Just bought someone's entire record collection? Here's how to get it home without wrecking a single sleeve

Whole collections turn up at house clearances, record fairs and online, and they're often the best finds around. The catch is that records and books are far heavier than they look, and forty boxes won't go in a hatchback. Here's a simple way to get one moved.

1. Ask the right questions first

How many boxes or crates are there, and are they already packed? Is there shelving, a record cabinet or an old stereo cabinet going too? Which floor is it on, and are there stairs? Rough numbers are fine, but they make a big difference to who can collect.

2. Pack records upright

LPs should travel standing up, never stacked flat, with the box full enough that they don't slide but not so full it can't be lifted. Fill gaps with paper rather than leaving them loose. Singles are best in their own smaller boxes.

3. Keep book boxes small

A large box of books can be too heavy to carry safely. Smaller boxes are quicker to load and much less likely to split.

4. Empty the furniture

Shelving units and cabinets should be emptied before the day, with any glass doors or loose shelves wrapped or taped.

5. Describe the job clearly

Pickup and drop-off towns, roughly how many boxes, the size of any furniture, stairs or lifts at both ends, parking, and the date you need it by.

6. Get quotes and choose

You can ring round, or post the job once and let quotes come to you. Pink Pumpkin Logistics, the site I run, lets you post it for free at pinkpumpkinlogistics.co.uk. Drivers send quotes and you pick the one you're happy with, with no obligation.

7. On the day

Clear a dry spot to put the boxes down, count them in against your list, and keep records away from radiators while you unpack.

Happy digging through the crates!

Disclosure: I run Pink Pumpkin Logistics, the site mentioned above.