How to Pack Books for Moving

Picture this: You’re getting ready to move to your new home. Most things have already been packed up.

As you walk around the house looking at what’s left, you glance at your bookshelf. Over the years, you’ve amassed a fantastic collection of books.

Furthermore, you don’t want to throw them away when they all have special meaning. The only option is to bring the books with you.

However, the problem is you’ve never learned any book packing tips. Don’t worry; our guide will explain how to pack books for moving.

1. Thin Your Book Collection

We understand it can be challenging for book lovers to throw certain books away. But, take a good look at your collection—do you really need all of those books?

Revisit your stash and see which books are important enough to take with you. Take your time because you won’t see these books again.

For the ones you aren’t taking with you, instead of throwing them away, you can:

• Donate them to a local library
• Have a yard sale
• Ask loved ones to take some off your hands 

If you’re still having trouble letting go, you should have a look at a service that will store and move your books at a later date.

2. Use Small Boxes

Think about shows depicting high school kids carrying a stack of textbooks—they can barely move. Books might not look heavy, but the weight will increase once you start packing them.

Your best bet is to use small boxes when packing to ensure you don’t hurt yourself. Bigger boxes tend to break open from the book weight because they’re not meant to carry objects that surpass a specific size.

3. Don’t “Shelf Pack” the Books

As you’re packing books for moving, your instincts probably tell you to pack them the same way they sat on the shelf. However, this is a common misconception.

The simplest way to pack books for moving is to lay them flat and build them up in columns. Make sure to start with heavier, hardcover books at the bottom. Also, pack them with the bindings touching for additional support.

As you get closer to the top, you’re bound to have empty spaces in the boxes. So use your paperback books to fill those gaps. But don’t pack them at an angle because it can destroy the book spine.

Lastly, fill the box close to the top edge, leaving enough room so you can close the box when ready. If you still have some empty spaces, stuff those areas with packing paper or something soft like a blanket.

Here’s How to Pack Books for Moving

Now you know how to pack books for moving. Thin your book collection (we know it’s complicated), use small boxes and stack the books in columns. Then you’ll be all set.

Hopefully, our book packing guide will help you during your next move. For related content, please check out our other blog posts.