When Moving Antique furniture or Art Work you should
weigh the benefits of packing yourself or hiring professionals. Doing your own
packing may help you feel more comfortable as you will know what is in each
box; but for a move the breakable items should really be left to the professionals.
Our Movers are trained to pack silver with acid free paper. Most moving
companies have never stocked this paper, let alone held training classes on the
proper handling of these items. Hiring Moving professionals to pack and unpack
your most valued possessions can help to ensure they arrive intact.
Here are some insider tips for packing and handling
your most valuable belongings. First, get your antiques and
artwork appraised. Prior to packing or moving it is important to take inventory
of your items, make sure you do this under bright lights. I can not tell you
how many homeowners I have shocked during a walk through prior to the move as
to pre existing damage (even on new furniture). Doing this prior to your move will
save you stress and aggravation. Always
get every piece of value appraised. You can visit theAmerican Society of
Appraisers to find a qualified appraiser.
Purchase the appropriate
packing materials . Do not skimp on professional moving supplies, such as double
wall boxes, packing peanuts, packing paper, poly tape, dark water resistant
markers.
Wrap each item individually.
Wrap items with non printed news paper. The benefit of this paper is no ink mar
finish on you prized dishes. The paper is also larger and wraps nicely. If using
bubble wrap, always paper the item first to avoid the plasticizer in the bubble
wrap from reacting to hand painted items.
Preparing Large Items for
Movement. We always remove any and all items that are not fastened securely to
the piece. At Harrington Movers we rarely ever will remove screws on an antique.
Because of many different factors you will find that the screw will not hold
properly in the wood again. It is usually a good idea to reverse handles and
knobs that may stick out. At Harrington Movers we prefer not to use blankets on
antiques. We use special foam and wrapping materials to insure as little stress
on these items as possible. Pads become problematic with older pieces. Threads
can easily get caught in a small crack and when removed damage your valued piece
