Books are surprisingly heavy, especially they you pack several of them into a box, they are also rather delicate. This means you need to be careful when packing and transporting books if you don't want to damage them. Here are some tips and tricks to help you move your books safely:
Get Rid Of Books You Don't Need
As previously hinted, books are heavier than most people realize. This is bad news for you because the weight of the items you want to move may determine the cost of the move. To avoid packing unnecessary books, sort them first and determine which ones you want to keep and which ones you can get rid of. This is the time to get rid of those children's books that your adult children no longer need.
Use Medium-Sized Boxes
Carrying heavy boxes is bad for your back. You can easily end up with extremely heavy boxes if you buy huge packing boxes and fill them with books. Keep your back safe by using small or medium-sized boxes that won't be too heavy for you even if they are filled with books. This advise is particularly sound if your books have hard covers that add to their weight.
Clean and Dry the Books
Dirt and moisture is the number one enemy to your books in storage. The moisture will accelerate the books' decay, discolor their pages, and also attract pests during storage. Dirt stuck on the books will also attract moisture and pests, especially if the dirt is organic in nature. Therefore, clean and dry the books before packing them in boxes.
Use Dry Packing Materials
Cleaning and drying the books won't help you much if the packing materials are dirty and wet. Therefore, ensure all the packing materials, such as boxes and cushioning materials, are also clean and dry. The danger of using wet or dirty packing materials is particularly high if you are repurposing old packing materials that have been sitting in storage for a long time.
Place Heavier Books Down
If you are packing more than one level of books in the boxes, then pack the heavier ones on the bottom and the lighter ones on top. This ensures the heavier ones don't crash the lighter ones. It also reduces the risk of accidental damage that may occur if a heavy-topped box topples over.
A professional moving company, such as Santa Fe Storage & Moving, can help you handle the entire move from packing to offloading them at the destination. That will greatly reduce the risk of damage to the books.