How to Pack Books

Although books may not be as popular today as what they used to be, we all have a few favourites we cherish and want to keep.  And so they deserve care and attention when packed and put away in storage.

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Prepare your books

Remove bookmarks or anything you may have left inside the book.  Any irregularity in shape may damage the spine of your book.  Brush off any dust that may have accumulated when sitting on the shelf.
 
Which box to use

Books are heavy and remember that you will have to carry that box.  So don’t pick on a big box.  Average size will do.  Do a weight test as you pack; when it gets too heavy, it’s time to stop.  If the box is too big, you may hurt yourself carrying it.  Also, choose a good quality box, this will ensure it won’t collapse and damage your books in the process.
 
I prefer cardboard boxes to plastic containers.  This is because humidity gets trapped in plastic containers and mildew follows.
 
How to pack

Don’t leave any gap between books.  Fill them with butcher paper tightly squashed.  There should be no movement allowed when the box is being transported.  Also, this will prevent the box from loosing its shape when other boxes are packed on top of it.
 
Make sure the bottom of the box is well taped.  Tape the top as well when you have finished packing as this will strengthen the box.
 
Soft cover may bend from careless packing so lay them flat in the box to avoid spine damage.
 
Books can be packed flat or standing up, but DO NOT pack them at odd angles, this will definitely damage the spine and warp them.
 
Storage
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Always keep the heaviest box at the bottom of the pile.  Boxes of similar size stack better and this prevents collapse.