If you’re moving and have family photos, large pieces of artwork or other framed prints that you treasure, you need to know how to prepare them for moving, so you don’t end up with broken glass or chipped frames. Most of your paintings, prints and statues can be packed in what’s called a mirror box or an artwork box.
The smaller items can be packed in regular China boxes, wrapped in newsprint. For larger and more expensive items we recommend ordering custom wooden crates.
Framed pictures and wall hangings might be the first items you pack before your move. If you are staging your home for a quick sale, your real estate agent might even recommend you take down family photos while your house is on the market.
To pack large photos and canvas paintings, lie the artwork face down on a piece of bubble wrap about double the width of the picture. Tape the bubble wrap around the picture. Pack the artwork in a box only slightly larger than the picture, and seal all sides with packing tape. Write “fragile” on both sides of the box in permanent marker. This will alert whoever is moving the item, whether it’s a friend or professional mover, to be extra careful with the boxes. It also serves as a reminder to you, as you may pack artwork several days or weeks before your move and might not recall what each box holds.
Also, label each box with a description of the art and the room where you’ll be hanging it to make it easier to know where to put the boxes in your new home. When you load artwork onto the moving truck, pictures should be places standing up instead of lying flat, as this reduces the risk that they’ll be damaged. Framed pictures are safest wedged between two mattresses, couches, or other upholstered furniture, but you can also place them between heavy, secured furniture that won’t shift in transit.
Move mirrors in exactly the same way, remembering to secure any hardware that accompanies it to the back of the mirror with tape so it doesn’t get lost. Wrap framed photos or artwork measuring 8 X 10 or smaller in bubble wrap, which you’ll secure with packing tape. Pack multiple pieces, standing up, in medium size moving boxes or plastic bins.
Label the boxes as fragile and list the contents, to make unpacking easier and to remind yourself, friends, or professional movers of the contents. If all your pictures won’t fit in a single box, separate them according to the rooms they’ll go in when you get to your new home, and label the boxes accordingly. Artwork can be heavy in proportion to its size.
Make sure to reinforce the bottoms of boxes with packing tape and not pack to many pictures in one box. You can fill in space with lighter items, such as blankets or throw pillows from the same room.
How to Move Shadowboxes and Other 3D Art
3D artwork, from block letters that spell your family’s name to shadowboxes that hold collections of photos and other mementos, are part of a popular design trend. But how do you move these items?
Pack all wall hangings in boxes with your other décor based on where they will hang in your new home. In other words, all the books, knick-knacks, vases, and wall hangings from your living room should go in a single box, or in multiple boxes if needed, labeled with a brief inventory so you can find what you need when you’re unpacking.
Do the same for the bedroom, dining room, family room, etc. For boxes with random décor items from throughout the home, it may be easiest to take a photo of the box’s contents, print it, and tape it to the outside of the box.
More delicate pieces, including shadowboxes, should be wrapped in bubble wrap and packed vertically, not lying flat. You can use other items you’re packing, such as throw pillows or stuffed animals, for extra padding around wall art.
For more information and tips on packing your house choosing the right moving company in Montreal, please visit our website or contact one of our representatives.
Source: imove.com