If books hold a special place in your heart, you aren’t alone. Whether you pored over those texts in college or chose some coffee table books to break the ice with visitors, it isn’t always easy to stash them in cardboard boxes, shove them in the attic, and hope for the best. However, if you know a few tricks of the trade, you can protect them for the long haul. Here are three tips for storing books at home or in your self-storage unit.

How to Store Books at Home or in a Self-Storage Unit

1. Focus on Support

One of the most important things to focus on when you store books is supporting their spines. To keep them safe, always store them vertically, and try to rest the spine against the side of the box to keep them upright and supported. Whatever you do, avoid storing heavy boxes on top of boxes of books, as this can place extra pressure on the jackets, spines, and the pages themselves.

2. Avoid Direct Sunlight

Natural sunlight is incredibly powerful, and the UV rays will bleach book jackets and make the pages brittle. Always store books in covered totes or closed boxes, just in case a beam of natural sunlight hits the box in the same place throughout the daytime hours. If possible, store books in a place that will be cool, dry, and completely dark, like a climate-controlled self-storage unit.  

3. Be Mindful of Moisture & Humidity 

The paper pages of your books can absorb moisture quickly, warping them, compromising the structural integrity of the spine, and eventually leading to wet rot. When you store books, you should be mindful of the moisture and humidity in the area. If you are storing them indoors, keep them in a dry place that won’t be susceptible to problems like flooding. If you are keeping them in a self-storage unit, choose an air-conditioned, humidity-controlled space.  

When you ready to clean and declutter your home or business, talk with the self-storage experts at Stayton Mini Storage in Stayton, OR. In addition to offering a wide range of unit sizes, this facility offers top-notch security features, competitive pricing, and clean, well-maintained units. To learn more about their current offers and available spaces, explore their website or call (503) 769-6464.