Antiques are the pretty bits that add a special kind of beauty to the home. Sometimes they are inherited, often times they are an investment, guarded, stored and kept well in preservation. And when you have to move with them, moving becomes a bit different experience – one, in which your antique objects and furniture must be well protected and safely delivered. Your concern on how you can do this is understandable. Hopefully these tips below will help you.
Cleaning before moving
It would be appropriate to clean your antiques before packing and moving them. Wipe the dust but if you are going to use wax or special polish be careful – on the one hand it can make the item slippery and dangerous to handle; on the other, using such products immediately before packing mаy make the surface of your antique susceptible to stamps that the packing like padding or bubble wrap may leave on it. Since every piece of furniture is different you should look for a solution for it in particular. You can do that at antique stores for example.
Moving antiques and antique furniture yourself
Moving your antique furniture must be done very carefully with special attention. The best option is to have the job done by moving experts but if you have to do it yourself keep in mind the fragility of the object. If it has parts that are easy to break you shouldn’t hold them when lifting the piece of furniture. When carrying it you need to have enough people around. Lift it up, move it slightly away on a small distance and put it on the ground gently, then repeat – if your antique is very heavy you should change its position like this, little by little. Be careful when placing the furniture down sharply – it may get damaged if dropped harshly or if you have hardwood floor it may get scratched.
If there are parts of your antique that are removable like drawers or glass doors best would be to remove them and pack everything well separately. Do not use tape as it may stick to the surface or leave hard to take off traces. Packing is very important – you can use bubble wrap, moving blankets or other. But do not put too much – some antiques are very fragile and cannot handle a lot of weight on them. For larger items that have legs start wrapping from the top gradually going down and around the legs. If the item doesn’t have legs begin vice versa – from the bottom. Use ropes or tape on top of the packing to secure it tight. This is important also for another reason: wood is prone to absorbing moist so if you are moving on a rainy day a compact packing will be a good protection. In this way your antiques will be well wrapped up.
When packing your antiques begin with the top and gradually go down to the legs in the end because they are the most fragile part of your furniture.
When getting your antiques inside the truck don’t push it or slide it. If it is awkwardly shaped which doesn’t allow for it to be carried use a dolly instead. Inside the boxes you can use styrofoam peanuts or other cushioning materials. If it is an easily breakable item set it in the truck in a position in which it is not in contact with the other luggage. Make sure you have fixed your antique in the truck stably so that it won’t move inside when on the road.
Antique movers
Finding a moving company that is capable of handling your precious antiques is a serious task. Antique objects may be very fragile and are usually expensive which means that you should carefully research who can move them especially if you are going away on a long distance. In the meantime a good idea is to have an appraisal done to your antiques. That way you can fill in their value in the mover’s documentation and in your home insurance, too. Once you have chosen a trustworthy moving company from the numerable quotes you have obtained you need to point out to the moving company representative all the expensive items you are going to move like your grandfather clock, piano, pieces of furniture, china or other. Your mover may offer you crates – they are made especially for the object to be placed inside them and provide the ideal protection during moving. Smaller collectibles like jewelery, statuettes, coins and etc. should go with you on the moving day. Place them in their original boxes if you keep them. If not, find appropriate sized boxes and wrap carefully your antiques. On every box containing something fragile denote that on the top and on the sides to make sure whoever is carrying it will be careful. On the other hand, larger items like a cabinet, piano or a wardrobe are safer when packed and moved be moving experts.
Where needed movers use crates like these to protect your antiques.
When the relocation is over
When your antiques are delivered at your new home take a look and examine them. Should everything be ok sign the receipt. If you find damages like scratches or something broken immediately try to resolve the issue with the moving company and if they do not cooperate – file a claim.
Come back often to check the articles that are coming out. Soon we will publish a sample letter of a complaint against a moving company with some tips on how you can write one. Do you have experience with moving antiques or questions? Feel free to share them below.
Great article, antiques and arts are really tricky.