Storing your book collection – how to do it properly?

Books are inspiring, engaging, and educating. They shape our personality and help us grow intellectually. Even as the world becomes more digital by the minute, nothing can compare to that special feeling of coming home from a long day and reading a good, physical book! There’s just something about holding a book in hand, feeling the paper under your fingers as you turn the pages and that new book smell – which makes every book lover dream of having a big home library. Unfortunately, it is not a reality for most. Sometimes your unlimited love for books is opposed by your limited living space. Do not worry, decluttering your home or moving to a smaller space doesn’t mean you need to get rid of books and their sentimental value. Storing your book collection by renting the right storage unit is the best decision to keep them safe and secure. With a few cautionary measures, your books will remain in perfect condition until you need them again. Keep in mind that books are very prone to staining, mildew, and corrosion so they deserve proper and delicate care.

Advice on how to properly clean and categorize books – before storing your book collection

Having a lot of experience in storing delicate items such as books, we made this list of helpful advice for you, especially if you are renting a storage unit for the first time.

Go step by step and try to avoid common mistakes when storing your book collection:

• Remove any dust, dirt, residues of food, smudges, grease, and crumbs from books to avoid stains
• Use dry cloths or a small brush to clean books
• Remove paperclips or bookmarks to avoid creasing
• Choose new, small, water-proof, and moisture-proof boxes. Firstly, a small size box will prevent shifting and damaging pages and covers. Second, it’s also practical – books are heavy.
• Put the heaviest books on the bottom of the boxes
• Wrap books in paper towels to protect them more
• Never mix books with other items in the box
• If possible choose a special storage unit only for books. Read on to find out how.
  
• Organize books in categories and label all boxes, mark them with numbers for easy tracking
• Make an inventory of your books before storing them in a rented facility and write which book you can find in each box.
• Wrap delicate and/or old books in book covers or plastic sleeves, and later you can also wrap boxes with plastic wrap.
• Storing your book collection in plastic containers and bins is also a good option. It not only saves them from moisture and dust but also from bugs and vermin.

Choosing and renting the right storage space

For storing your book collection, we recommend choosing the right storage service with a unit size large enough to accommodate your boxes/containers while leaving an aisle to walk. Make sure to check that the storage facility is clean, properly maintained, secure, well-lit, and climate-controlled. Our NYC storage facilities are under surveillance, so when storing your book collection with us your books are safe 24/7.

If renting storage for the first time you can find more advice online, such as self-storage facilities explanation. For any questions, you are welcome to call our professional team to help. If you followed all the necessary steps your books can be stored and intact for years, even decades.