Moving can be extremely stressful, especially if you have a number of priceless items that you want to move from one house to another. While most items can be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in boxes for your movers to take care of, some belongings might require a different packing approach. This is true of comic books. If you have a comic book collection that is worth a lot to your monetarily or emotionally, then follow the tips below to pack up the books safely.

Gather Your Materials

Before you can start packing up your comics, you will need to get some supplies together. You will need boxes that are just a bit taller and wider than the comics. A standard comic book is 10.25 inches tall and 6.625 inches wide. To pack your comics, look for boxes that are between 12 and 14 inches tall and 8 to 10 inches wide. Also, find boxes that are 24 inches long if you have an extensive collection. Comic books weigh between 2 and 3 ounces on average and you will be able to fit over one hundred, one-eighth inch comics in each box after cardboard is added to every one. This will keep boxes under 20 pounds for easy carrying.

Along with boxes, you will need materials to wrap up the comics properly, and this means buying backing boards. Purchase cardboard backing materials made specifically for comics, and look for varieties that are acid-free and coated on one side. Also, buy some polyethylene comic book sleeves. Polypropylene sleeves are available as well, but they can produce static electricity and cause the comics to stick to one another. Polyethylene does not create static. Backing boards and sleeves come in large packages, so consider buying the 100 pack varieties if you have a lot of comics. You also need some pieces of cardboard to stick between the comics to keep them upright. Purchase some double-walled cardboard for the best stability. 

Pack The Comics

Once you have all of your materials, separate and prepare each comic book. Start by putting a backing board against the back side of each one, with the coated side facing the comic. Slip the comic into a sleeve and fold down the top. Use a small piece of packing tape to close the sleeve. Cut pieces of your double-walled cardboard so each piece is about one-eighth of an inch bigger than your comic on each side. Place a piece of cardboard along the front of the comic and one across the back. The comic should be sandwiched in the middle. Place a piece of packing tape around each side of the cardboard to keep it in place.

Repeat the process to prepare each of your comics for moving. Afterwards, ball up some newspapers to create a cushion on the bottom of each box. The cushions should be about one-half an inch tall. Ball up newspapers to create a one-half inch cushion along the left side of the box. Start placing the comics upright in the box against one another until there is only one-half an inch of space on the right side of the box. Ball up newspapers to fill in all the empty space around the perimeter of the comics. Place newspapers on top, close the box, and use tape to secure the top.

Make sure to label each of your comic boxes. While the double-walled cardboard will help to keep the comics from bending, weight should not be placed on the boxes. Do not stack them, and make sure the boxes sit on top of other packed belongings. Speak with your movers about this when the moving truck is being packed or place the boxes in your own car to prevent crushing issues. 

For help with packing and moving your other belongings, contact a company like Frank and Sons Moving and Storage Inc. Agent for Wheaton World Wide Moving.