Moving Art Pieces

I like art. I have a lot of it – more art than I have walls at the moment. I still have art pieces sitting around waiting for me to hang them. I noticed that my tastes have changed over the years and so I have a lot of art that I may never hang up again. The last time I moved, I used professional movers and they carefully wrapped each art piece and transported it to my new home where I carefully unwrapped each piece and leaned it against the wall in my “library” which is just an extra room full of books and art leaning against the wall.

I have hung a few pieces around the house, but I’ve only hung one or two pieces of art per room instead of a montage of pictures on each wall. I always imagined a wild collection of art up and down the staircases, running along hallways and hanging high above one’s head in a grand entryway. I have none of that. Instead, I have a lot of art pieces leaning against the walls in my extra bedroom. Hmmm.

One of these days I plan to move again. When I do, I plan to take all of my art with me and perhaps the new home will host the wild collections of art I have accumulated. I certainly hope so. I don’t expect to have an extra bedroom just for art and book storage. My next extra bedroom will be for guests. I like them too.

Art comes in many forms. I mostly have paintings – oils on canvass, prints, paintings on glass, and a myriad of others. I also have statuettes and statues, a whole bunch of ceramic Indians my Mom made, and a collection of Chickens. Oh! And don’t forget the Bosson Heads, Painted Plates, and Butterfly collections.

Most of the above can be packed just like you would your fine china. Lots of paper and the right sized boxes – meaning they are not so big items on the bottom will get crushed by items on the top. The paintings though, especially those which were painted on the glass instead of a canvass, must be packaged up much more carefully.

If they are framed with glass, you want to make sure that glass does not break and if they are simple canvas pieces, you want to make sure the painting is not torn or pierced.

Start by collecting boxes that will fit them comfortably and securely and use bubble wrap, newspapers and other packing materials to ensure they are protected during the move. I have found mirror boxes work well for art pieces. If your painting/picture is covered with glass, put a X on the glass with masking tape. For some reason this gives the glass strength and should it crack in transit, it will hold it in place and hopefully protect the painting from cuts. Then cover the glass with a piece of thick cardboard. This could be part of a box that you are not using. The cardboard should be large enough to cover the glass, but not bigger than the entire painting. You can use carpet padding and even towels if you do not have any cardboard. The purpose is to reduce the amount of static cling that can develop between the bubble wrap and the painting.

If they have exposed canvass, don’t place wadded paper directly on the painting as it may put “dents” in it. Put cardboard cut to fit inside the frame against the painting before wrapping the whole thing in bubble wrap.

You should consider protecting corners by cutting cardboard and fitting it over each corner and then securing it with tape. If you use enough bubble wrap, this step may not be needed, but definitely consider it for art pieces in which the paint has been applied directly to the glass. A crack in this glass and the painting is ruined. Obviously, it cannot just be fixed with a new piece of glass.

Use LOTS of BUBBLE WRAP. It is a wonderful invention. And keep the kids from busting the bubbles until after the move – bubble wrap works better to protect your art when it is full of air! Place your art pieces in boxes designed for that purpose. Most packaging stores sell boxes of all types and sizes. Use extra peanuts and/or paper to keep your art pieces from “rocking” inside the box. They should fit securely. Seal up the box an mark it as FRAGILE so anyone moving it knows it can’t be tossed around.

Picture or mirror boxes containing artwork should be placed in the upright position and never be laid flat during shipping.

At the other end, carefully remove all packaging. Box cutters are not a good idea, but if you have to cuts the packaging loose, make sure you keep in mind what it protects. It would be shame to carefully pack, move and unpack Uncle Art’s portrait only to cut a gash across his canvass!

One more tip! Consider hiring experts if you have high value pieces or a lot of paintings in your art collection. Professional movers who specialize in art have wooden crates and other special materials to protect your paintings. And make sure it is a company that will let you insure your artwork for its full value.

Well, there you go. The art has been securely packed, moved and unpacked. Now, hopefully, you will take the time to find a place and hang it where others can enjoy it as well. That’s my plan…….eventually.