Are you moving? You may need to create multiple plans, work hard, and take important decisions. Unfortunately, in this rush, we often forget to plan the transportation of our antiques and collectibles, which hold a great sentimental value in our life. If we don't take diligent care of our valuables during transportation, we might bear a heavy loss due to irreversible damages.
You can simply hire professional movers who have valuable experience in packing and moving antiques both long-distance and cross-country. Moreover, a moving company will have expert sales consultants and a moving crew equipped with the necessary equipment. Besides, a moving company will connect you with various insurance agents or provide you with the applicable coverage options, in case of damage or breakage of items during the transit.
Here are a few things that you should consider before you begin packing an antique for a move:
Inspect and clean the antiques
- Give a quick look at each of the antique pieces and wipe it down. This will compel you to carefully look at the pieces.
- With this, you understand the antique piece's condition well and realize these items aren’t extremely important and you can live without them.
- Once you realize their worth in your life, you may sell, donate, or gift them to your friends or family members.
- Don’t make use of oil-based or chemical-based cleaners or polishes on your antique furniture just before the move. Otherwise, the furniture pads may stick on the furniture's surface, while in transit in a hot moving van.
Create an inventory
There isn’t any need to create an inventory if you just have a few antique pieces. However, if you are moving a vast collection, we recommend you make an inventory.
Here are a few benefits of creating an inventory:
- This will help you identify the prospects as well as the duration of your move.
- You can easily calculate the approximate value of your antique pieces.
It would be worthwhile to start making your inventory well in advance much before the moving day. Having an inventory will help you add more value to the driver’s inventory if you have hired a professional mover. Overall, this will assist in keeping a check on items off to be delivered and finding out if any of the items have been damaged or not. However, any inventory you make will not serve as an official paper like that of the inventory of the professional movers.
Check the insurance options
In some cases, a homeowners insurance policy will cover all your items during the move. However, we suggest you call the insurance company and furnish them with the following set of information:
- Let them know if you are making an interstate move or a local move.
- Update them if you have planned to hire a moving company or are you making a DIY move.
- Provide them with an estimate of how many items you are moving and the total worth of these items.
- Give them information about the present condition of the antique pieces you are moving.
Tip: If you have hired professional movers, make sure you buy the Full-Value Replacement Coverage option. This is less costly, but it will make your path easier in case any item gets damaged or lost during the move.
Get your valuables appraised
If you have extremely valuable antique pieces, they must have been appraised already. You can skip getting them appraised if you are making a DIY move. Moreover, if you have hired full-service movers, they may ask you the approximate price of your valuables at the time of your pre-move consultation with them. Though an appraisal would be costly, it will cover you if things don't go smoothly during the move.
Collect packing and moving supplies
- It would be a good idea to pack your antiques in picture boxes instead of regular boxes, as they are fragile. A picture box is large, flexible, and flat.
- You can use dish cartons for small antique pieces as they are thicker than the regular boxes.
- Make sure you use glassine as the first protective layer and avoid oil transfer or even water damage.
- Ensure you buy corner protectors to protect the edges of any antique frames you must move.
Here are a few more supplies that you might consider buying before moving with your antiques:
- Peanuts or packing paper
- Moving blankets
- Stretch wraps
- Packing tapes
- Furniture pads
- Specialty boxes
- Microfiber clothes
- Four-wheel dollies and other appliances.
Can you use recycled packing materials?
You may use recycled packing supplies to pack your antique pieces for a few reasons only, provided they are dry and clean.
- You can get a few ridged boxes, bubble wraps, and other packing supplies free of cost from your friends or colleagues who have recently moved to a new house.
- Ensure you check the packing supplies you borrow for rips, tears, wet materials, and moisture. Possibly this will make the boxes weak and might also damage the antiques you have packed in them.
- You can use newspapers for offering packing protection to the outer layers. Also, make sure not to pack your antiques directly and prevent ink transfer.
Tips to pack antiques and other valuables
If you have hired a professional mover to help you relocate, make sure you ask them if they will assign you a professional packer to pack your antiques or other valuables. However, if they don’t provide packers, ensure you hire professionals externally who would assist you in packing your antique pieces.
- Make sure you clean any glass items or mirrors before you pack them into the moving boxes. You must use microfiber cloth to clean them as antique pieces are susceptible to damage. Also, you need to secure them by using additional paddings and stretch wraps.
- Click pictures of each antique piece you are moving. We suggest you click close-up pictures as this would serve as proof of its condition before the move.
- Ensure you pack the antique sculptures in boxes that have sufficient space for protection materials like packing peanuts, moving blankets, and moving blankets.
- If you have to move antique furniture, begin cushioning it from the top and slowly inserting more padding towards the bottom. It seems a good idea to detach any loose parts of the furniture and wrap them separately making use of additional paddings. With this, you can protect your furniture from getting damaged in transit.
- In case you haven’t hired professionals to pack delicate items, make sure you use sufficient cushioning around to prevent breakage or other damage.
- If time permits, you can plan for customized wooden crates, allowing the delicate items to fit well and enhancing their security as well.
- To pack fragile porcelain items, consider wrapping them with proper tissues and accommodate them carefully in the moving boxes.
You should keep antique pieces or other valuables susceptible to theft with you during the move. Antique coins, fine jewelry, currencies, and stamps are some of the good examples of valuables that need to be packed and kept with you while traveling.
Here are a few things that you must consider:
- Find out from the movers if the warehouse they are using is climate-controlled and is safe from theft or even fire.
- Ask your movers if they have air ride suspension along with a lift gate to safely load your antique piece into the moving truck.
- You must ensure beforehand whether the movers will deliver your antique pieces inside your new house or not.
- After loading your valuables into the truck, make sure they aren’t in contact with each other as this damage the items.
You must ensure the safest transportation possible once your antique pieces are packed tight and secure. Overall, a lot can take place on a jerky truck ride, ensure you inform the movers you have antique pieces that need extra care during the transit. However, if you are still worried about your valuable possessions, we suggest you carry them in your car safely.
It seems a perfect idea to hire movers with expertise in packing antique pieces. They will arrive at your doorstep with the required supplies to pack your valuables safely for the move.