in your car instead of putting them in the moving truck while relocating. This keeps them extra safe.
Packing Big Books:- Big art books and coffee table books need special care. So always lay them flat, put them in a standing position in the box. Use bigger boxes with strong bottoms. Don’t put too many heavy books together because they can break their own covers from the weight and always divide books into different sections.
Label Your Boxes
Write clearly on every box. Tell what’s inside, which room it goes to, and write “HEAVY” or “FRAGILE” this is very important to mark so that the person who is going to pick the box get to know that the item inside is heavy. Also number each box and write down what’s inside. You can also use different colored tape for different rooms. This makes unpacking much easier and stress free. And when you’re tired and surrounded by boxes in your new home, you’ll be happy you did this.
Moving Your Books
Loading the Truck :- Put book boxes on the bottom of the moving truck. Books are heavy and will crush other things if you put them on top. Make sure you pack boxes close together so that they don’t slide around. Don’t put breakable things on top of books boxes.
Protecting Books from Weather:- Don’t leave books in a hot truck or storage room for a long time. As I have mentioned in the second paragraph, heat can warp books and make covers crack. Wetness causes mold and makes pages wavy in short heat destroys the book. So if you are relocating in summers and covering long distances pay extra for a moving truck which has air conditioning. This protects your books from weather damage.
Unpacking Your Books
Take you time when unpacking. Look at each book to see if it got damaged. This is important if you need to tell your insurance company about problems. Unpacking all the books slowly also lets you organize your books better than before and now you will have extra space for new books because you have donated or sold the old books you don’t want anymore.
Hiring Professional Movers :- If you have hundreds of books and very expensive books, or if you can’t lift heavy things, you should definitely hire a team of professional packers and movers. As they are professionals they will pack and move your whole household stuff as well as your book collection properly and help you in relocating without any hassles. Sometimes it’s better to pay someone who knows what they’re doing.
Conclusion
Moving your books doesn’t have to be hard if you follow these steps or hire a professional packer and mover team. If you are planning to relocate make sure you use the right material and right equipment to pack and Move Your Home Library Without Damaging Books. Take your time and treat your books well. Because you spent years collecting these books, and you also have an emotional connection with them so spend a few extra hours packing them right.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Move Your Home Library Without Damaging Books
1. Why do books get damaged while moving?
Books can get damaged while moving because of heavy weight, poor packing, moisture, heat, or rough handling. Pages can bend, covers can tear, and wet conditions can cause mold.
2. Should I sort my books before moving?
Yes. Sorting books can help you reduce the number of books. You can donate or the sell the books which you do not want anymore.
3. What type of boxes are best for packing books?
Small, strong boxes are best because big boxes get too heavy and may break. Shoebox-sized or slightly bigger boxes are best for packing books.
4. Can I use newspapers to wrap my books?
No. Newspapers can leave ink marks and dirt on books. Always use white packing paper or bubble wrap, especially for valuable and expensive books.
5. How should I pack regular books in boxes?
Place crumpled paper at the bottom, pack books flat or in an upright position with spines down, and fill empty spaces so books don’t move. Avoid overloading boxes otherwise the box will get heavy.
6. How do I pack old or expensive books safely?
For old or expensive books you should wrap each book separately in bubble wrap or protective paper. It’s best to carry valuable or sentimental books in your own car instead of the moving truck.
