A guide to storing your book collection

If you have a great collection of books, there is a time when you will have to decide what to do with them. Over time, you will definitely run out of space. Of course, getting rid of them probably isn’t an option. On the other hand, the real problem can appear when you decide to relocate, especially if you are moving to a smaller place. There are so many reasons why you can’t fit all of your books in your new place at the same time. Of course, if you find a reliable company, you can count on movers Baltimore to help you with packing and relocation. However, that will take a lot of time and money. So, storing your book collection is often the best choice. Read our guide on how to do it.

Why is storing your books a good idea?

As we have already said, there are many reasons for which someone decides to store their books. Lack of space is one reason. Renovation and house redecoration is the second reason. However, the most common reason for storing the book collection is relocation. Books are the items people love and enjoy collecting. But they are among the belongings that are not needed for the normal functioning of a new house. On the contrary, they can just take up a lot of space in the first days, when you are still making a plan of how it will all look. So, storing your book collection is the best decision you can make. Books are always on a list of items to put in storage when moving. You will have a lot less stress and fewer moving boxes. This means your relocation will be more affordable.

Finding a good storage unit is crucial

When you decide to store your books in a storage unit, one of the first tasks is to decide which unit to choose. It is important to find a reliable and affordable Baltimore storage unit to keep your book collection in. You need to choose the size of your storage unit based on the size of the books you own. Also, you will probably keep more items there, not just books. So, it needs to be a spacious and well-organized storage unit. Those of dimensions 5 x 10 or 10 x 10 are enough to match the needs of a regular household. Also, our advice is to choose a climate-controlled storage unit. That way you won’t have to worry about whether the items you want to store can be kept there for a longer period. That will definitely help your books too, especially if you have antique and rare pieces.

Detailed preparation is crucial for storing your book collection

It may take some time, but it is not enough to just put the books in boxes and lock them up in a storage unit. If you really want to keep them in a good condition, you need to make a detailed preparation. There are a few steps when it comes to preparing books for storage that you need to undertake. Before you pack your book collection, it is important to:

• declutter
• clean your books
• protect your collection well

Decluttering before storing is important

Even though you are a book collector, you definitely have some books you don’t need in that collection. For that reason, decluttering and reorganization are important. You may have some double pieces, different editions of the same book (the one that is not so important to you), or you have some books you have never read, nor do you have the intention to. So, sort out all of your books and separate them into three main categories: keep, give/sell/donate, and toss.

When it comes to the books you want to keep, the situation is clear. That would be the majority of your collection. Those that are in a good condition you can gift. People like getting books as a present, even if those are used ones. Also, some bookstores and sellers buy used books and sell them later. So, if you want to save up before your move, this is one way to do it. You can always donate books and make someone happy this way. In the end, toss out those books that are in really bad condition, with damaged pages, and that are unreadable.

Clean your books well

Before putting your books in a storage unit, it is really important to clean them well. Even if you do so often, they easily get dusty standing on the shelf. If you have a lot of books, it is impossible to take the same care of all of them every day. Those that are not in visible places can become a little bit neglected. So, before packing, you have to do the cleaning. Use a smooth fabric or a towel to clean the dust. If there are bigger stains, use wet tissue on the cover. Pay attention not to wet the book. That way they will get damaged in the storage after some time. Let the books dry well. Air-drying for 16-24 hours would be perfect.

Protect the books

You will need to gather a lot of boxes and tape before you pack your books. Put books in boxes flat, on top of one another. It is better to use smaller boxes because they shouldn’t be too heavy. Even though movers in Baltimore County are careful, if the boxes are too heavy, especially if they are not of good quality, there is not much the movers can do.

Put the book collection in a storage unit

When you finally start storing your book collection, use the space in a storage unit well. Leave the space to move around. Stack the boxes one onto another, but don’t make the stacks too high. Of course, heavier boxes should go on the bottom. If you follow these rules, your box will be safe, and your storage well-organized.