Are you dropping everything and moving to a new state? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an average American moves 11.4 times in their lifetime. Despite the high relocation rate, many find it stressful. The volume of goods and settling in a new area will likely stress you.

With so many delicate items in your house or business, you are right to be worried about potential damage to your valuable possessions. For example, moving a valuable painting is more challenging than a box of shoes. You have much to worry about, from harsh weather to transport logistics to the possibility of good damage while in transit. If you’re over 35 hire movers to reduce your stress.

If you’re planning to relocate, it’s alright if you feel a little apprehensive about moving your valued art supplies and items. However, with proper planning and execution with the help of domestic relocation services, your art supplies can arrive at your destination without damage.

You may have perused a couple of moving articles, but in this article, you’ll learn all you need to know about packing your art supplies and collection for a big move.

If you’re an artist with a prized collection of artwork and art supplies, your studio can be a sanctuary! But, when the time comes for you to move studios or close up shop, you’ll want to have the best pro packing tips for moving on hand to help you stay organized and stress-free! There’s no better way to pack and move than using these pro packing tips for moving that are helpful, describe how to stay organized, and more importantly how to keep all of your precious supplies safe from damage!

1. Start In Advance

Before your start moving, it’s important to plan out how long it will take to move your equipment, break down all your installations and equipment, and pack everything in advance. If you live in an apartment or are looking to move quickly, it’s best to start in advance so you can be moved on in time before your lease expires. Start off by packing up and moving small items, such as small paint and artists’ supplies. Then, have a timeline for you went you want a packing service to come in and pack all your belongings, and when they will move them. Moving what you can ahead of time and starting the process well before your lease is up is one of the best pro packing tips for moving to help you stay stress-free!

2. Cover your Carpet or Floor

As an artist, chances are you have lots of paints, brushes, watercolors, acrylics, you name it! Although it’s always best to store these materials in a studio where you have hardwood floors, sometimes you might have to make do with carpet. While you’re moving, it’s essential to cover your carpet thoroughly so you can avoid stains from art materials and paints. Unfortunately, some carpet materials don’t come with stain protection, and having stains can cause some undue stress. Don’t worry, you can always get the help of a carpet cleaning service for mishaps and spills! But, before you move, it’s best to cover your carpet or floor ahead of time to protect it against spills. This will help you recover the full cost of your security deposit.

3. Break Down your Sets

If you have artist’s tables or canvas stands, it’s important you pack these up appropriately before your move. One of the best pro packing tips for moving that can help save you storage space is to break down your painting sets. Easels, drafting tables, and even sculpture-making sets can all easily be broken down so you can better prepare for your move. Make sure to read all manufacturer’s instructions that give guidance on how to break down your sets, as well as understand how to rebuild your sets again. Online tutorials are a great resource for this!

4. Sell off Your Artwork

One of the best pro packing tips for moving your art supplies is to sell off any artwork in your studio beforehand. This will give you extra cash to help you cover moving costs, as well as allow you to save on packing when it comes time to move. You can do a garage sale to sell of not just your artwork, but also any art supplies you don’t need or use anymore. You can also try selling your artwork through a gallery or a local restaurant or cafe that displays local artwork. Finally, you can try your hand at an online marketplace such as Etsy or Facebook marketplace. If you’ve been wanting to sell your art for quite a while, trying to sell before you move is a perfect time!

5. Inventory your Art

You will have to store your artwork and place them in moving boxes during your big move. However, it might be difficult to keep track of all your paintings and artwork if everything is covered up. One of the best pro packing tips for moving your art and staying organized is to make an inventory list of all your artwork. Instead of handwriting titles on every single box, simply number your items and make a spreadsheet of which number correlates to which artwork. This is much easier and can save you time and the hassle of having to hand-write one every single box. If you have multiple movers, it can also help you keep track of which artwork is with which mover, is in storage, or unfortunately, who had the piece if it comes up stolen or damaged.

6. Consider Storage

Speaking of storage, you should consider getting help from a self storage company to store all your supplies and paintings should it be impossible for you to move everything into your new place. Keep in mind, if you keep things in storage, you will need to move them again, sell them off from your storage container, and continue to make payments on your storage unit. It’s best to only use storage for paintings and artwork for a limited time, as storage units are unfortunately susceptible to theft, and also don’t have any temperature control.

7. Use Artwork Boxes

Did you know there are special artwork boxes you can use to store your canvases? These artwork boxes are fairly thin and come in a variety of widths and heights. Using artwork boxes are opposed to regular boxes is one of the best pro packing tips for moving to keep your paintings safe and give you peace of mind during the move.

