Packing and moving mirrors and paintings

It’s the little things that make a home beautiful, no doubt about that. Charming details like house plants, lighting, beautiful paintings, and ornate mirrors. We are sure that you have invested a lot into making your home just the way you like it. Transforming a generic apartment into a home full of warmth and good energy is priceless. However, if you need to move, things get a little bit complicated. You will definitely want to take all your home decor with you so that you can make your new home a cozy place. It is easy to pack some of your items, and your chosen long distance movers won’t have problems with them. However, packing all of the small, delicate ornaments, and moving mirrors and paintings, can sometimes be problematic.

All this is especially true for fragile items like wine glasses, mirrors and paintings, and glass ornaments. Fragile glass can easily shatter, picture frames can chip, and the fine canvas of a painting can rip and tear. What you need to do, is provide the maximum protection for your items when packing them. Of course, this job is better left to the professional movers and packers. With special skills and tools for packing delicate frames and mirrors, they will be able to relocate all of your things safe and sound. If you want to pack everything yourself, you’ll need to know what materials you need, and how to use them. To help you with this task, we prepared a guide that explains everything you need to know.

Packing framed items requires specific materials

Before you can start moving mirrors and paintings, they first need to be packed properly. To do this, you will need some quality packing materials that will ensure the safety of your frames during transport. Before we get into it, keep in mind that your mirrors and paintings should be packed first, if possible. True, you won’t need them right away, but packing them is a delicate process. Because of this, it is best to do it while you have enough energy. Regardless if you are moving to Tennessee, or just a few blocks down, these materials will be a wise investment. These are the items you will need:

• Durable, reinforced cardboard boxes, or specialized painting moving boxes.
• Cardboard tubes, in case you have paintings or posters without a frame.
• Clean pieces of cardboard
• Plenty of bubble wrap

• Packing paper or old newspapers
• Packing tape and markers
• Cardboard or foam protectors for the frame corners
• A few blankets or towels as extra padding

It is important to remember that special picture boxes are your best bet for the safe journey of your paintings and mirrors. They are strong, flat, and much larger than regular cardboard boxes. If you can’t find these special boxes, you can source your own by breaking apart regular boxes, flattening them, and then wrapping them around your mirror or painting. No matter what approach you chose, you need to pay attention to the box size. Your chosen box needs to be about 30% larger than the frame you are packing in it. The purpose of this is to fit the extra layers of bubble wrap or packing peanuts which will further prevent movement and bumps.

How to pack your mirrors and paintings for the move

Now that you have all of the materials prepared, it is time to start packing. Start by clearing a table or other large surface, big enough to fit your mirrors and paintings. Place down a blanket on the surface and put a large piece of packing paper over it. Keep the area clear to prevent anything that can sabotage a relocation. Take your framed piece and place it on the paper. Secure the glass surface with painters tape to keep it intact in case it breaks. Make a giant X across the glass, and place another layer of paper over it. Wrap the piece of paper you previously placed on the blanket around the painting. Use the cardboard corner protectors, and wrap the whole thing in a thick layer of bubble wrap. Mark the glass side with a sharpie so you can unpack it easily later.

We are getting closer to moving mirrors and paintings you are so carefully packing right now. Prepare the moving box by covering the inner lining with bubble wrap. Place some crumpled paper at the bottom of the box for added protection. Take your painting or mirror and place it inside the box, adjusting the sides of it for a snug fit. To prevent movement during the move, fill the gaps in the box with paper or packing peanuts. Close the box and add a good layer of tape to keep it shut. Label the box as fragile with big bold letters, and mark which way the glass faces on the box.

The last step is moving mirrors and paintings to your new home

Pack your paintings and mirrors in a place where they won’t fall over. Keep this in mind when loading the moving truck. Place your boxes vertically, and not laying flat. This will help distribute the load evenly and prevent damage. If your boxes lay flat, other things may fall on them and break the contents. Place your packed frames in a rack formation with blankets placed between each box. This way, the boxes will be separated from each other and secure even during sudden stops. Try to wedge your framed items between bulky items to prevent them from falling. Make use of the walls of the truck so nothing can fall on the boxes and damage them. If you are moving mirrors and paintings during the winter or hot summers, make sure that they are transported in a climate-controlled truck.