Whether your expensive fixtures have sentimental value, monetary value, or both, it’s worth treating these items with great care while conducting a move. From planning to the eventual unpacking of your goods, getting expensive fixtures from one apartment to another involves certain steps, and this article will guide you on what they are.
Step 1: Formulate a Plan
Make sure you know what steps you need to take and in which order you need to take them. Moving expensive fixtures is a process that often takes a full day—sometimes longer.
Write down all of the processes so that you feel comfortable when you start. Having a plan will also give you an idea of how long everything will take and what you need.
Step 2: Insure Your Valuable Items
Now it’s time to check if moving your stuff is covered under your renters insurance. Moving insurance is a subcategory of renters insurance that covers your items during a move, ensuring that any damage or loss doesn’t come out of your own pocket.
Remember that regular movers insurance (the insurance your movers offer you) only covers your goods according to their weight, not the actual value.
Having your own moving insurance in place will give you peace of mind and free you up to focus on the move without having to worry about how movers are handling your valuable items.
Step 3: Get Your Packaging
Avoid getting your packaging supplies during the moving process, as this will only delay the process unnecessarily. Gather your packing supplies before you even start packing, and be sure to include boxes, protective wrapping, adhesive tape, labels, a black marker, and any moving trolleys you may need to lug around heavy items.
Bubble wrap is a good option if you want to thoroughly protect valuable items such as paintings, ornaments, or the disassembled parts of your expensive fixtures. Whether you’re moving an expensive chandelier, a fixed bookshelf, or furniture items, having bubble wrap will save you loads of hassles when you start wrapping them up.
Step 4: Start to Disassemble
The disassembling of your expensive fixtures should be done slowly and methodically. Be prepared to dedicate an hour or two to this process since this is where damage most often occurs.
Also, be sure to keep all of the nuts and bolts you remove. Even consider keeping these in separate packets or tubs, allowing you to easily identify them later when you reassemble your fixture.
Step 5: Package Carefully
Now that your item has been broken up into parts, it’s time to wrap each one individually so that you can protect them effectively. Before you put these into boxes or have them loaded into your truck, wrap them thoroughly with your bubble wrap.
Ensure multiple layers of the wrapping, remembering that the moving truck is likely to bounce and rock your items while they are in transit.
Step 6: Label Everything
Labeling properly is a good way to make your life easier when you later unpack all of your items. This will give you an easy reference of what needs to be unpacked first and what can wait till later.
Labeling also allows your movers to place items in more or less the right place, giving them an idea of where kitchen items go, lounge items, and bedroom items.
You can either choose to place labels on each box and item, or you can simply mark items with a black marker directly on the packaging. Either way, make sure your expensive fixtures are marked according to each disassembled component, allowing you to easily assemble it later.
Step 7: Add Tracking
Depending on how valuable your expensive fixture is, you may also want to consider tracking the itemized components. This is done on items that simply cannot go missing due to their value and will act as insurance for you if the item goes missing or is stolen during the move.
Step 8: Use a Professional Mover
Always be sure to hire a professional and reputable mover to handle the moving of an expensive fixture. These professionals are well-versed in the process of keeping your valuables safe. Just remember that more often than not, even the most expert of movers may not offer you adequate insurance for your expensive items, so always get your own movers insurance just to be safe.
Final Thoughts
Moving doesn’t have to be overly stressful. Once you have all of your expensive fixture components in your new apartment, take some time to reassemble it so that it can be enjoyed as it once was. Starting the home decorating process from the beginning can be a fulfilling experience and gives you the opportunity to start on a blank canvas to make your apartment a home.
