A guy at the Portland Comic Con showed me a better way to pack my books

I was in line for a signing, carrying a short box that was just too heavy. The guy behind me noticed me struggling and said, 'You're gonna wreck your back like that.' He explained he packs his boxes only two-thirds full with backing boards between every single book. I tried it on my next haul, and my boxes are way lighter and my books have zero spine dents now. How do you guys handle moving a big collection without damage?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_green1mo ago

Got a buddy who used plastic bins for his TPBs and they slid around so much in the back of his van the corners all got mashed up... he went right back to cardboard with dividers.

the_john2mo ago

Ever tried using those small plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes? I moved last year and the uniform size made stacking in the truck so much easier, and they don't sag when you lift them. I still use backing boards, but putting fewer books in each bin was a total game changer for my back. That guy at the con gave you the golden rule for sure.

rubys422mo ago

Look, I get that @the_john is trying to be helpful, but are we really turning book storage into a military operation? Plastic bins are a pain to store when they're empty and cost way more than free cardboard boxes. My old liquor store boxes have held up for years just fine.