Packing books: the best way

Ask any bibliophile: we don't like moving. We lose the organizational schemes that we've developed for our personal libraries, and books are heavy, like chunks of wood. Even a small box of books can be difficult to lift; if not packed correctly, books are easily damaged. But a move is sometimes unavoidable.

A few years ago, I moved from one end of the country to the other, on very short notice. I knew that I'd be moving eventually, but had no exact timetable, so I began by packing books. I have a lot of books. I did hours of online research to find out what libraries and movers recommend as the ideal way to transport a collection.

When the time to move came suddenly, the movers we hired (who were not terribly professional) finished the packing. At the other end of the trip, all the boxes I'd packed came out in good shape; every single box they'd packed had at least one or two damaged items in it.

There is a "right way" to pack books, one which minimizes damage and the likelihood of back strain. I'll describe it after the break.

Materials:

• Packing tape
• Small moving boxes (about 12"x12"x18"); you can also use record storage boxes with lids and cutout handles, found at office stores
• Optional: tissue paper or packing paper, packing peanuts, etc

Process:

1. Assemble the box and reinforce the bottom seams with tape.
2. Add an extra "support" strip of tape to the bottom panel, perpendicular to the box seam.
3. Optional: line the bottom of the box with a piece of tissue/packing paper or a layer of packing peanuts. The peanuts provide more cushioning, but less stability.
4. Select books by size: you should be able to stack smaller books on top of larger books. Most boxes will be able to support two stacks of books, but you can probably fit more if the books are smaller paperbacks. The books need to lie flat: if you stand them on end, as they would be shelved, they'll take too much pressure from any boxes stacked on top of them, and the spines can break and drop the page blocks.
5. Optional: wrap books in paper. This is particularly good if the book has a slipcover that you don't want to be damaged (though if it's truly rare, you probably want to put it in its own small archival box). I wrapped certain hardcovers, which were more precious to me, in stacks of three.
6. Arrange books in box. Stacks should be side-by-side with a bit of space between them. They should never cross: if you have a book that's too large for a single stack, put it on the bottom of the box and put both stacks on top of it, or save it for a box which will get a single stack of oversized books. If you cross stacks with a book, and the stacks aren't exactly the same height, the spine of the book will be warped when you unpack it.
7. Stack books to near top of box. It's OK, probably best, if there's an inch or so of space above them that you can pad.
8. Pad areas around books. You can do this with towels (a folded handtowel or two is perfect for the space between the stacks), packing peanuts, clothing, etc.
9. Close box and seal with tape. You can add the support strip across the top, too, if you like.

That's it! If you need to store your books (or, for that matter, any clothing) for a while during your move, be sure that your storage compartment is climate-controlled and pest-free. Don't leave your books in storage too long: while this method of packing minimizes damage, it doesn't change the fact that most packing materials aren't archival, so your books won't be happy to live in them forever. Also, what's the point of having so many books if they aren't out for you to enjoy?