Tips for packing your home library

Packing your home library is not going to be too complicated but you are going to need lots of strong boxes and good stamina. If you are planning to move or if you are just renovating your home packing your library is going to give you some headaches for sure. Packing a large number of books is going to be tiring.

Packing your home library can be overwhelmingBut it is the perfect time to go through all of your books. You will probably find some old titles that you have forgotten about. Also, it is a good opportunity to clean your books from dust.

Before you start packing your home library

Before you start packing your books it would be advisable to go through your book collection. See if there are any books that you don’t need. If there are, put them on a separate pile before you start packing the rest of your books. If you are wondering what to do with the book you are not planning to pack here are some suggestions:

• Donate your books. When packing your home library you will probably have books that you don’t need anymore. Consider donating them to the public library, school library or to some charity organization. But it would be easiest to just give them to your friends or family.
• Sell your books. If you think you have some good books in your excess pile you can try and sell them. However, you should know that selling your unwanted books probably won’t bring you too much money. If you decide to sell them there are many places in NYC that will buy your used books. Or you can try and sell them over the internet but that will probably take longer.
• If you have some really outdated books or books without any real value the best way to put them to good use is to recycle them. At least this way they can save one tree.

Items you need to prepare when packing your home library

If you have a home library that means you have a lot of books. It is possible that you have somewhere between a few hundred and several thousand books. Larger home libraries can hold over 5000 books. That means that you will need a large number of boxes to safely store them. Books are very heavy and if you packing your home library you need to think about the weight. It would be best if you can pack around 30 or 40 books in a box. For this number of books, you can use cardboard boxes. So, if you have a home library that holds, let’s say, a 1000 books that mean you will need at least 30 cardboard boxes. Maybe if you find someone to help you, you can rent plastic moving boxes where you can store more books and carry them together with your friend.

Prepare the following items before packing:

• A large number of boxes. If you are in a situation where you need to carry all your books by yourself you will need to use smaller cardboard boxes that can hold around 30 books. You will know how many boxes you will need depending on the size of your book collection. If you have someone to help you can rent reusable moving bins where you can store more books.
• You will need packing tapes if you are using cardboard boxes. When you are using your old boxes to pack heavy books strengthen them with packing tape.
• Wrapping paper and bubble wrap can be used to add some extra protection for your special publications.

• When packing your home library provide special protection for worthy piecesAnd can be used to fill in the gaps in boxes.
• If you are packing your books in some specific order you will need labels and permanent markers to mark your boxes.

You are probably someone who doesn’t have 30 cardboard boxes lying around your house. So when you are preparing to pack your home library the best way is to secure green moving supplies for your task.

How to pack your books

• Pack your books in smaller boxes that will hold no more than 40 books. This way you can be sure that you will have enough strength to carry all your books. Maybe you can lift a box with more than 50 books and that is fine if you have to carry only one box. But, it is more probable that you will need to repeat that step over 20 times. Also, the condition of your boxes is an important thing to consider when deciding how many books you will pack in one box.
• Put larger books at the bottom and try to fill the box. Fill the gaps between the books with some bubble wrap or wrapping paper.
• If you are moving and your new home doesn’t have a room for your books, you will probably need to store them somewhere. When you are storing your books things you need to watch out for are humidity and pests. You should avoid storing your books in cardboard boxes with handle holes because that is the entrance for humidity or pests. Don’t leave your boxes on a cold concrete floor to avoid condensation issues.
• If you are planning to store your books for a longer period of time the best and safest way to do it is to rent a storage unit. They have specially designed units for safely keeping your stuff. But there is still danger from the rats which can chew through very hard materials so be extra careful about this.

When you finish

After you packed all your books you will have to decide what to do with your old shelves. Are they going to your new home or are you leaving them behind?

Think about your old library furnitureIf you are going to need them in the future you will need to take them apart for transportation. Use this opportunity to restore them by giving them a new coat of paint. It is much cheaper than buying new furniture.