8 Book Packing Tips

Whether you’re an avid book reader or a collector, you’d want to ensure that your books arrive safely at your new home. But, packing your books can be challenging as they’re one of the heaviest household items. To help ensure your books arrive in tip-top shape, we’ve put together 8 book packing tips.

Consider selling some of your books – If you’re moving overseas or downsizing, you may want to consider thinning your collection. Thinning your book collection will help cut costs, especially if you’re thinking of sending them to your new address via courier or if you’ve hired a professional mover and you’re being charged by weight.

Separate your books into two categories “must haves” and “read and done with it”. You can choose to sell or donate your “read and done with it” titles online, at second-hand stores, libraries and used-book retailers.

Choose and use the right box – Now that you’ve cut your collection, you can now start packing. But before you pack your valuables make sure you select the right box. Choose a medium-sized, sturdy and dry box that will retain its structure and hold the weight of your books. Seal the bottom with some packing tape and don’t forget to grab some markers to label the top when you’re done.

Preparing to pack – before you start adding books into your carton, place it on a table about waist high as this will make it easier and more comfortable for you when packing.

Plan and organise – Another tip before you start packing is to plan and organise your books based on how you want to display them at your new home. For example, you can pack and organised them by genre, by author, by colour or by type.

Grab some packing paper for hardcovers ­– We all know how valuable hardcover books are, so make sure you protect them by wrapping them in packing paper before placing it in the carton. This is particularly useful for first edition or limited-edition titles.

Pack them right – Pack hardcover books upright, with their spine against the sides of the box. Your hardcovers should be snug in the box but not too tight that they may be damaged when you’re unpacking. While, paperbacks should be packed flat with larger and heavier books on the bottom and lighter titles on top.

Fill in empty space – Use clean, crumbled packing paper or old blanket/towels to fill in any gaps in your box. This will limit movement, help with shock absorption and provide additional protection during transportation.

Don’t forget to label – Finally remember to label your cartons after sealing the top with packing tape. Label each carton with your name, the room they’ll going into and their contents to make it easier when unpacking.

A few more tips when it comes to packing − make sure you take extra care when moving and lifting your cartons. Cartons filled with books will be heavy so ensure you lift the box properly, using your legs not your back. Don’t forget to ask a friend or a family member to help you and remember not to stack the cartons. When loading them into your truck or ute, heavy boxes should be placed on the bottom to prevent damages to other household items.

If you’ve ran out of space in your home, or if you’re thinking of downsizing, moving temporarily or renovating, call Smartbox to find out how we can store your belongings for you. Smartbox is the convenient and mobile self-storage solution perfect for those who want to declutter their home or those who are looking to store their book or items temporarily. Our storage units/containers are affordable, with rates that are suitable for all budgets. We deliver our storage boxes or unit, aptly named as Smartbox straight to your doorstep, so there’s no need to hire a ute or truck.

Also, you pack and load at your pace, and once complete we’ll pick it up and store it at our secure storage facility near you. Plus, if you need to access your belongings, you can visit us, or we can redeliver it. Smartbox is the portable, personal storage solution designed for busy Melburnians and Sydneysiders. Call Smartbox on 1300 880 800 to learn more.