How to Protect Your Artwork and Delicate Furniture When Moving House

The moving day is usually very hectic and exciting, but unfortunately, it can also be very stressful – especially when there are unpleasant surprises in the form of broken or damaged furniture items. Delicate things, like artwork, antiques, mirrors, and similar, can’t just be loaded into a truck and driven away; they have to be handled with care. With that in mind, here’s how you can protect your fragile furniture when moving.

Grandfather clock
If you happen to have one of those old grandfather clocks, you probably don’t want to see it broken. After all, their sentimental value is usually much bigger than their financial one. So, to make sure it doesn’t get damaged, remove any weights and pendulums from it, secure any moving parts, and pack it or crate it. Since it’s usually very heavy, make sure there’s enough padding in the box, and you should have nothing to worry about.

Large photos, paintings, and mirrors

The best way to pack larger photos and canvas paintings is to put them face down on a piece of bubble wrap that is about double the width of the painting. Then, tape the bubble wrap around the painting, and pack the painting in a bit bigger box. Of course, you should label every box, so you know which boxes you need to be more careful with. Moreover, when you start loading the boxes onto the moving truck, make sure they are placed standing up; it reduces the chance of damage. Also, if you can, try to put them in between mattresses, sofas, or some other upholstered furniture. The same goes for mirrors, just don’t forget to secure any hardware that goes with the mirror.

Smaller photos and artwork

Smaller artwork should also be wrapped in bubble wrap and secured with some tape. You can pack more items together in medium-size boxes, label the boxes, and put them on top of some softer furniture, so they are safe during transport. Make sure not to pack too many pictures in one box, though; you don’t want it to fall apart while being carried. Keep in mind that the extra space can always be filled in with lighter items, like linen or paper.

Rent a truck

Since you know exactly how fragile your furniture is, what is in which box, and how valuable all those items are, the best would be to rely on the help of professionals and hire a moving company. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to let somebody else handle your delicate items. This would allow you to organize everything else the way you want it, and not worry about anything getting damaged. Just make sure to give appropriate tips to those professionals. After all, they will be caring delicate and probably some pretty expensive stuff.

3D art

3D artwork, like shadow boxes or block letters, are quite popular decorative elements. However, moving them can become a bit tricky. The safest way to do it is by wrapping them in bubble wrap, just like photos, and packing them vertically. You can also add in some pillows, stuffed toys, or some other soft linen, for some extra padding.

China plates

If you have any expensive china plates, the safest way to pack them is by using barrel cartons. The bottom of the carton can be layered with packing peanuts or crumpled paper for some padding. Needless to say, before you place the plates in the box, you should first wrap them all individually. You should place them in the carton sideways, so there’s room for fillers. You can fill in any extra space with more papers, and make sure not to place anything heavy on the carton.

Smaller sculptures

Packing sculptures is always scary since it only takes one wrong step to break them. Moreover, sculptures like swans, elephants, and most animals, have extended parts that are especially vulnerable to being snapped off. In order to protect a sculpture, you need to cover it in plastic wrap first – to protect the finish. Then, wrap the vulnerable parts of the sculpture in bubble wrap. After you’re done with the vulnerable parts, you can wrap the entire sculpture. Once you’re finished with that step, you should end up with an egg shape, which you can then put in a box with some padding.

Larger sculptures

First, you need to know the approximate weight of the sculpture so you can choose an appropriate box. Sometimes, a cardboard box will simply not do, and you’d need a wooden crate instead. If the sculpture is not too heavy (depends on the material it’s made of), you can, perhaps, use a cardboard box – but with a lot of padding. Either way, wooden crates, in general, are a good thing to have. They are sturdy, and they are noticeable, which means that they are less likely to be mishandled. And even if they do, whatever is in them is more likely to survive the moving process.

When it comes to moving, the last thing you want is to start unpacking your things only to find some of your most valuable items damaged or broken beyond repair. So, make sure to pack every fragile item correctly, pay attention to how you stack the boxes in the truck, and they will be safe in your new home in no time.