Shipping antiques is not as easy as transporting non-breakable items. Antiques are fragile and delicate by nature and often worth a lot of money. Follow these steps to ensure your antique items arrive at their destination unscathed.
Assess Your Antiques
Chances are you do not examine your antiques closely. However, you should give them a thorough once-over when you have to ship them. Check your antiques for damage or wear. Take photos of existing flaws before shipping. Actually, I even recommend to make a complete book – PDF or whatever – with all your items documented.
Determine each item’s potential value as well. An appraiser should help you with this, as you will need proper information for insurance purposes.
Choose the Right Shipping Method
If you are shipping one small antique, you may be able to handle the shipping process yourself. However, you must use proper packing and handling methods to prevent damage.
Hiring a shipping company is a no-brainer if you want to ship large or high-value items. Ideally, you want to hire a company with experience handling antiques and delicate items.
You could also consider hiring a white glove service for your antiques. These companies often offer door-to-door service, including packing, unpacking, and setup.
Pack Your Antiques
Do not skimp on the cardboard boxes or crates you want to use for your antiques. Get strong and sturdy containers, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts. Never use second-hand or worn-out boxes or crates.
If you can disassemble your antiques, do so. This will make it easier to transport large items. Be sure to secure fragile parts with bubble wrap or foam padding.
If you have extremely valuable items, you may need a custom-built crate. This will help protect against inevitable shocks and vibrations during transport.
Do not forget to label your box or crate with the handling instructions and destination information.
Get Insurance Coverage
It is crucial to protect your antiques during shipping. You can do this using your homeowners or renters insurance. If your policy does not cover antiques, choose a shipping company that offers insurance options.
You could also take out a specialized insurance policy that covers high-value possessions.
Choose a Reliable Shipping Company
Look for a shipping company with a good track record of handling delicate items. Also, choose a mover that offers insurance while still considering your shipping budget. That said, the cheapest option is not automatically the best option.
Remember to read reviews from previous customers to get a feel for the shipping company’s services and reputation.
Other Factors to Consider
Communicate the value and fragility of your item to the shipping company. This is also why you should take photos of all your antiques before packing and shipping them.
Moreover, if your items are sensitive to temperature and humidity, ask the shipping company if they can provide climate-controlled transportation.
Ship Your Antiques With Confidence
Transporting your antiques does not have to be a stressful process. If you’ve chosen a good shipping company with adequate insurance to assist you, you can transport your antiques with confidence.
