When it comes to moving your belongings from one home to another, there are some items that deserve more attention than others. Crystal chandeliers require a bit more TLC than other items in your home, thanks largely to their fragility as well as their cost. The last thing you'll need is an expensive fixture or irreplaceable heirloom being destroyed during your move. Here are a few tips you can use to ensure your chandelier survives the journey intact.
Consider a Custom Crate
In some cases, you might have a crystal chandelier small enough to fit inside of a crush-proof box. However, larger chandeliers may need to be packed inside of a custom-made shipping crate tailored specifically to the dimensions of your chandelier. Custom crates can be put together by your movers or a local shipping firm that specializes in packaging and shipping large items.
One feature you'll want to look for in your custom crate is the ability to hang your chandelier from a bar located at the top of the crate. The crate itself shouldn't be too large, but it should also have just enough room to accommodate packing peanuts and packing paper. Make sure you get rid of any and all voids or dead space within the crate as you fill it with your protective packing material.
Keep Your Crystals Under Wraps
Whether you decide to remove all of the crystals from your chandelier or leave them in place, you should wrap each individual crystal in bubble wrap. This will prevent the crystals from being damaged during transport. If you're boxing your crystals separately, make sure you fill the box with packing peanuts to prevent movement and add some extra cushioning for your crystals.
Keep Your Hardware in a Separate Box or Bag
As you dismantle your chandelier for transport, you'll quickly discover that all of the screws, bolts, and other small pieces of hardware need to go somewhere. The last place they should go is in the main box with the chandelier itself. Not only is it too easy to lose crucial hardware pieces, but you'll also risk damaging your chandelier.
Instead, you should keep all of your chandelier hardware in a small plastic bag or box and label it as such. It's also a good idea to tape this bag or box to the top of the main chandelier box or shipping crate so it'll be easy to find once you start unpacking.
Your chandelier bulbs also deserve special attention. Instead of bags or ordinary boxes, wrap each bulb in bubble wrap and box the bulbs inside of a box with cardboard dividers. The dividers help isolate each bulb, reducing the likelihood of breakage during transport.
Label It Properly
When it comes to loading up all of your packed belongings, things can get a little rough. For this reason, you'll want your movers to know exactly what they're moving and how to handle those items. You should make sure the box containing your crystal chandelier components are all marked as "fragile" so your movers will know to give it the velvet-glove treatment. You should also mark the box containing your main chandelier body as "top load only" so the movers won't load or unload it upside down or on its side.
It also helps to label all of the boxes containing your chandelier components so that you'll be able to keep everything you need in one place.
Take Your Time
Most importantly, you should take your time as you're dismantling and packing your crystal chandelier. Turning this task into a rush job can increase the likelihood of your damaging your chandelier. To keep the pressure down, you should make your chandelier one of the first things you pack up in preparation for your move.
Share