How to Store Books

Published by Vanessa Smith, Nov. 2, 2023


Is there such a thing as too many books? While the answer is, of course, “Never!,” sometimes life has different thoughts. As book lovers, we can all agree that one of the best things is to see all of our books on display, within reach to pick up at a moment’s notice when the fancy to read a specific book strikes. Unfortunately, this isn’t always practical or possible for a multitude of reasons: perhaps we’ve simply run out of display space, we’re packing up for a move, or we’re downsizing our collection and storing books to bring back out at a later time.


Whatever the case may be, at one point or another, we’ll all be faced with the daunting task of storing some of our precious collections. Though this can seem intimidating, it doesn’t have to be. We’re here with some advice and tips on how to best maintain, pack, and store your books.

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Displaying Books

Though some may not consider displaying books to be a method of storing them, we believe it is. For those with enough space, one of the best ways to store your books is to place them on bookshelves. Not only does lining your shelves with books add some decorative flair to your living space, it serves as a great way to protect your books, especially if you follow these tips.


  • Don’t crowd your bookshelves. Allow some wiggle room between the books, both for the sake of your books and your shelves (we’ve all seen bowing shelves).
  • Don’t place your books at angles but rather stand them up vertically or lay them flat horizontally.
  • Try to keep your books out of direct sunlight to prevent the fading of covers and yellowing of pages.
  • Have fun with arranging and decorating your shelves! Whether you like to stick to the tried-and-true method of arranging alphabetically by authors’ last names, feel bold enough to arrange your books by the colors of the rainbow, or prefer the “no rhyme or reason” method, this is your space and you should feel comfortable and content with the display method you choose.

Get Creative with Display Methods

Bookshelves aren’t the only option for displaying books if you decide displaying is how you want to store your books. If you don’t have space for traditional bookshelves or they’re just not your cup of tea, there are plenty of other options.


  • Floating shelves: Take advantage of wall space and vertical space in your home by opting for floating shelves or other shelving units that can be mounted on the wall rather than taking up floor space.
  • Ledges: Line the ledges of your stairwells or windows with rows of books.
  • Benches, trunks, and cube storage units: If you have benches with open space beneath them or trunks you can tip on their sides to act as display cases, these are great (and eye-catching) alternatives to bookshelves.


These are just a few recommendations, but there are so many creative and functional ways to store your books so that they’re visually appealing while still being accessible.

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Book Carts

While book carts and trolleys have been used to store and transport books since the late 1800s/early 1900s in libraries, in recent years, they’ve become popular in homes, as well. Many people use book carts as an extension of their bookshelves, essentially bookshelves on a smaller, more portable scale. Oftentimes book carts are where people house their TBR (“to be read”) list or specific collections of books, but they are often used as a sort of middleground between fully displaying books (e.g., on bookshelves) and fully storing books (e.g., in bins or boxes). Like with bookshelves, take care to not place your book carts directly in front of a window or in full sunlight, as the spines may fade and the pages may yellow where exposed (not that we know this from personal experience or anything…).

Preparing Books for Storage

Prior to actually storing your books, it is prudent to prepare them for storage. Below is a list of some steps we recommend you take prior to packing your books up:


  • Weed through your collection and cull out any books you no longer want or need (and sell them on Pango! – learn how here).
  • Clean and dust your books. Dust is harmful to books due to its acidic elements. Do not use wet rags or wipes to clean your books, as the moisture left behind will do more harm than good. Instead, opt for dry microfiber cloths.
  • Air books out prior to packing them to ensure any untoward smells are not intensified when in smaller, enclosed spaces. If you find that any of your books have unwanted odors, one suggestion we have is to place those books in a bag or container alongside an open container of baking soda, as that may help absorb the smell. Some other things you can use instead of or alongside the baking soda are charcoal odor absorbers or unscented cat litter. Additionally, some people have success with placing dryer sheets between pages and then sealing the books in a plastic bag.
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Cardboard Boxes and Storage Bins

The most common way to store books is in cardboard boxes or plastic storage bins. Before you start packing your books, you’ll want to ensure that you have appropriately sized boxes and bins and that your cardboard boxes are clean and sturdy. While cardboard boxes are more cost effective than storage bins, if you’re able to procure air-tight, waterproof plastic containers, they’re the ideal storage method to protect your books from air and moisture.


Be mindful of the box size you’re selecting, as they can become quite heavy when loaded up with books. If you’re going to be moving these boxes, try to avoid boxes that are too large. We recommend double-taping the bottom of cardboard boxes to ensure that books don’t poke through or that the bottoms don’t give out.

