Packing Tips for Moving with Books (from Someone Who Just Did So)

Ana Hein // Blog Writer

Moving is never easy, but moving with a large quantity of books possesses its own set of problems. As someone who just moved across the country with over 200 books, take it from me: these packing and moving tips are ones you’ll need if you’re going to take your magnificent library with you wherever you may go.

1. Cull Back What You Can

I know it hurts; I know it’s hard. But the first step when moving books is getting rid of books. Books are heavy and hard to move in large quantities, so it helps to get rid of as many as you can to lighten the load. Sell back or donate anything that no longer interests you. Are you really ever going to read that busted up copy of A Tale of Two Cities you stole from your high school? Or reread the dystopian young-adult novel of the week from middle school? Or ever, ever pick up Infinite Jest? Do you want to be that guy? Didn’t think so. So why bring them along? 

2. Don’t Put All Your Books in One Basket Box

As previously mentioned, books are heavy. Don’t try to lift a box filled to the brim with 300+-page books—I’ve been there before, and it’s not fun when you inevitably drop it on your foot. Divvy up the weight by getting multiple smaller boxes; alternatively, put a few books in some lighter clothing boxes. Your books—and your back—will thank you later.  

3. Line the Box with Hardcover Books

Hardcovers are able to take a bit more of a beating than their floppy counterparts, so protect those more-fragile books by lining the outside of the box with the more-durable ones (preferably a chunky fantasy, if you have it—I recommend George R. R. Martin or Brandon Sanderson for the job, if you have any on hand).

4. Label, Label, Label 

Whether you separate your library by genre or a simple “read/unread” scheme, it’s extremely helpful to label what kinds of books are in any given box. That way, when it comes time to rebuild your shelves, you’re not spending valuable reading time searching for the second book in a series that isn’t with the rest of its siblings. You’ll be able to sort through and organize everything in record time.

5. Get Creative with Packing Positions 

You can’t really afford to be picky about space when it comes to moving (after you’ve signed the lease, at least), so in order to squeeze in as many books as you can (while still keeping in mind tip #2) and to keep them safe, it’s best to switch up the packing positions of your pages. You can lay your books flat on their back, which is good for stacking them up; standing up with their spines facing the wall of the box, which is good for squeezing smaller books in where there is little space; or with their spine facing the bottom of the box, which ensures the least amount of damage. 

6. Leave One (or Maybe More) Out for the Journey

If, like me, you had a two-day trek across the country in a U-Haul to get to your destination, I’d recommend good music and a couple of good books for the journey. Leave out however many books you reasonably think you can read during the travelling part of moving, and carry them in a tote bag instead. That way, you won’t have died of boredom before you even get the chance to unpack.