Collectibles, treasured antiques and treasures are timeless, precious and often irreplaceable. Though, if you’re in the middle of a move, or trying to free up more space in your home, there may come a time when they need to be in storage. In this case, storing valuable items will require some extra care throughout the packing and moving process.
But if you pack your items properly and make the right choice regarding where to store your valuable items during a move, you can be assured your valuable items will stay in excellent condition.
Storing Valuable Items
By their very nature, many valuable items, such as antiques and family heirlooms, are more fragile than modern items. This is why they require special considerations. Ensure all your valuables are stored in a way that will keep them in top condition with these 5 simple tips.
1. Avoid Light
Direct light can harm organic materials, such as wood, paper and textiles by fading colors, drying out materials and speeding up chemical reactions that naturally occur over time. In storage, your collections will be kept away from direct sunlight and protected from extreme temperatures. This will help preserve your valuable items during the moving process
2. Avoid Humidity and Extreme Temperatures
With the use of a heating and central air system, humidity levels are controlled inside the units as well. Too much humidity can cause rust or mold, too little can cause other items to shrink, crack or become brittle. A proper balance is important with valuable items.
3. Get Insurance
Take inventory of your valuables with estimated replacement values and pictures. Insure against the loss of precious heirlooms with an extra layer of protection should anything happen to them.
4. Transporting Valuables
Look for a local storage facility that offers easy access so you don’t have to transport your items very far from your new home. The more you have to transport your things, the greater risk of damage.
5. Find the Right Location
Think twice before storing valuable items, like antiques, in your garage, basement or attic since these environments are prone to pets and temperature extremes that could damage your items. For proper storage, choose a secure location that offers climate-controlled storage units.
Packing Valuables
When packing valuables, first stock up on all the necessary protective packing materials including bubble wrap, cushion foam, felt fabric, thick blankets, clear plastic wrap, cardboard corners, packing paper, tape, markers, “fragile” stickers, and scissors. Here are a few reminders:
- Small treasures such as glass art, fragile porcelains and collectibles should be stored in clearly marked closed containers. Use acid-free paper as a protective wrap to prevent corrosive damage.
- When packing your valuable electronics, like your flat screen TV, computers and speakers, the best box is going to be one that fits it perfectly (without any extra room for it to move around) with a few layers of foam or bubble wrap to protect the screen from damage. You can use a custom shaped TV box, just disconnect the cables, secure them together with a cord and put them safely in a plastic bag.
- And when storing mirrors or paintings, stand them on end, never flat. Remember your cardboard corners for extra protection as well.
Or better yet, leave it to the professionals.
At Tiger Moving and Storage, our highly-trained packers only use the highest quality packing materials and label fragile cartons accurately so you can rest easy knowing your treasures are treated with the highest possible care.
Pack and Move Valuables Safely
Your best bet is to hire professional packers and movers. The experts at Tiger Moving and Storage specialize in making sure your valuable belongings arrive to your new home safely. If you are looking for a trusted company who will pack and move your items to a climate-controlled storage in New Jersey, contact Tiger Moving and Storage for more information.
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