8. Use Tactical Boxes for Brushes

If you have loads of brushes and paint supplies that are susceptible to snapping or breaking, tactical boxes are an excellent choice for storing them properly for the move. Not only can tactical boxes be locked and ensure your items stay safe, but they are also heavy-duty and can handle being knocked around you have to take your supplies with you on a long-haul journey. Tactical boxes are made to last and can keep expensive art supplies safe.

9. Insure your Artwork

Depending on how famous of an artist you are, or if you’re an art collector, you might have very valuable artwork you want to move with you. Whether you have a painting, sculpture, mixed media piece, etc., one of the best pro packing tips for moving is to ensure your artwork is protected against theft, vandalism, and damage during a move.

10. Keep your Art Away From Heat

The elements can pose a threat to your art collection and severely damage your priceless artworks. For instance, leaving an oil painting in direct sunlight or in prolonged temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit will cause blisters and cracks that will later need to be restored. One of the best pro packing tips for moving and keeping your art damage-free is to ensure you’re keeping them in the best environment and not exposing them to high levels of heat or cold for too long. If you’re unsure of what elements will cause damage or if your paintings will be safe during the move, call a local restoration service for some advice. It’s better to take heed of this advice and do your research to protect your precious artwork before your big move.

11. Hire Movers for Heavy Items

If you’re a sculpture aficionado, you might have extremely heavy statues or other artwork that you need to move. Never attempt to move these heavy items on your own, and instead hire the help of a professional moving service. Remember, moving services don’t always pack your items ahead of time, so it’s best to hire their help after you’ve packed your items appropriately.

12. Buy Hardwood Protection Film

If your studio has hardwood floors, this can be beautiful during your stay, but pose a headache during your move! It’s best to invest in hardwood floor coverings in order to prevent any scratches to your hardwood, or any damage to the vinyl or laminate flooring. After you’ve moved everything out of your studio, it’s also a good idea to hire a home cleaning service to professionally wipe away any debris and make your floors look new again!

13. Invest in Pool Noodles to Protect your Walls

Foam pool noodles aren’t just a great investment to help you learn to swim, but they can also be an inexpensive way to protect your walls from damage. Drywall can become easily damaged with heavier items, so it’s best to protect it if you have drywall in your studio against buffs, scratches, and dents. To do so, tape some pool noodles onto your walls near doorways and wherever you plan on moving larger furniture through. This is an excellent way to protect against damage, and it’s relatively easy to set up.

14. Invest in Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap is fun to pop, and also valuable when it comes time to move. You can use bubble wrap to protect your artwork as well as to pack your paintings in tightly. This is one of the best pro packing tips for moving to help prevent extra movement and keep your art and supplies from knocking into each other and causing damage.

15. Draw Arrows on Boxes

Want to tell which way a painting is facing? Draw an arrow pointing up to let you know if a painting is facing up or down! It’s always best to store paintings upright and facing the right direction to prevent damage. As an extra pro packing tip for moving, consider using an “x” to designate which of your art pieces contains glass or to signify a mirror.

16. Invest in Gloves

Depending on what time of art collection you have, it’s best to never touch a painting with your bare hands. The natural oils from your fingers can not only damage the face of the artwork, but also older frames made of wood, copper, or other materials. Gloves made specifically to handle artwork are a great investment and one of the least-known pro packing tips for moving your artwork. Yet, this tip can save you lots of money by preventing irreversible damage!

17. Cover all Sharps

If you’re an avid sculpture, ceramic artist, or work on a variety of mixed multimedia art, chances are you have a collection of x-acto knives. These are also incredibly sharp and can cause some serious damage during your move. Not only can x-acto knives and other sharp materials damage your artwork, but they can also damage you or your movers through cuts. It’s important to invest in knife guards and make sure every single one of your knives and sharp tools is safely covered. This is a great pro packing tip for moving to keep you safe and prevent expensive damage to your art.

18. Consider Shipping Crates

If you’re the proud owner of large statues and figurines, it’s best to stay away from cardboard boxes and invest in shipping crates to move your artwork. Shipping crates are the standard go-to for artwork and are one of the best packing supplies to use for larger items. Once you’ve stored your artwork in crates, make sure to get professional help moving these larger items.

19. Secure Art to the Truck

Before you take off in your truck, make sure to tie down all artwork and secure it using bungee cable ties. These are flexible enough to wrap around your boxes, yet sturdy enough to keep materials safe from moving in your truck.

20. Prepare your New Studio Beforehand

Get a home cleaning service to clean your new studio and prepare you to move in your new artwork and art supplies. You’ll be happy you did, as this saves you time in having to clean your new studio yourself.

Moving Made Easy

Art and art supplies can be extremely delicate, so it’s important to use these pro packing tips for moving to keep your supplies safe, and have you looking forward to your new studio and your next masterpiece!