Safety tips for moving and storing pottery

No matter for what purpose you’re doing it, moving and storing pottery is never easy. Maybe you are sending it all to an antique collector, or just relocating your own pottery to your new house during relocation. Moving and storing pottery is hard because they are fragile and valuable. One harder bump and can break into thousand pieces. To move it right, you need high-quality packing supplies and a few good tips on how to do it. With duct tape, wrapping paper, and enough knowledge you will do this job without any problems, even if this is your first time doing it. Now you are probably wondering where to start in this whole process. You don’t have to worry. This text will cover everything from the way you should pack to the way you should unload it. Let’s get into it!

Pack it well before moving and storing pottery

Quite often the moving and storing part is done well, and yet all the pottery gets damaged. That is because people don’t do the first step well. You can call even the best movers Carroll County MD has to offer, if you didn’t pack your pottery the right way it will break. Pack it well before moving and storing pottery. There are a few important items you’ll need before starting to pack like a pro.

• A flat, clean working space to work on
• A really sharp knife, scissors, and a box cutter
• Packing tape, duct tape, and, if possible, a tape gun
• Isolation materials (newspapers, packing paper, bubble wrap, saran wrap, etc.
• Good, high-quality boxes (even expensive if needs be)

As you can see, packing peanuts are not on the list. They contain a certain type of oils that are good at keeping the peanuts functional but which can damage the pottery. So, they are a no-go.

The “freezing” method of packing

When packing, your main goal is to prevent dishes from moving. You can do this by locking it in place with the usage of the right packing supplies. That is a packing technique people call “freezing”. Take an item, wrap it around with bubble wrap and you just “froze” an item. It can prove really useful in many situations and it makes moving and storing pottery much easier for your relocators.

What to do in case the packing boxes are too big?

Even though the boxes you bought are different in size, this often happens. No need to panic, it’s not hard to work around this problem. As mentioned earlier, you’re trying to make your pottery safe from damage by stoping it from moving in any direction. Don’t forget that your pottery should stay in the center of the box. You can solve this problem in two ways. Styrofoam is the first solution. Cut it out to size and then put it in layers to fill in the empty space. However, styrofoam can be bad for the environment. Some different solid materials will do the job just fine too.

The second solution is to wrap the pottery in a thick layer of bubble wrap, put it in the middle of the box, and squeeze two small boxes on the left and right sides of that box. Keep in mind, this is a riskier solution, so just to make sure it’s safe, use some bubble wrap to wrap the filler boxes.

Pay attention to the box before moving and storing pottery

The main goal of this operation is moving and storing pottery with utmost safety. No damage is allowed. Therefore, one of the crucial parts is the boxes. You are storing your pottery in those and they need to be firm and stable. Don’t seal the box until you’ve inspected it to the detail. Close the top of the box and see if it’s flat. There should be no gaps or overlaps on the outside. If there are any, your box is either not filled enough or overfilled. Press the box and use as much as you need to of packing tape down the center.

Loading before moving and storing pottery

Once the pottery is well packed, it is time to move it. Even if you are moving in a hurry, don’t rush it. Remember, it’s fragile. If you are moving it by yourself, you need to load it carefully. Load boxes one by one and make sure the trunk has enough space in it. Take the box, jiggle it a little bit, and if the pottery isn’t moving, gently place it in the car. Drive carefully and try to avoid bumps during the ride.

When driving, bumping is usually stronger in the front seat. So, if there isn’t enough room in the trunk, make sure you put the pottery in the back of the car and not in front. To make sure, you can put the seat belt around the box. You can also use some towels and blankets.

Hire professionals to handle your pottery

If you are not sure you can do the job well enough yourself, call a good moving company. It’s better to pay professionals than to risk damaging some valuable property. There are some great and reliable moving companies in Maryland that will provide you with the best service possible. Find a company that will provide you with affordable services and that is known for its swiftness in work and care when transporting stuff. They should be experienced and have many relocations behind them. With that knowledge and skill level, they will provide you with some top-level service.

Storing the pottery

Once the relocation is over, the storing part will be quite easy. If you did the packing job well, your pottery will be intact and you can just open the boxes and start putting your pottery in the basement, living room, cellar, or wherever you like to keep it. Be careful not to try to pick up more than one piece at a time. Pottery is very fragile and even a small bump between two pieces can damage them to the point of shattering. Deciding on the unpacking order is a good idea. Take your time, your relocation is over and you can do it for hours if needed, just make sure to do it well.