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Packing Your Books

Once you’ve prepped your books for storage by cleaning and dusting them and have secured your boxes or containers, you’re ready for the packing stage. Here are some steps that we recommend taking when packing your books.


  • Sort and separate your books. While you may be tempted to just start grabbing books and placing them in boxes at random, we highly recommend sorting your books into categories. From there, if you’re able to further separate them by author or by size, that is even better. Whenever you’re ready to take your books out of storage or need to remove just a book or two from storage, having sorted them prior to packing will make that task so much easier.
  • Consider inventorying your books. Though this isn’t necessary, if you’re able and willing to take the time to inventory books as you place them in boxes, you’ll save yourself a ton of time when you need to locate specific books. As you place books into boxes, write down (or type up) lists of the titles going into each box and then tape those lists on the outside of the boxes.
  • Be strategic with how you pack boxes. In general, it’s a good rule of thumb to place heavier books at the bottom of boxes, medium-weight books on top of those, and lightweight books at the top to prevent your more delicate books from being crushed. There is often debate on the best way to arrange books in boxes, as far as whether they should stand up like on bookshelves or if it’s okay to lay them flat or on their sides. We advise to avoid placing books sideways/on their spines, as this could damage the integrity of the books and weaken the spines. Placing books vertically like on a shelf or flat are the safest ways to store your books. Oftentime, experts recommend packing hardcover books upright with the spines against the edges of the box, while they suggest packing paperbacks flat and stacked.
  • Protect your books. For extra protection, consider wrapping each book individually in tissue paper, bubble wrap, archive paper, or acid-free paper. This will add some additional padding to the box and help prevent covers from sticking to one another.
  • Fill gaps with packing materials. If you have extra space leftover in boxes, you can add in some additional protection in the form of packing materials like paper towels, tissue paper, packing paper, bubble wrap, etc. If you’re packing your books for a move, you can even fill those gaps with articles of soft clothing or things like dish towels, bath towels, etc.
  • Label your boxes. Whether you use a label maker, paper and tape, or masking tape, be sure to label your boxes. There are few things worse than having to rip open the tape on an unlabeled box just to find out that the box doesn’t contain anything even remotely related to what you’re looking for. If a box contains antique or delicate books, consider adding the word “Fragile” to the outside of the box or “This side up.”
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Storage Units

If you’re planning to store your books for a significant amount of time and don’t have storage space at your home, you may be considering securing a storage unit. If so, in order to keep your books in tip-top shape, be sure to look into climate-controlled units to regulate humidity and temperature and keep out mildew and moisture. We also recommend making sure that the storage company has preventative pest control to keep out insects or other critters that like to feed on paper.


We mentioned considering making an inventory when packing away your books. If you’re just storing books for a short period of time and aren’t too concerned about knowing which books are in which boxes, you may not feel inclined to take the time to inventory them, and we don’t blame you. However, if there’s a chance you’ll be placing your books in long-term storage, we strongly suggest placing an inventory list on the outside of each box and keeping a copy of that list for yourself, as well, so you know which package to look for in your storage unit.

Common Questions

Q: Where can I find cardboard boxes to store my books?

A: We recommend reusing boxes you’ve received in the mail yourself, and you can also check with friends and family to see if they have any spare boxes at their homes. Another great option is to check with your employer/work, as there may be extra boxes from supplies or deliveries. Similarly, try reaching out to local businesses to see if they can spare a few boxes. If you’re unable to locate any boxes for free, home improvement stores have cardboard boxes of varying sizes and thicknesses available for purchase.


Q: Are boxes and plastic tubs the best way to pack my books for a move?

A: We tend to suggest sticking to plastic containers and cardboard boxes when packing and storing books, but one other great option, especially for shorter-term periods, is rolling suitcases. While these might not be as angular and ideal for storing books, they are great when moving. They’re sturdy and can be rolled, so both your arms and your back will thank you!


Q: How can I protect dust jackets when storing books?

A: While we understand the temptation to remove dust jackets from books when reading to keep them pristine, in reality, they are designed to protect hardcover books. However, we know that they often increase the value of books when they’re pristine, so you want to avoid damaging them when at all possible. If you’re concerned about your dust jackets sustaining damage when storing your books, you can purchase protective plastic covers or Mylar covers.


Q: Where should I keep my boxes of books at home?

A: Though it may seem ideal to place your boxes of books in the garage where you store other items, garages aren’t suitable environments for books. Garages are more exposed to the elements than rooms inside our homes and are typically less insulated than other interiors. Your books are more likely to be exposed to moisture, dust, oil, debris, pests, and other things if store in the garage. We advise against storing books in unfinished basements for the same reasons. Instead, we recommend keeping your boxes inside your home in spare closets, guest rooms, etc. whenever possible.

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