Moving into a new house is always an exciting prospect. Thing is, though, all that excitement can quickly turn into custard if you don’t figure out a way to make the move without breaking the bank, your home décor items, and your back.
Home décor items such as mirrors and artworks are some of the trickiest to move around. Not only can these be bulky in terms of size, but also the delicate nature of glass and other fragile pieces such as artwork makes them highly sensitive items.
If the budget is not too tight, hiring the services of specialized fine art movers makes sense. Lots of it. These are professionals well-versed with moving high-value items such as art pieces, paintings, antiques, sculptures and other such valuables, you see. And you want the best hands handling such delicate items as you can’t afford to gamble with them.
If you trust in your own abilities, though, you can always go for it yourself. When you do, it is important to follow packing best practices to increase the likelihood of your valuable items arriving at their destination in one piece.
Porcelain and Pottery
Your porcelain and pottery items need to be handled with care. All spouts and handles should be bubble-wrapped and cushioned using foam.
You can use packing tape to secure them properly in place, but make sure to use just the right amount of cushion and tape to avoid breakage when you get down to unwrapping the items.
Lamps
Lamps are very fragile and in most cases, will not fit into standard moving boxes, meaning some bit of creativity may be called for here.
One option is to dismantle the lamp and all its components, where applicable, before packing the parts individually. Each part needs to be properly cushioned using shredded fill, paper or similar material.
Posters and Prints
When it comes to posters and prints, the ideal way is to roll them up so that they are protected during the moving process.
This can easily be achieved by laying the print on a flat surface and covering it with a layer of glassine paper. For added protection, you can use PVC pipes which prevent crumpling during the moving.
The artwork can then be wrapped in kraft tissue paper which adds another extra protective layer. You can then use something like masking tape to secure it in place.
Avoid using rubber bands to hold the roll in place as this will crease and/or permanently damage your posters, prints and artworks.
Wreaths
Wreaths are other sensitive home décor items that require special handling when moving.
Wreaths can be especially hard to package. One of the easiest ways to do this is to place them in a hat box.
Ensure they are insulated on all sides by a protective layer of either tissue, foam fill or bubble wrap. That should include the top side before you seal the wreath package up.
Paper collectables and photographs
For your paper collectables and photographs, special packaging is required due to their lightweight nature.
These can be packaged in standard envelopes but make sure that they are sandwiched between two pieces of cardboard. As an added measure of protection, you can use acid-free paper, before slipping them in a plastic sleeve.
Rugs
Rugs can be challenging to pack due to their size and sensitive nature. The best way to go about it is to roll them up.
Roll them in the direction of the rug pile as this makes for a tighter roll. To secure the rug, tie a twine in the middle and edges. For the ends, you can use cotton padding and slip the rug into a clear plastic bag.
Voila!
