If you own a lot of collectibles, you might be wondering how they can all be moved safely when you move to a new home. From fine china sets to glass figurines, you have every reason to be careful when attempting to handle your antiques.

Fortunately, you can take measures to ensure each valuable item you own is properly packed for moving, and this includes large and irregularly-shaped items such as vases. Allow us to show you what moving supplies in Brooklyn NY you need for a safe and sound haul.

Boxed Items

It’s always a good idea to keep original boxes of antiques you previously bought. Not only does this make your antique even more valuable, but these boxes also serve as a layer of protection when moving. Figurines, dolls, dinnerware, and holiday ornaments are examples of collectables that are sold with their own boxes. This way, you won’t have to find boxes that are of similar size to protect them in.

Once you place your collectables in their respective boxes, wrap the boxes up in acid-free paper. When taping the box up, only stick the paper to the other end of paper instead of the box itself. After doing this, wrap the box up in bubble wrap and be sure it does not get ripped from any of the box’s corners.

After wrapping up boxed antiques, they’ll need larger boxes. Prepare the larger box by padding it with a filler, such as crumpled paper, excelsior or packing peanuts. Place the smaller box inside and fill any empty spaces to make sure the smaller box doesn’t move; this includes the top of the box.

Unboxed Items

If you own antiques without boxes, such as glass objects and handmade collectables, they should first be wrapped up with multiple layers of packing paper. Certain items like plates and dishes can receive additional protection when you buy dish sleeves.

Fortunately for unboxed items, bubble wrap and foam are flexible protection options that have a give so they don’t put any pressure on antiques. Like with boxed items, do not tape directly on the item, as the adhesive can cause the paint to come off. Also like with boxed items, you’ll need to find a box to place the item inside of with a sufficient amount of filler for maximum protection.

If the antique has a base, stand the item upright inside the box, rather than down on a side. The upside to unboxed items is that you can fill your moving box with slightly more filler to ensure safe transportation.

Additional Moving Tips

After boxing antique items, be sure to indicate on the box that they’re fragile. This gives an easy indication to movers and family members that the box should be handled with care.

As a precautionary measure, never stack antique boxes, even if you think they’ll stay safe. There is always the chance for stacks to fall over during your move. Remember that packing antiques doesn't make them 100% indestructible, they just reduce the odds of something going wrong that’s outside of your control, and stacking is considered a preventable risk.

Summary

Packing antique items with moving supplies will ensure they stay safe when you move to a new home. If your items come in original boxes, they will keep the items protected, but if they don’t have any boxes, that’s okay, for you wrap them in foam or bubble wrap and can find new boxes. Ensure the item doesn’t move inside by completely filling the box with packing fillers.

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