Organizing your international move is extremely stressful. Your precious items need to travel a great distance. For this reason, you have to protect your items properly. Unpleasant situations can happen where your items might get damaged. Moving easily replaces items can be less stressful than moving antique pieces. As you already know, antique pieces are very valuable due to their age. Therefore, they are almost impossible to replace and expensive to repair. If you want to avoid causing damage, here are all the important tips for packing antique furniture.
You need to be patient when packing antique furniture
As mentioned, packing, in general, is stressful. It seems like you have too many things to pack and not enough time. When you add antique pieces, your stress level drastically increases. For this reason, you need to prepare yourself properly. In order to this, you have to start on time. This depends on your abilities to pack. Packing antiques takes time. If you plan to move your entire household with antiques, you need to start at least two months in advance. Start by looking for a national shipping company of Saudi Arabia. You cannot move your items internationally, especially furniture, without professional help. In addition to this, professional movers can help you with packing if necessary. If you do not feel confident enough since this is your first time moving and packing, you should learn from the experts. Then, the next time, you can organize everything by yourself.
Should you disassemble your antiques or not?
When you are moving or shipping to Saudi Arabia, it is always better to disassemble your furniture. The reason is simple. Your furniture will get damaged faster if they are in one piece. However, when you disassemble your items and use bubble wrapping and a box for each piece, they will be well protected. Sound pretty simple. Then again, you need to move your antiques. It is not wise to disassemble your antique pieces as you can damage them. In addition to this, you might not be able to put your antiques back together due to their age. Again, if you do not have the proper tools or skills, this is not recommendable. If you need to disassemble your furniture, get professional help. They have all the things you do not. First, they have enough experience and skills for the job. Secondly, they have all the necessary tools.
Packing antique furniture – how to start
Every start is difficult. For this reason, here is how to start with your packing process.
- Take an inventory – you need to take an inventory. See what you have. Take pictures. Check the condition of your furniture. This is important since you will need to make an assessment of your items again after the delivery. You cannot file a complaint for the scratches and bumps that already existed.
- Homeowners’ insurance policy – check your insurance. It might be able to cover your antiques during your relocation. If not, then, get a new one. Your antiques are valuable so you need to get proper moving insurance.
- Clean your items – use a soft microfiber cloth to remove dust. You should not use storing chemicals since it can cause damage to your antique wood. For this reason, a simple cloth would be enough.
Gather all the necessary packing supplies
You need to gather all the necessary packing supplies. There is no other way to protect your items. For this reason, you will need a lot of packing supplies, not just for your antiques but for the rest of your household as well. Here is a list for you.
- Moving boxes – only boxes that are clean and in good condition
- Air-filled plastic wraps
- Moving blankets – if you decide not to disassemble your furniture
- Stretching plastic wraps
- Packing tape
- Packing peanuts
- Labels
- Packing paper
As you might know, you can use alternative packing materials to save money. However, you should not use cheaper alternatives. Your antiques are valuable and they can be fragile. Usually, they are. For this reason, you need to use quality packing materials in order not to cause damage. You can get these supplies from your moving or shipping company.
Packing antique furniture – artwork, mirrors, and smaller pieces
First, see if you can fit these pieces inside boxes. If yes, then get a box that is slightly bigger than your items. You have to think about layers of bubble wrapping. Fill the rest of the empty space with packing peanuts. Your items should not be able to move during transport. In addition to this, you need to protect the glass parts. Again, bubble wrapping is more than enough. It is important to properly take care of your glass antiques if you want to preserve them for a long time. Then, you need to protect the corners. Antique pieces usually have strange and delicate corners. Due to their shape, it might be harder to pack them. You can buy corner protectors. After you wrap your items, make sure to secure it with packing tape. Then, seal the box. Lastly, label the boxes by writing FRAGILE.
A guide for furniture pieces
Lastly, here is how to handle your large furniture. First, disassemble them if you want. Again, only if you have all the necessary tools and skills. Put the small bolts and screws in the one bag and label that bag. Then, pack each piece separately. You can use bubble wrapping or furniture pads. If you decide against disassembling, then, use moving blankets. After, add a layer of air-filled plastic wrap for additional protection. You can also label your boxes that contain smaller pieces. Lastly, talk to your movers. Decide on the best way to ship your antiques. After the delivery, inspect your antiques. If you notice anything, make sure to notify your moving or shipping company. If you have insurance, file a complaint.
