Thanks to all the crazy pandemic stuff, I am super happy to have things to do that do not involve seeing media or any social media.  This means that books have been our family’s best friend.  We are 10 times more positive and healthy than most families right now.  These books were purchased because we intended to read something new in order to expand your knowledge, hone your expertise, or just open your mind to something new. While many items cause the onset of buyer’s remorse, books are almost never one of them. I end up buying books even for my office My desk is now filled with books and it not only looks good but it also gives me a nice library to solve problems in the future. That is very cool and looks cool too.

But that is not the end all be all.  I have also found that I may have a few too many books now.  I mean how often do you finish that book you just bought all the way through? It seems that half the time, it just sits there unread, taking up space on your shelves.  There comes a time when storing your extra books makes sense. Maybe you’ll never get to a certain book but don’t want to toss it. Or maybe your bookshelves are overflowing and you need to tidy them up. Whatever the cause, cardboard boxes are a great way to simply box them up and store them.

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to do a little work to get them all ready.  If you buy new boxes, you’ll first need to put them together. Make sure you are really not using cheap moving boxes that won’t hold together.  That is not going to be a positive thing and will end up hurting you in the long run.  Make sure you seal the bottom well by doubling the amount of packing tape. Once you’ve assembled your boxes, put a few books in to see if the bottom holds. Nothing is worse than having all your stuff fall through the bottom. And books are heavy and can hurt when they fall.  

So what is the best way to do it?  You can pack your books by placing them in the box standing upright, making sure that the spine is against the box’s side. Alternatively, laying the books flat is another great option. Just make sure that they’re all packed well, but not too tightly. They can be damaged when removing them if they’re squeezed in too tight. Remember they can also be damaged if you pack them in a cheap moving box.  You don’t want them to shift back and forth. 

I like to simply use filler paper to fill the gaps in any remaining spaces. Books can shift easily when being moved. You don’t want hardback books damaging the paperbacks.  Picking the right environment to store your books.  Keep the boxes in cool areas with low humidity. Know that books stored too close to appliances or heat ducts may also warp. Just remember to keep them stored in cool temperatures—a room temperature of 60-70 degrees will do.  Keep away from light sources. Direct sunlight will bleach out and even ruin the binding and pages in books. If you’ve chosen a place like your basement or completely enclosed your books in a taped cardboard box, though, this shouldn’t be a problem.  Best of luck!