Moving a Home Library, Books and Documents

Books are dense and heavy, which is why large moving cartons are almost never the right container for them: a big box filled with books can easily exceed thirty kilograms, more than either the box base or a person's back can safely handle. The right choice is a small, sturdy, medium carton, deliberately packed only partway full.

A useful rule of thumb: a box is full enough once an adult can comfortably lift it with both hands. If a box feels suspiciously heavy, split its contents into two rather than risking a torn bottom or a strained back during the carry.

Antiquarian, leather-bound or particularly old books should never be bound with rubber bands: the rubber perishes over time and can leave a mark burned into the leather or paper. Wrap individual volumes in acid-free tissue instead, then place them in a box lined with something soft, such as a blanket or foam.

Large, heavy volumes such as albums or atlases should travel lying flat, never standing on their spine, since their own weight can deform the binding over time. Smaller, ordinary books, by contrast, do better standing upright and packed snugly together, so they cannot lean or bend their pages.

Rebuilding a larger library at the new address goes quickly and painlessly only when it has been organised before packing begins. Photograph each shelf beforehand, then number and label boxes by shelf, noting both the general content and the original shelf number.

This modest preparation saves time on moving-out day, and on arrival it means boxes go straight to the right spot, with the shelf order restoring itself in essentially the same sequence as before, without any further sorting afterward.

Taking apart built-in and freestanding bookcases calls for genuine expertise: screws, dowels and small fittings should be stored separately in labelled bags, ideally assigned to the specific piece of furniture, so nothing gets mixed up or lost before reassembly.

For custom, carpenter-built or fitted units, it is worth checking in advance whether they can be dismantled at all without damage, or whether a replacement will need to be built on site instead. This decision has a real effect on timing and should be clarified during the survey.

The long-term condition of books and documents depends largely on humidity and direct sunlight. Position bookcases slightly away from exterior walls and radiators, and avoid rooms where humidity fluctuates regularly, such as a wall shared with a bathroom.

For important documents, contracts and family papers, use a clearly marked box that gets unpacked first rather than stored away. This way, the administrative tasks of the first few days are not held up by a document buried among later boxes.