How to pack pictures and paintings for moving

It should come as no surprise that most home movers get down with the notoriously contagious packing fever as soon as their moving dates are confirmed.

Unlike any other moving task during the organization stage prior to Moving day, packing up a home for a move should be viewed as an entire process that should begin from the very start of your preparation and end just a few days before your big day.

The packing process is then sectioned into various smaller packing projects that range from packing up your storage areas to boxing up your books. Oftentimes, one of your packing jobs can be to pack your framed pictures for moving, regardless of whether they are hung up on the walls of your home or stored away safely.

Packing pictures for moving would have been much easier if the framed items were not fragile. Unfortunately, framed pictures, photos, and paintings are super delicate and you need to protect them adequately so that they can arrive in the new home in one piece – that is, perfectly intact.

Read on to learn the best way to pack framed pictures for moving.

What you need to pack framed pictures moving

Before you get down to packing your pictures for moving, you will have to get hold of a number of appropriate packing materials to actually complete the job as quickly and safely as possible.

Here are the packing supplies you will need to pack your pictures, photos, and paintings as safely as possible:

• Cardboard boxes of adequate sizes or special picture boxes (ideally);
• Soft packing paper;
• Large sheets of bubble wrap;
• Pieces of thick cardboard (clean);
• High-quality packing tape;
• A marker pen.

Should you get picture boxes?

Picture boxes are specialized boxes that provide the best possible protection for framed artwork.

Also known as picture moving boxes or mirror boxes, these cardboard containers are made of stronger and thicker cardboard that will keep your art pieces safer than standard moving boxes.

Basically, a picture box consists of 4 individual cardboard pieces that fit together to form an adjustable cardboard protective shell for your pictures and paintings. Picture boxes are designed to hold bigger framed art pieces: a standard picture box has dimensions of 37’’ x 4’’ x 27‘’ while a large picture box – 49’’ x 5’’ x 33’’.

As you can guess, picture boxes are more expensive than ordinary cardboard boxes. As a rule of thumb, you should consider using special picture moving boxes only when you’re moving expensive and valuable framed pictures and framed paintings that have to remain perfectly safe throughout the relocation.

Below, we’ll explain how to pack pictures for a move without picture boxes, followed by the steps to packing pictures and paintings for a move with picture boxes.

How to pack pictures for moving without picture boxes

The minute you obtain the required picture packing supplies, you can start securing your framed pieces for safe relocation.

Observe the following logical and consecutive steps for packing pictures for moving house:

• Step 1. DESIGNATE a suitable room where your picture packing station will be. Look for a table that will be large enough for the job, then clear it out so it’s ready for the packing task.
• Step 2. TAKE a large sheet of soft packing paper, place it on the packing table that can accommodate even the biggest frame picture or photo you have for wrapping up.
• Step 3. SECURE the glass pieces of the frame by using the painter’s tape to make a big X on the glass of the framed pictures or paintings. This way, in the unlikely event of damage during the haul, the tape will keep the glass pieces from damaging the photo paper or canvas.
• Step 4. POSITION cardboard cut-outs over the glass elements of the more expensive and valuable pictures, photos, or paintings. Secure those pieces of thick cardboard with painter’s tape.
• Step 5. PLACE the framed picture right in the middle of that sheet with its face down and wrap it exactly the way you would wrap a present for a dear person. Use a few extra sheets whenever needed to cover completely the entire frame.
• Step 6. USE as much packing tape as you need to secure the edges so that the framed artwork is wrapped as tightly as possible. Don’t waste any valuable time trying to make the whole package look nice and presentable. Safety rather than presentability should be your primary focus.
• Step 7. ADD an additional layer of bubble wrap over the initial paper protection when packing very delicate or valuable framed pictures or paintings. Make sure the layer of bubble wrap is well secured with packing tape as well.
• Step 8. TRANSFER the protected framed pictures or paintings inside a pre-padded cardboard box of the right size. Standard cardboard boxes will do the job for framed art pieces that are neither too expensive nor too valuable.
• Step 9. FILL IN any remaining space inside each box using pieces of soft paper or discarded sheets of bubble wrap. Your goal here should be to ensure that no framed item inside the container is able to shift around during transit.
• Step 10. CLOSE the box, seal it with packing tape, and label it properly. Also, write FRAGILE and HANDLE WITH CARE on at least two sides.

See also: How to pack fragile items for moving

How to pack pictures for moving with picture boxes

If you’re about to pack for moving pictures and paintings that are quite valuable, then you’ll want to use special picture boxes for their safe transportation.

• Steps 1-7. FOLLOW exactly the same packing steps from Step 1 to Step 7 as described above.
• Step 8. ASK your professional moving partner if they have special picture boxes you can use to pack your pictures and frames for moving. If they don’t, you can easily make such boxes yourself. How?
• Step 8.1. BREAK apart a couple of standard cardboard containers and fit them around the frames of your pictures, photos, paintings, and mirrors. Generally speaking, you need transportation boxes that are slightly bigger than the framed items themselves.
• Step 8.2. GET two boxes (already broken apart) to pack a single larger framed item or a few smaller pictures. Take one of the two sections of your makeshift picture box and lay it flat on the packing station – the table. Then, lay some crumpled packing paper into its corners and sides to serve as a padding material.
• Step 8.3. PLACE the well-protected framed picture over the already cushioned side of the first section of the picture box and press it down against the paper pads.
• Step 8.4. ADD some more crumpled packing paper along the sides and the edges of the package. If there’s enough space, you can actually pack more than one picture, photo, or painting inside one box, but don’t forget to keep individual frames well insulated from each other via packing paper and/or bubble wrap.
• Step 8.5. PLACE the second portion of the picture box over the frame and adjust it to fit into the first cardboard section. Press firmly but carefully the two box sections together so that the packed frame won’t have any space to move around.
• Step 8.6. USE the roll of tape generously around the bottom and top of the customized picture box so that the two separate sections are kept together at all times.
• Step. 9. SEAL the box shut, take the marker pen, and label it correctly on both sides. Mark down what exactly is packed inside, the destination room, and the mandatory FRAGILE label as a thoughtful reminder to whoever is handling the delicate package at any given time. If you wish, you can even write the handling instructions with a red marker to emphasize movers’ attention to the fragile nature of the package.

Read also: How to pack a large mirror for moving

Repeat the above steps until all your framed artwork or mirrors have been safely packed up for moving house.

Keep in mind that the above steps for packing pictures and paintings can also be used to pack mirrors for moving. Just use more bubble wrap to protect the mirrors and you should be able to keep them intact during the haul.

When packing your pictures and paintings for moving, you must know your limits as a non-professional packer. If you’re moving expensive framed art, then don’t take any risks – hire full-service movers for a problem-free house move.