Planning a move from one residence to another involves a number of tasks. While furniture and dishes may occupy a majority of planning and packing time, don't forget to arrange time for packing other important possessions that hold intellectual or entertainment value, like your books.
If you have a few contemporary reading books lying around, you can probably toss them in a box without much thought. They’ll show up sooner or later, and you may not have much reading time when you first move in to a new home. But if you have a sizable collection or small library that includes a few valuable texts, packing them up can become an arduous and challenging task.
First of all, consult with your movers ahead of time to find out whether they recommend a certain packing technique or special cartons for books. If so, they may be able to provide the boxes or at least tell you where to get them.
Collect all books throughout your house in one area. Sort them by author, genre, or value, or another method so that you will know how to arrange them in your new home. They also will be organized all together there, so that you need not go in search of the elusive or lost volume that will worry you until it's found.
If you don't have boxes recommended by the mover, be sure they are strong enough to hold the weight of several books without tearing or breaking. Pack several books in each box by laying one atop another or by lining them up on their side in one or two rows, as space permits. With the latter arrangement, you can add another layer or two, but don't make the boxes so heavy that they will difficult to move or subject to breaking.
Label each box with a heavy-duty marker to indicate the number or type of books contained therein. Also indicate where that box should be taken at the new home:
"14 COLLEGE TEXTS--BASEMENT"
Stack all the book boxes in one area with the labeled sides facing the doorway for quick reference by the movers. Place valuable books in packing paper as long as it does not contain acidic elements, typically found in the paper preservatives, that may interact with the valuable text and damage it. Then place all such volumes in a separate box and mark it accordingly:
"VALUABLE BOOKS--HOME OFFICE"
This might be a good time discard old magazines or donate them to a thrift store, along with books you no longer want. Children's books can be packed in the toy box or additional cartons.
For easy identification at the new location, and to be sure none get misplaced, you can make a list of all book titles and place it inside the box or tape it to the outside.
Packing up your belongings is time-consuming and heavy work. Start working on your books ahead of time, get rid of those you will no longer need, and sort the rest for ready reference at your new home.
