momofkhm Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 There are several books that my kids have outgrown that I'd like to save for the grandchildren I will have some day. But how to store them? In cardboard boxes? In plastic boxes? Granted these are mostly paperback books so saving them might not work anyway, but how to even start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roxanne23 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 (edited) . Edited January 4, 2023 by roxanne23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Put them in a plastic shoebox bin and tuck them on a shelf. If there are more than will fit in a small bin, consider that you might be saving too many. Most paperback books aren't high quality, and you have many years before that first grandchild is even thought about. To the new parent, two or three beloved keepsakes are treasures. Stacks of Rubbermaid bins full of twenty-year-old toys and books are usually a burden, imo. (not referring to you there, but threads I have read in the past - I'm amazed at the amount of stuff some ppl are saving for potential grandkids!) One thing we do with beloved items is to take a picture of them before giving them away. It makes it easier to let go, as does the thought of another kid getting to read and enjoy a favorite book RIGHT NOW, as opposed to someday long in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 My mom was a children's librarian and preschool teacher when she was working, and she saved tons of books for my kids. She kept them in airtight plastic storage bins, and they came to us in great shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 To the new parent, two or three beloved keepsakes are treasures. Stacks of Rubbermaid bins full of twenty-year-old toys and books are usually a burden, imo. (not referring to you there, but threads I have read in the past - I'm amazed at the amount of stuff some ppl are saving for potential grandkids!) Good point. I think it really depends on what you're saving. My mom has fantastic taste in children's books, and we really appreciated and used all the books she gave us. But, most of them were "field-tested" by her preschool classes, and she only saved the ones in great shape. I got a bunch of stuff, after my first was born, from the mom of a good friend of mine whose kids weren't having their own kids. (I guess she'd given up hope on them and decided to just hand the stuff over to me LOL.) There was a lot of it, and a lot of it was in really bad shape. So then I was in the awkward position of having to figure out what to do with all of it, and of then having to figure out how to get rid of what I wanted to get rid of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacie Leigh Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 My MIL saved us books in cardboard boxes and they are SO covered in dust and so smelly that I wanted to toss the lot. DH caught me fanatically vacuuming out books with a brush attachment. They were in the basement so there is mold on some. It's a shame because there are some valuable books and curriculum and even if I can salvage some of it for me, I don't think I could pass it along again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 My MIL saved us books in cardboard boxes and they are SO covered in dust and so smelly that I wanted to toss the lot. DH caught me fanatically vacuuming out books with a brush attachment. They were in the basement so there is mold on some. It's a shame because there are some valuable books and curriculum and even if I can salvage some of it for me, I don't think I could pass it along again. This is why I asked. I got the same kind of cardboard box from my MIL. I felt bad about getting rid of the books because they were military and had toted them back and forth to Germany as well as east coast to west coast and back. Dust, smell, mold. I had to toss them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca VA Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I save books in cardboard boxes, plastic boxes, and on the shelves. We have hundreds or even thousands of them. They're all in perfectly good shape. I'm amazed at how fast the time goes -- my firstborn is now 20, and he has said emphatically that he WANTS those books for his own future children. It seems like yesterday that I was buying them for him. Thankfully, he and his future wife won't have to spend much money on books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I just stored a bunch away in big plastic tubs. I'm hoping that will suffice. I might try putting some dried lavender in with them to keep them fresh smelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 My MIL saved us books in cardboard boxes and they are SO covered in dust and so smelly that I wanted to toss the lot. DH caught me fanatically vacuuming out books with a brush attachment. They were in the basement so there is mold on some. It's a shame because there are some valuable books and curriculum and even if I can salvage some of it for me, I don't think I could pass it along again. My MIL stored everything in her basement as well, but eveything reeks of mold, and I cannot stand it. I wonder if there is a way to handle a basement so that this does not happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I keep books I trade on PBS swap in a huge Rubbermaid storage container, but I have a shallow container filled with silica gel to absorb moisture. I buy a large container of it from the craft store since it is used in drying flowers. This way, moisture never touches my books. I don't have room in my house to store these books in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Thank you for the suggestion of silica gel from a craft store. I'm going to look for some now. We have a tremendous -- both in size and quality -- home library of hand-picked books. The best-of-the-best in toddler/preschool books I am storing in RubberMaid tubs for the hoped-for grandchildren. Shall do the same with the "b-o-t-b" children's books. The publishing industry for good-quality children's books has deteriorated so badly that I don't wish to relinquish books which cannot easily, if at all, be replaced. P.S. Storage is at a premium for all families, I think! Nonetheless, storage in a garage is "kiss of death" to books. I keep books I trade on PBS swap in a huge Rubbermaid storage container, but I have a shallow container filled with silica gel to absorb moisture. I buy a large container of it from the craft store since it is used in drying flowers. This way, moisture never touches my books. I don't have room in my house to store these books in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 My box is in the garage, but the silica gel fixes the problem. You can buy it encased in those little packets as well, but this box never moves, so I don't worry about the container tipping over. Thank you for the suggestion of silica gel from a craft store. I'm going to look for some now. We have a tremendous -- both in size and quality -- home library of hand-picked books. The best-of-the-best in toddler/preschool books I am storing in RubberMaid tubs for the hoped-for grandchildren. Shall do the same with the "b-o-t-b" children's books. The publishing industry for good-quality children's books has deteriorated so badly that I don't wish to relinquish books which cannot easily, if at all, be replaced. P.S. Storage is at a premium for all families, I think! Nonetheless, storage in a garage is "kiss of death" to books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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