A Guide on How To Move Antiques and Collectibles

Moving involves a lot of planning, hard work, and decision making. Amidst this chaos, one thing we often forget to do is make a plan for the transportation of our family heirlooms, fine art, antiques, and collectibles. Unfortunately, leaving such valuable items not properly cared for, especially during cross-country moves, may cause expensive, and sometimes irreversible damage.

To help you minimise the damage to these precious items during the big house move, WhatStorage has come up with a guide on how to move antiques and collectibles, which you may find useful.

Things To Remember When Moving Antiques and Collectibles

Decide How You Want To Transport Your Items

Consider Hiring Professional Movers

You will want to consider hiring a professional removal company or a man and van to handle the transportation of your antique furniture, art collections, picture frames, family heirlooms, and other collectibles. Read about what a professional moving company can do here.

Professional movers have the necessary skills and experience needed to transport such items. That means they can make sure to find the best way to safely move and transport your items that are either too expensive or irreplaceable to risk damaging.

Aside from getting your antiques and collectibles to your new home in one piece, you can also rely on a professional mover to pack your items as safely and as securely as possible.

Meanwhile, if you are worried about the cost of hiring movers for the job, think about it this way: Any damage to your antiques and other collectibles may lead to repair or replacement. The cost for such may end up being more expensive than just hiring someone to do the job in the first place.

If this is something you want to consider, here is A List of Questions You Should Ask Your Removals Company before hiring them.

Rent A Moving Truck and Transport The Items Yourself

If you think hiring someone else to do the job for you is out of the question, you may always do it yourself instead. All you will have to do is rent an appropriately sized moving truck. You may find out what size is appropriate for your goods with WhatStorage’s Van Size Guide.

You will also want to make sure that you have the necessary tools and equipment such as moving dollies, shoulder straps, ropes, furniture blankets, and any standard tools you may deem appropriate.

Here’s a guide on Renting A Van For A Day.

Make An Inventory Of Your Items

Sort out your belongings and make sure to list down all the valuable items, antiques and collectibles you will want to move with you. Having this list will make it much easier for you to keep track of your items during the moving process.

While doing this, you will also want to sort your items based on which you want to take with you to the new house personally and which things can go into the moving truck. Here are some items that you are better off taking yourself:

• Jewellery
• Cash and Coins
• Important Documents (i.e., bank books, medical records, tax forms, stock certificates, deeds, land titles, government paperwork, etc.)

Here are more items that Removal Companies Typically Do Not Move. Also, make sure to take photos of your items from all angles for documentation purposes.

Get Your Antiques and Collectibles Appraised

It would also be beneficial for you to make sure your items are appraised. Having a documented value of your belongings will not only get you a documented verification about the condition of your items but also provide you with an accurate valuation of your items, which you may use for insurance purposes.

If you are unsure about where to get your items appraised, you may look to an antique furniture store, auction houses, professional antique assessors, and even your insurance company itself.

Ensure Your Items Are Protected By Insurance

Speaking of insurance, you will also want to make sure your goods are all covered by insurance. Aside from your typical antiques and collectible insurance, you will also want to purchase removals insurance for the big move.

A removals insurance policy is geared solely towards protecting your items every step of the process, including packing, transportation, and storage.

When purchasing an insurance policy, NEVER assume what it covers. Instead, ask your insurance company about any questions and doubts you may have about your protection plan. Here is more information about Removals Insurance.

Get High-Quality Packing Materials

Because you are packing expensive and valuable items, you will want to make sure that you are using only the best and highest quality packing materials. This includes cardboard boxes, wooden crates, plastic wrap, glassine, bubble wrap, acid-free packing paper, packing tape, and many more.

By doing this, you are effectively minimising the chance of both superficial and significant damage to your special and fragile items. Many of the items mentioned above are available at WhatStorage’s Box Shop. Meanwhile, if you are planning on saving some money and getting some used boxes to cut down on the expenses, here are some Tips on Finding Free Moving Boxes.

Clean Your Items Thoroughly Before Packing Them

This is something you will want to do, especially for antique wooden furniture. After all, packing your stuff without wiping off the dirt at any other debris off the surface may cause dust friction. This, in turn, may result in huge scratches and other issues on the surface of your antique wooden furniture.

Keeping your items clean will also ensure that they are moved into your new home in the best condition possible.

Wrap and Pack Your Items As Necessary

Do remember that each type of antique furniture or collectible item requires a different approach when it comes to wrapping and packing. Here are some packing tips for antiques, collectibles, and other precious items that you will want to keep in mind:

1. Cover breakable in wrapping paper and bubble wrap. Make sure each item is packed as securely as possible into the box.
2. Wrap collectible books or magazines in acid-free plastic or mylar bags to protect them from exposure to air, moisture, and possibly insects.
3. Use custom crates for larger antiques.
4. Make sure to pack empty spaces in boxes and crates with as much padding as possible.
5. Secure or temporarily take apart loose pieces of your furniture.
6. Wrap fragile stuff individually to avoid them from rubbing or bumping into each other in the box in transit.

Make Sure To Keep Everything Properly Labelled

Labelling your boxes, crates, and other moving containers appropriately is crucial to the safety and security of your belongings. Aside from legibly indicating the contents of the container or the room each box is supposed to go in, you will also want to indicate the following on your boxes, if they apply:

• “FRAGILE”
• “THIS SIDE UP”
• “UNLOAD FIRST”
• “DO NOT STACK ON THIS BOX”

Here are more tips on labelling your boxes for a big move. 

Ready To Move Your Antiques, Collectibles, Family Heirlooms, and Other Precious Belongings?

Now that you’re familiar with how you should pack and move your precious items, valuables, antiques, and collectibles, you’ll be all set to move into your new home! If you are planning on hiring a professional moving company for the job, make sure to check out WhatStorage’s database of removals companies and man with van services near you!