Moving House with Picture Frames
Moving house can be a tad dangerous for picture frames. Frames are more susceptible to damage when they are not on the wall safe and sound. Between movers that are a bit rough, and sitting on the floor until you have decided where they are going to live, there are a few things you can to to ensure they are beautiful when it’s time to hang them up again.
If possible, transport your frames yourself in the car. We know it’s a hassle, especially with all the other things you have going on with moving house, but we promise it is safer than trusting the movers to do it.
Make sure you stack them face to face and black to back! If you don’t, the hanging hardware on the back will scratch and dent the face of the frame, and this damage is irreversible.
Wrapping them in blankets is fine if you are taking them yourself, or a bit of bubblewrap will do you some good if you’re worried about them. Just be really gentle with them.
Try to not bash them against anything or each other.
Ensure they will not slide around on each other in the car. Putting a blanket between them can help prevent damage from sliding should you have to slam on your brakes on the way over.
If trusting the movers, COVER THEM WITH PACKING MATERIAL COMPLETELY and follow the other rules about stacking and protection from the above steps. Make sure that there is so much protecting them that the movers couldn’t damage them if they tried.
Use a mixture of bubble wrap and cardboard to be really protective - kind of like how we package our frames to ship to you! If they’re courier proof, they will be mover proof.
If making a cardboard box for them, Only put a couple in each packet, and try to stack similar sizes together.
Once they’re safely to the house, keep them in their packing material until you come to hang them, or make sure they are stacked in a corner away from all the mayhem. It’s so easy to accidentally kick a frame resting on the floor when you’re wandering around with a box in your arms, especially if you are trying to dance around all the people bringing things in and out. Hide them in a wardrobe, or in a quiet room away from the main living areas.
Stack them so they face the wall. When you start scattering them around the house to figure out where they are going to live, leaving them facing outwards can lead to accidental bumps and kicks. Facing them towards the wall means that even if you do bump them, you won’t be damaging the face of the frame.
And finally, hang them properly! If you’ve put fresh paint on the walls, do not use adhesive hooks for several weeks as the paint need to properly set for them to work. Make sure your hanging kit is nice and sturdy. Use two hooks to ensure your frame doesn’t tilt on the wall all the time. All those good things. Check out our article on hanging things safely and securely HERE to get all the info you need to do it right.