How to Protect Valuable Items When Moving

Our Top Tips for Packing Your Valuable Items During a Move

Packing is one of the time-consuming aspects of moving, especially when packing up and protecting valuables and delicate items. You need to ensure they’re protected not just for storage but also for transportation. Whether you’re packing up for a move in your local area or you’re embarking on a long-term move out of the country, be sure to read on for our tips on how to pack up your valuable items so they’re safe.

Have the right materials to hand when protecting valuable items

The right materials can make a huge difference when it comes to packing up valuable items, ensuring they arrive in one piece. First, you’ll need boxes in a range of sizes to accommodate the items you have—if you have any unusually-shaped items, like flat-screen TVs, you’ll want specialist boxes for these.

While it may seem as though packing your belongings is simply a case of putting it in a box, fragile items need a bit more care and attention. For example, if you’re transporting delicate photography equipment that’s vulnerable to breaking, investing in a hard case to keep them protected is well worth the money.

Heirloom jewellery should be placed in individual small boxes or padded envelopes to stop them getting damaged or tangled, and then packed in a sturdier outer box to keep them all together. Artwork should be protected with a cross shape taped with blue painter’s tape across the glass to minimise the risk of breakage, and wrapped with acid-free tissue paper and bubble wrap.

Make sure you have plenty of bubble wrap to protect fragile items, and foam packing peanuts to fill gaps in larger boxes. Of course, sharp scissors and secure packing tape will also be essential to keep the boxes closed, but for particularly fragile belongings, it’s wise to also add ‘fragile’ tape to alert anyone carrying the boxes of what’s inside.

Consider self storage facilities

You may not be clear on the time frame your items will be packed away for, or you might be between properties and need your belongings to be protected in the meantime. Whatever the reason, self-storage units can be a useful way to keep your belongings secure when you’re not moving directly to your new home.

If you’re heading to university, for example, you might want to keep sentimental belongings in storage to free up space in your flat or to protect valuables or antiques that you might not want on display in student housing to avoid them getting broken.

Itemise everything

It’s not until we start packing up our belongings that we realise just how much we really have. Keeping an inventory of everything you have and which box it’s in, particularly for valuable items, will help you keep track of it all and will ensure you can identify where your most treasured items are when it comes time to unpack. You also want to note the condition of everything, especially if you’re hiring movers, so you can be confident that your belongings haven’t been damaged in transit.

Get help protecting larger items

Breakages are more likely if you’re handling larger pieces of furniture or equipment, whether it’s a large TV, your grandmother’s vintage dressing table or the family piano. In these instances, hiring professional movers is worth the money. They’ll have the right equipment, like dollies or a heavy-duty trolley to make the process smoother and protect large items from damage. Be sure to do your research when choosing a moving company and look for positive testimonials.

Get comprehensive insurance

Even if you’re hiring the best house movers in town, accidents can happen regardless of how careful everyone is. If you’re moving valuable items, it’s worth knowing that you’re protected with the right insurance coverage. You don’t want to guess the value of your goods—for valuable items, have them professionally appraised before you move so you know you’re covered for the right amount if something goes wrong during the move. StoreProtect gives you this enhanced liability cover when storing with Simply BoxIt.

Unpack sentimental items first

Once you’ve arrived at your new home, focus on unpacking the valuable and sentimental items first. Putting family photos up and having your family heirlooms around you can help you settle into your new space faster, and it will ease the emotional transition that moving often brings with it. It also means you can check that nothing of value got broken or damaged during the move, which will put your mind at ease.