Any reader knows that you can never have too many books, but if you’re running out of space or moving, you may need to put some of your treasured books away in a storage unit.
Here, let’s look at some tips on how to store books properly and how to pack them, so they don’t get damaged. In addition, we’ll provide some tips on how to organize your books in your self-storage unit for easy access in the future.
Books are surprisingly delicate, so knowing how to store books properly will guarantee that they stay in mint condition. Take care of your prized novels with these packing tips:
The first step in adequately storing your books is finding the right size of box. You should look for a heavy-duty corrugated cardboard box for durability or a plastic container if you plan to store your books for a more extended period.
Your boxes should be big enough to fit a good amount of books, but not too big that your books are moving around inside the box and getting damaged. Also, don’t try to cram as many books into the box as you can. This is how books get broken and damaged!
After you find the right box size, store your books with tissue paper or packing paper to protect the books and keep them secure in the box. When packing your books, you can:
When storing books, moisture is your worst enemy! While you might be able to repair water-damaged books, moisture can also lead to mold and mildew. To prevent this, make sure to properly seal your cardboard boxes with packing tape and add a layer of paper on the outside of the books to protect them further if moisture gets into the box.
In addition, you can use plastic storage boxes that seal more tightly to protect your valuable books.
Whether you’re storing some of your favorite classics or packing textbooks for storage before the next semester, knowing how to organize your books when they’re in storage is just as important as storing them properly.
Here are some tips on how to organize your stored books and make accessing them as easy as possible:
To quickly remember how you packed your books, make sure to label each box with a detailed label that includes the contents, the date, and any other information that will be helpful for you as you look for your books in storage. The more detailed, the better!
If you’re using a plastic box that you can’t label, you can use a color-coding system instead to pack your books and find the most important ones. The color codes will depend on what kinds of books you have, but you may label them by date, importance, genre, or other categories that make sense for your storage unit.
Before you develop your color-coding or labeling system, you need to figure out how you’re going to organize your books by category. One common way is to pack your books by genre. That way, you can quickly know what kind of books are in each box and quickly find the book you’re looking for.
Whether you’re packing up your books just for a short move or are putting your books in long-term storage, think about how you want to organize them for easy access before you start loading boxes in. Put the books you will need sooner in the front of your storage unit and the ones you don’t need as often in the back. Using a storage sizing guide can help you plan out how much space you need for all of your storage needs, including your books.
Books are just one of the many things you can pack away in your storage unit to clear up space in your home. Contact The Storage Locker today to find the perfect unit for your needs.