Qualifying Questions
When you are moving or you know someone who is moving, the concept of crating may come up. Generally, when we crate art or décor, I always lead with two questions.
- Is this irreplaceable?
- Is this of financial or sentimental value?
Those are my qualifying questions to decide whether crating is a good idea. If someone is moving one street over and the client feels comfortable moving the piece in their car, this is the best option. Crating can be expensive. However, if the client is moving pieces into storage or completing a long-distance move, crating will keep things safe.
Labeling Crates
When you are moving multiple pieces of art that need to be crated, make sure to label the crate so you know what piece is inside and where the appropriate space to unload the piece is. I once had a client with 40+ pieces of art that needed to be created. The amazing solution that we used was taking polaroid pictures of the art and taping it to the outside of each crate. This was such a great way to know what was inside each crate!
Who Will Open the Crate?
If you have art or décor that is crated, you probably do not want to fool with opening the crate in your new home and disposing of the supplies. A lot of the times, movers will contract out with a preferred partner to crate items. Make sure you talk to your mover about who is responsible for opening the crate up and getting rid of the wood material used.
Moving Chandeliers
Sometimes clients want to take down chandeliers and crate them for a move. A lot of people that do crates are comfortable taking down chandeliers from the ceiling. If that is the case, you want to make sure you have a plate that you can put over the opening of where the chandelier came down or a replacement chandelier. Always check with your realtor to find out what the expectation is within your contract.
