Moving house brings with it a whole lot of logistical planning. Moving a large amount of personal belongings is not the easiest thing to do, so if you’re planning a move, get in touch with us and we’ll help you comprehensively plan all the elements of the move. A particular difficulty in moving arises when you have a lot of literature. So-called ‘book moths’ know exactly what we are talking about. So, how do you pack your books?
Packing books when moving house
On the surface, moving a bookcase does not seem like a complicated activity. The regular shape of the books means that we should have no trouble packing them into boxes. However, this only seems to be the case. The biggest difficulty that books present when moving is their weight. This is about the weight of a dozen or so pieces. A single book is relatively light and therefore we do not regard it as difficult to transport. However, packing books for a move in large numbers can be extremely troublesome. The heavy weight often causes the cardboard box to break and individual copies to spill out.
What to look out for when packing books?
When packing a bookcase for a move, you should first of all pay attention to the fact that the cardboard box may unseal. The most important aspect is that the books do not fall out or get lost during transport. Moving books can also cause damage. The most common cases are bending of the pages, cracking of the covers, wiping of the covers from the artwork and falling out of the pages. When packing books for a move, therefore, it is important to bear in mind both that they will all arrive at their new location and that they will arrive intact.
How do I prepare books for a move?
Books are items that collect dust extremely easily, so it’s worth thinking about dusting them before you start packing. This will bring our favourite copies back to their former glory and a breath of fresh air. The second important thing is to place books only in clean boxes. If they are dusty, we should dust them, if they are stained they should be cleaned, and if this is not possible, try to get new boxes. The idea is that the books will not be soiled during transport.
How to pack books correctly?
It has already been said that the large number of books gives rise to difficulties with their weight, which can contribute to cardboard boxes breaking. It is therefore worth betting on placing books in smaller boxes. This will require the use of a much larger number of cardboard boxes, but you will be assured that they will not fall apart during handling and on the move. In addition, carrying smaller and less weighty boxes will be much easier and less tiring.
In conclusion, it should be added that books should:
– dusted before they are placed in boxes,
– packed into clean boxes only,
– packed in smaller quantities in smaller cardboard boxes.
Protection of books during packing
An extremely important fact is that cartons must be additionally secured. If you really want to transport your books intact, simply packing them in a cardboard box may not be enough. It is very important that the books do not move around in the boxes or rub against each other. To this end, they should be restrained as much as possible. If there is any free space left in the box, we should fill it with, for example, newspaper cuttings or sponges. Ideally, the books should be covered with bubble wrap to absorb any shocks. Remember to seal the boxes well with tape. Let’s use a good quality tape that will really stick the wings of the cardboard box tightly together. The idea is that it won’t open during transport and the books won’t spill out.
Transporting things
Finally, what remains is the skilful stacking of the loads and their transportation. It is best to use a professional company whose experience will ensure the safety of our parcels. The point is that the loads should be placed in the minibus in such a way that they do not move, tip over or fall off. Only the skilful placement of the boxes on the float will ensure the safety of the books.
