If you have valuable or fragile collectible items like luxury handbags, vintage instruments, dolls, figurines, or antiques, this article provides valuable tips to help you transport your collectibles safely without a scratch. From tips regarding how to handle your packing supplies to valuation coverage and storage services, this article is filled with first-hand experiences from industry experts!
Moving can be an exciting but also challenging experience. Whether you are moving to another state or a different country, relocating to your new place requires careful packing of your belongings, especially when you are dealing with collectibles and antiques. These items have both monetary and sentimental value, and you should ensure they are properly packed before you hand them off to your local movers.
With our well-trained and certified Durham long-distance movers, DeHaven’s Transfer & Storage has years of experience in packing and moving collectibles. Our residential movers in Durham provide the following helpful tips for moving your collectible items:
Use Proper Packing Supplies for Smaller Items. Small and fragile collectibles require plenty of protection. An important part of every move is to gather your packing supplies. Based on the kind of collectibles you want to pack and relocate, common supplies used to protect collectibles include:
- Packing Peanuts: They are best for filling oddly shaped spaces in the moving boxes.
- Masking Tape: You need to be careful when using masking tape, so it does not come in contact with the sensitive surfaces of your items.
- Cardboard boxes with dividers, depending on how fragile your collectibles are
- Microfiber Cloth
- Bubble Roll
Moving a set of collectibles can be nerve-wracking, but you can eliminate the stress when you use a professional packing and moving company. Professional movers will come into your home with the right tools and resources, pack your valuable items securely and deliver a safe and hassle-free move.
Use Moving Blankets and Crating for Larger Items
Most professional movers often use moving blankets to provide a layer of protection and padding to larger items during transport. They also provide wooden crates that are custom built to fit the exact size of your valuable items. This helps to reduce movement during transport and equally provides shock and vibration protection.
Protection Planning
If you decide to hire professional movers, they are responsible for the items you are transporting. However, if you are moving to a different state, moving companies are obligated by law to offer two types of coverage. The coverage you choose will determine your reimbursement if any items get missing or damaged during relocation. These coverage options include:
- Released Value Protection: This is the free basic valuation coverage that provides damage reimbursement based on your item’s weight and not replacement value. Since most collectible items are light-weighted, basic valuation coverage cannot provide financial reimbursement if they get damaged during transport.
- Full Value Protection: With full value protection, your moving company is liable for the complete replacement value of any lost or damaged collectibles during transport. If you want full value replacement protection for your items, ensure you ask your movers about the protection options available for purchase.
We also recommend self-transportation of your smaller and valuable items of extraordinarily high value (jewelry, coins, stamps, card collections), or using specialty, insured shipping services if self-transportation is not an option.
Use Warehouse Storage
If you are not ready to receive your items at your new location, you should consider working with professional movers that offer secure warehouse storage where your prized possessions are enclosed within wooden vaults for added safety. If your collectibles are sensitive to temperature, ask your movers about the climate control features of their warehouse facility.
Start Your Moving Project in Durham Today with a Free Quote
Are you planning a move in Durham? DeHaven’s Transfer & Storage is the go-to company for efficient and streamlined moving services. With over 60 years of moving experience, our highly qualified residential movers in Durham have the skills and resources needed to get the job done right. We are an agent for North American Van Lines. As a result, we have access to one of the largest fleets in the industry. Our comprehensive services include:
- Full and Partial Packing Services
- High-Quality Packing Materials
- Packing, Padding/Wrapping of Furniture
- Custom Crating of Fragile Items
- Short- and Long-Term Storage Options
- Vehicle Shipping and Storage
If you are ready to start planning your move, give us a call today or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation.
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