How to Pack and Store Your Art Collection
Whether you are moving to a new home just a few streets away or you are planning an interstate relocation, you will need to take great care of your paintings if you want them to make it to your new address safe and sound. In this article, we are going to take a look at how to pack your art collection properly, how it should be transported, and how to store it in the event that you are not ready to put it on display as soon as you arrive at your new home.
Preparation and Planning
The key to ensuring that no harm comes to valuable works of art when moving home is to prepare and plan your move with military precision! Make sure that you have all of the packing materials you will need and do not leave anything to chance.
- Packing – The first thing you should do with each painting is to wrap it in plastic sheeting. This will ensure it stays clean in the event of accidental spillages and that it is not exposed to any airborne pollutants en route to your new home. Ensure you use a protective wrap around you painting and finish off with bubble wrap. If you do it yourself, you can make sure it is a nice tight fit. Finally, slide your plastic-covered, protected painting into a cardboard box that is made to fit closely. If there are gaps between the artwork and sides of the box, add more bubble wrap.
- Transporting – The main thing to bear in mind when transporting works of art, whether they are priceless masterpieces or just family favourites that you would hate to lose, is that it is better to load them standing up rather than lying flat. If you lay paintings flat on the floor in a truck or the back of your car, there is a good chance that something else will fall on them during transit, with potentially disastrous results.
- Storage – You might think that once your paintings are unloaded at your new address, you can relax. However, if you are planning to store them for any length of time before hanging them on the walls, now is not the time to let your guard down: casually tossing your prized paintings in the attic or stacking them in a corner of the garage is a recipe for disaster. Wherever you decide to store your art collection, make sure that you choose a place that is neither too dry nor too damp. A room with a consistent temperature and fairly low humidity is the best option if available. It goes without saying that you should avoid direct sunlight and, as you did when transporting them, stand your paintings up rather than laying them flat.
If you would prefer to leave everything to the professionals, we will be delighted to provide you with a competitive quote for moving all of your possessions to your new home, including your prized art collection.