Art Moving 101: Helpful Safety Tips
Moving Art Pieces During a Relocation Requires Careful Preparation
If you're preparing for a move, and your household or office inventory includes artwork such as paintings, sculptures, or valuable antiques and collectibles, you're going to need supplies that go beyond boxes and tape! To help ease the stress that often accompanies packing and moving artwork, we've put together a list of the essentials you'll want to have on hand, along with helpful safety tips to ensure you do the packing job right.
Camelot's Top 10 Essential Art Moving Supplies
1. Boxes: The Right Ones
Everyone knows you need boxes for a move. However, you may not be aware that you will need several different sizes of boxes for moving art pieces based on their contents. For example, an expensive painting or framed photograph will need its own specially designed box called a mirror pack, which telescopes into itself to create the perfectly sized container to protect your piece of wall art. Sculptures and antiques will need separate boxes as their weight or fragility can easily damage or be damaged.
2. Packing tape
Good quality packing tape is a must for moving artwork as you want to ensure your boxes stay sealed throughout their relocation.
3. Packing paper
Packing paper is necessary for wrapping items and providing stability to the boxes by filling voids around the box's contents. Items of exceptionally high value require acid-free, preservation-grade paper (often known as museum-quality paper) designed specifically for the moving and storage of art pieces.
4. Plastic wrap
Plastic wrap may be necessary to protect the piece during transit. For example, wrapping may be helpful for textile-based artworks or soft sculptures.
5. Bubble wrap
Bubble wrap is helpful for moving all kinds of art, whether it's a fragile vase or a clay sculpture made by your child! Use it to pack each item or as a pad between pieces of art placed inside a moving box.
6. Zip-Lock Bags
When moving art pieces, plastic zip-lock bags are ideal for packing small items such as mounting brackets, screws, and hanging wire. Individual bags with labeled artwork components will make installation easier at your new location.
7. Tool kit
Make sure you have the tools to remove all hanging and stabilizing mechanisms that keep the piece of art in place and secure. Artwork often uses non-standard or specialized wall mounts and screws, so be sure to review your tool kit before you start packing.
8. Permanent markers and labels
Thick markers, labels, or color-coded stickers will help you know what's in each box once it's packed and sealed and will guide your movers to its placement in your new location.
9. Unpacking supplies
If you've exercised care in wrapping and packing during the preparation of moving your art pieces, you'll want to do the same with unpacking. Carefully slice open the packing tape and gently remove the packing paper and bubble wrap.
10. Preparing for storage
If you're moving artwork into a storage facility at any time, be sure to do your homework about the storage facility. Artwork is best stored in a secure, climate-controlled environment, as dampness, mold, or insects can quickly destroy your collection.
Hire Camelot to Move Your Artwork
If reading this list makes you realize that moving art boxes requires professional knowledge and skill, then we have good news! When you hire a professional moving service, they'll expertly handle moving art pieces for you. Whether it is paintings, photography, indoor or outdoor sculptures, or antiques, the packing crew from a full-service moving company will know how to handle your collection.
Why Hire Professionals for Art-Moving Needs?
Working with professionals experienced in moving artwork can help prevent the following problems:
Personal injuries such as muscle strains can occur when moving a large or heavy indoor or outdoor sculpture, painting, or antique furniture.
Damage could occur to your home's floors, walls, and doorways.
A relocation company experienced in moving art pieces knows how to wrap, pack, carry, and position your artwork with the utmost care for your home and work of art.
Reduce stress! When you contract with professionals, there's no need to worry about protecting your treasured art collection. Adding the cost of hiring a company experienced in moving artwork to your relocation budget can keep everyone relaxed! With Camelot Moving & Storage, our relocation specialists have significant experience moving art, are background-checked, and excel at customer service.
Five Examples of When Moving Art Pieces Requires Professionals
1. Preparing Your Home for Sale
If you're preparing to sell your property and need to stage your home, you don't want damage to occur to your art collection. Moving art boxes that have monetary or personal value to your new home or into a climate-controlled storage space helps ensure their safety.
2. Special events
Are you planning a large celebration? Preparing for renovations? Taking an extended vacation? Camelot can help you move your art collection to an alternate location for short or extended periods.
3. Moving heavy items
Moving a cumbersome art piece, such as a large outdoor sculpture or oversized painting, without professional help is not recommended. Whether the piece is being relocated to another state or another room in your home, getting advice from a reputable company experienced in moving artwork is worth the time.
4. Antique art moving
Relocating expensive art requires movers with knowledge and skill. This is especially true for moving antiquities and museum-quality art collections. Handling the move of rare and valuable art boxes with the utmost care at all times is a priority.
5. Household changes
Will elderly parents move into your home in the coming year? Are you preparing your home for a new baby or grandkids? Perhaps you're working from home full-time and need to make interior design changes. Camelot can help with all aspects of moving and storing art pieces. Additionally, if your business displays fine art, photography, or sculpture as part of its corporate décor, Camelot can help with your commercial office relocation!
California’s Best Moving and Storage Company
Camelot Moving & Storage offers a comprehensive list of moving services to satisfy the needs of every client. With 0ver 35 years of experience moving fine art, modern art, and antique art collections, we can ensure your treasures have the proper care every step of the way. Contact us today to move your art pieces!