How To Pack Books for Moving: Tips on Purging Your Library

Ask any passionate reader – there’s no such thing as too many books. That’s true until it’s time to move into a new place. That’s when the sight of overflowing bookshelves and a towering to-be-read pile transforms from a source of joy into a really big problem.Reducing the size of your library makes moving easier and more affordable. To prevent the task from becoming overwhelming, start the process as early as possible. Here are some other tips to help you purge your library efficiently and effectively:

Step One: Realize You Don’t Have To Get Rid of Every Book

Purging a library doesn’t mean losing all of your books. Start the purge process by designating a box for books you’re absolutely, positively going to keep. These books may have sentimental value, they may be collectible or irreplaceable, they may be autographed by the author or for some other reason are precious to you. As you’re sorting your books, pack the ones you’re definitely keeping.

Step Two: Duplicates & Did Not Finish Titles Definitely Go

If you have multiple copies of the same book, keep one and purge the rest. The same is true for books that you started to read but found you didn’t like. During a move is the ideal time to purge these titles from your collection. If you’ve been holding onto a book because someone gave it to you or you felt you should read it but just couldn’t get into it, now is your opportunity to let it go.

Step Three: There Are Books Nobody Wants

Old software manuals, out of date college textbooks, and Reader’s Digest condensed novels are among the types of books hardly anyone wants. Save yourself a lot of time and heartache by condemning these volumes to the trash. If you find this to be emotionally challenging, think of the space you’re freeing up for new books you’ll enjoy reading!

Step Four: Selling Your Book Collection

Books can be worth quite a bit of money, particularly if you’ve accumulated a specialized library on a topic of interest to many people. New York has many used book stores that buy books, and you can also sell books online. Extremely old and obscure books are often best sold to antiquarian book dealers.

Step Five: Donating Books to Charities, Nursing Homes, Shelters, Prisons and Schools

There are many facilities and nonprofit organizations that welcome donations of books. Think about groups where people have a lot of time on their hands and don’t have the economic resources to provide books for themselves. Nursing homes, homeless shelters, and prisons often accept donations of books: call the facility first to make sure they do and the best way to get the books to them. Schools of all types also welcome book donations.

Bonus Tip:

If your friends enjoy reading as much as you do, think about inviting them to help you pack your library; as ‘payment’, they can take home any titles you don’t want to move!

Bonus Bonus Tip:

Books are heavy! A small box with two dozen hardcovers in it can weigh almost 40 pounds. When it comes time to actually move your library – and everything else you own – call in the Shleppers’ full-service movers in NYC. Your back will thank you!