I admit it; I am a big book worm! I love books so much, but I also have to admit – they take up a lot of space in my house, and sometimes you just don’t have enough room in your house. So how do you pack up your entire library for your new home, without damaging your books?

Some books are extra special – either a first edition, a signed copy, a special gift with a dedication from a deceased relative. These will need extra care to make sure they are safe.

What you don’t want happening to your books

• Dog – ears – If I give someone a new, crisp book, and they return it to me dog – eared, they will never get another book load from me again.
• Water damage – if you use cardboard boxes, they will likely tear and get water damage.
• Sun damage– if books are left out in the sun, they will fade, the pages will deform and the pages will get fragile.
• Damaged spines– bent, broken, peeled spines are bad for your book’s value.

Step 1: declutter

Go through your books and see if there are any you can give away to family and friends, donate to charities or the local libraries, or recycle. Some books I will never let go of, but some I will happily give away, as they have no significance to me and I will not re-read them.

Step 2: pack

1. Get strong bins and boxes – do not get a big cardboard box. Professional movers and packers will have the supplies you need.

2. Stuff the box and any spaces– with packing paper and bubble wrap, to protect corners.

3. Box organization: heavy and big are at the bottom, lying flat, with packing paper in between, like kitchen plates. Fill spaces with packing paper and do not overfill the box. Weigh the box here and there to make sure you can lift it. Label the box and close it with packing tape.

Step 3: move, unpack and organize

Pretty self-explanatory, right? Make sure to call us for an estimate as we have the best packing supplies to help move your books safely!