How to Pack Paintings, Antiques, and Decoration Pieces?

Antiques, decoration pieces, and vintage paintings are generally passed down from one generation to the other. Irrespective of how they are acquired, the age of these pieces and their uniqueness is what makes them valuable. To ensure that the antiques retain their value, one has to provide individual attention to how they are stored and transported, especially when you are moving places. The selling price of these antiques- should you wish to sell then in the future- will depend on how it is stored and preserved. How to Pack Paintings is a question that comes to every person’s mind. You need materials like bubble wrap, packing paper, packing tape, cardboard boxes, and foam peanuts to properly pack your items.

For someone who does not know their value, a simple newspaper wrap would suffice. However, storing these precious pieces requires extra care to ensure the paint, canvas, and frame do not undergo any damage. A self storage unit always serves as a brilliant place to store antiques. It is tempting to keep the antiques in a storage unit, yet there are some precautions that one must take. We offer here some crucial advice to guide you on how to store and transport these valuables without harming them.

Know and understand the risks involved

When trying to transport art material and antiques, there are several risks involved. The most obvious ones are breakage, tears, impacts, smudges, loose, and missing parts. These are the most common mishappenings that can occur. While transporting, especially in sticky and humid weather, it is also essential to take care of handling to save the antiques and paintings from being etched with fingerprints. The polished surfaces are more susceptible to these.

Apart from these, skin contact, eating, smoking, and domestic chemicals can also cause stains and marks. Keep the material away from pets and direct heat or sunlight. Self Storage is an excellent option as the different units are usually devoid of sunlight and direct heat so you can store your priceless objects with ease. The key is to exercise maximum precaution when around these exquisite materials.

Adopt the following steps while packing:

1. Minimize human contact: this is the first step that you can take to protect your paintings, antiques, and other artwork. Create a barrier between you and the antiques while packing.

2. Wrap-up in plastic: use plastic wrappers to wrap the paintings and antiques. The plastic wrap will help to protect the finish and surface of the antiques and keep them clean. Fragile items and antiques with mirrors should be wrapped carefully with protective wrapping like bubble wrap. To have a higher level of security and safety, use Styrofoam packing and boxes.

3. Use small boxes: place the well-wrapped antiques and paintings in a close-fitting box of cardboard. Try to use appropriately sized boxes to avoid damage due to in-transit shaking. If you do not want to use boxes, opt for a cardboard sheet covering. For packing large paintings and fragile items, there are also specially designed boxes available in the market at any typical supply store. You could use these boxes available for storing antique lamps, historical clothing, paintings, and other hard-to-pack valuable items. Mark “fragile” to caution the onlookers!

4. Prefer dense packing material: the thick packing material will ensure that there are no empty spaces left. You could also take the help of bubble-wrap and avoid the bouncing of jars and heavy materials while on the go. After ensuring no empty spaces exist, seal the entire box with packing tape.

Transport the antiques with care.

Once you have successfully packed all your antiques, paintings, and decorations, transporting them is the next big task. Make sure to store them vertically as laying them flat would increase the chances of them falling, especially the paintings. Laying your pieces flat, also prevents the valuables from tipping over and collapsing under their weight. If you must arrange your artwork flat, slide it against other solid stuff, which can prevent it from flipping on the way. You could also take the help of blankets, sheets, and pillows for extra cushioning.

If you do not want to drive the stuff yourself, hire efficient and reliable movers. Self Storage India has its team of movers and packers who can help you with transporting these valuables safely to the unit. Other professional carriers have different rates and standards for shipping. These rates are calculated with regard to the size and weight of the parcel. Use the online calculator on their website to compare their prices.

Keep the antiques, decoration pieces, and paintings in a self storage unit.

In case you feel that the time isn’t appropriate yet to shift your valuables, you can always opt for keeping them in self storage units. If you plan to store your antiques and paintings for an extended period, take professional help. These are clean and secure units. They facilitate smooth relocation as you can save your items safely. Apart from providing peace of mind, the convenience that they offer is unparalleled.

A self storage unit is an excellent way to store your valuables.

However, there are some things you must keep in mind when choosing a unit and preparing your valuables. Adopt the following strategies for making the most of a storage place:

A. Choose a site that is neither damp nor dry. It always works well to choose an area that has a consistent temperature and moderate humidity.

B. Do not forget the valuables in the storage. It is easy to keep your valuables in a storage unit and then completely forget about them. The problem here lies in the fact that the potential hazards cannot be remedied if you do not check on your items every few months. It is essential to keep a check for any damages that, might occur due to rodents or moisture or any other factors.

C. Try to use space effectively. While storing your priceless objects, it is a common habit that people tend to save the antiques one on top of the other. When you store items one on top of another, it is potentially very harmful, as the weight of one of them could damage the other one lying underneath.

Paintings, antiques, and decoration pieces are valuable and exquisite. While relocating it would be heartbreaking to see them damaged through careless handling of any of these. It is, therefore, best to practice precautionary measures and plan a safe move!