“This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases”
A warehouse which is climate controlled is a great place to store large quantities of books. If you have expanded your book collection to the point where you can no longer house the volumes in your house, choosing a clean and secure warehouse might be an excellent solution.
The requirements for the warehouse will vary from one vendor to another, but some of the features are consistent across the industry. The packing is one of the consistencies that will be important to be aware of when preparing your books for the transition to the warehouse.
There are several reasons why you might decide to store your books in a warehouse as opposed to your own residence. You might be moving to a new residence, or be traveling for an extended period and letting your existing residence go. It may be more common for you to have simply outgrown the available space where your books can be placed. Here are some suggestions for choosing a good warehouse space and accomplishing the move.
Choosing a Warehouse
When you are placing your books or other possessions into a warehouse it is important to be sure that the business has the features which will be beneficial to the condition of the books placed in the space.
Security is important. While many people would not want to steal or rob boxes and containers of books, The thieves may not know what is in a storage unit and could break in to rummage through possessions in the hope of finding something which is valuable enough to pawn or sell.
Physical facilities should be clean. They should also be secure in the sense that flooding is unlikely to happen. Secured facilities are part of keeping customer’s possessions safe. The customers will need to be able to access the books when they are needed. A facility which is unavailable to customers on nights or weekends is not convenient for access. Check to see the costs for the storage service and how payments can be made.
When choosing a place for the best environment of your books, you may want to check out a warehouse which is climate controlled. The characteristics of climate control include the temperature, humidity, and lighting.
Preparing And Packing Your Books
Often when a person determines that they have to place books in storage, it is because the size of the collection has outgrown the space available to keep it in. Before placing books in storage, it might be a good idea to do some winnowing of the collection. People keep books for various reasons. They might have a sentimental reason, or perhaps they just have a wide range of interests and keep the books to remember.
Long term storage of books is a somewhat more complicated process than placing the same books on shelves in your attic or basement. The preferred container is plastic which is sealed tightly. Plastic containers are an excellent choice for long-term book storage, because they defend against moisture and other damage. While boxes are great for most short-term moves, over time they become susceptible to humidity, moisture, and pests. The airtight seal of plastic containers protects from all three of these threats.
When placing the books into the container, use books which are close to the same size so that they will support each other along the spine. The hardcover books should be aligned vertically, with the spine edge placed against the outside of the box. For softcover books, such as mass market paperbacks, placement in the bin can be horizontal.
Always be certain that the books are clean and dry, since moisture in the books will not dissipate, but remains in the bin. Moisture can condense on the inside of the bin which can also lead to mold and mildew on your books. The result is a bin of books that is destroyed due to growth of mold.
Ensure that your hands are clean and that all foreign objects are removed from the books. This includes food scraps, paper clips, and various pieces of paper, pressed flowers and anything else that might draw the interest of insects and larvae. Destroying any unwanted pests before the books are packed into the bin strongly recommended.
For best results to limit the development of foxing or browning, using sheets of acid-free paper in the books helps. You will also need to use acid-free packing material to fill any open spaces between books. This will prevent shifting of the books, with the resulting wear to covers and edges.
Inventory tracking is a crucial part of storing your books. Label the bins carefully so that they can be seen from each side. Keep the list in an outside venue so that you can access it when you need it.
Transporting your books
If you are ready to move the packed books to the warehouse, you can do the job yourself, or you can hire reputable movers to collect the boxes or bins and move them to the warehouse. Professional movers have the advantage of knowledge and experience. They also have the right tools and equipment to do the transporting safely and professionally.
A box of books can be heavy, so it may be preferable to choose transportation from the professional team.
Storage in the Warehouse
The warehouse will take the packed bins of books and put them in a controlled climate environment. This means you can be assured that the temperature and humidity levels are managed and stay within optimum levels. The warehouse team tracks the inventory carefully so that you can be assured your possessions are safely housed in a secure warehouse with 24-hour guards and the latest technology.
Conclusion
Regardless of where you store your books, you want to do so in a way that will protect the condition of the books and allow them to be used over and over. The books which are managed with the right conditions and environment are protected against moisture, mold, mildew, dirt, insects and other problems.