How To Protect Valuable Items During A Move
Moving home, whether to another town or another country takes a lot of coordination. One of the things you have to take great care of is how to move items that are valuable or sentimental.
Follow these tips to get your items there reliably and safely.
Take stock of your possessions
The first step is to make a list of exactly what you have, and what needs to be moved. Even small apartments can hold a lot of things and if you’re moving furniture too, then it can add up.
Any particularly large, delicate, or irreplaceable items can’t just be thrown in a box and left for the movers. Some items will need a specialist service, such as a car. Look on sites like Ship A Car Direct to find a service in your area that will get your vehicle safely where it needs to be.
Carry small valuables with you
If possible, keep small items with you such as important documents, jewelry, smartphones, and laptops. This will ensure that they never leave your site and are less likely to be lost or damaged.
Check your insurance
Inevitably, things get lost, damaged, or stolen from time to time. If this happens to you, then you need to make sure you’re not out of pocket paying to replace them. Check your existing contents insurance to see if you are covered for items lost or damaged during a move. They may not be. If you have any particularly valuable pieces or antiques, these should always be appraised and insured separately as they may be above the single-item limit on your policy.
Don’t skimp on packing materials
If you’re planning on packing and moving, or with help from friends, don’t cut too many corners when it comes to packaging your items. By as much as you need in terms of bubble wrap and other types of protection to keep them safe while you move them. There are a lot of specialist packaging boxes out there made specifically for items such as flatscreen TVs or glass.
Find a reputable moving company
It’s much easier to get a moving company to help you with things. Not all moving services are the same. Some will arrive at your home, remove boxes that have already been packed along with your furniture and move it to your new place. There are also more comprehensive services that will do all of the packing and wrapping for you. These cost more but can take a lot of the stress out of things.
Whichever you choose, do your research to make sure that they are a reputable company, with good customer reviews. You should also check that they have sufficient insurance so that you are covered if something happens.
Final thoughts
Getting your possessions to your new place safely is the aim of a house move. Protect your valuable items by spending a little extra time planning so that they are financially covered as well as transported safely.