You have decided to move to DC but don’t want to leave your artwork behind for obvious reasons. Not only are they a part of you, but they can also be your main source of income. Every artist wants to show their work to the world. You cannot do that as well if you don’t have a gallery. So, when some of the best moving companies DMV help you move to your new place, you should also think about moving your life’s work with you. Here is how to move your art gallery to DC.
Overview of how to move your art gallery to DC
We know how stressful moving can be, so we will break down moving your art gallery to DC into 3 bigger steps:
- Packing your things. This includes packing your artwork as well as art supplies.
- The moving process.
- Setting up your new art gallery in DC.
Packing your things
When you’re preparing to move your art gallery to DC, you also need to pack your things. However, that also means you should pack your art supplies and your artwork separatelly. Here’s how to do it properly, so your items don’t get damaged in the process!
Packing your artwork
The majority of galleries contain fragile and easily breakable artwork. If you don’t want to damage them, you will have to pack them with extra care and pay more attention to them during the move. These can include paintings, photographs, sculptures, and installations. They can have high cultural and historic significance as well as monetary value, making them difficult to replace or repair. This is precisely why you don’t want your items to break or get damaged while moving companies Washington DC move your items. So, here is how to keep them safe.
- When packing paintings and photographs, it’s important to first wrap them in protective paper (newspaper will do just fine) or bubble wrap. If they have a glass frame, it’s recommended to put hard cardboard on the glass. After wrapping it in protective paper or bubble wrap, you should put it in a hard cardboard box that is the dimension of the painting, or in between two hard cardboard or two hard styrofoam pieces. Secure that with packing tape. While it’s possible to repair a painting if it gets damaged, you want to avoid this, so pack artwork very carefully.
- Packing art installations and sculptures is a bit more difficult. If possible, disassemble these pieces. This will make it easier to pack. You should wrap every piece in bubble wrap or protective paper and put them in a bigger box or a wooden crate. Fill your box with packaging materials such as foam peanuts, tissues, or newspaper. We recommend using a wooden crate and foam peanuts, but if you cannot use those, the rest of the materials should do just fine.
- Packing paintings with 3D elements will probably be the most difficult task. But why is that? Well, mostly because of the shape, but also because of the material of the canvas mixed with the harder material of the 3D element. The best thing you can do when packing this is to wrap the 3D element in bubble wrap separately and then with the canvas. You should put it in a hard cardboard box that is just big enough for the piece to fit. Fill the box with packaging materials and keep the box upright.
Packing your art supplies
Packing art supplies is a bit easier than packing artwork, but you should still do it carefully. Even before packing art supplies for your move, you should already have them stored in some type of way. This will make the whole packing process easier. You would only have to put your already stored boxes in the van. However, in case you don’t have a storage system and your art supplies are everywhere, this is how to pack art supplies:
- Get different sized boxes and label them. This way, you can organize all your supplies by type and know where they are.
- Put paint in a box that already has bubble wrap on its sides, or wrap them in bubble wrap and then put them in the box. In case one opens or explodes, it won’t go everywhere.
- Any breakable supplies should be wrapped in bubble wrap first. Meanwhile, make sure to pack blank canvases like paintings.
- Close the box with tape.
The moving process
Secure the boxes by placing them tightly in the van so they cannot move. However, if the van is too big and you cannot do this, then commercial movers DC will make sure the boxes are safe and sound. The drivers won’t be driving too fast as they will know there are fragile items in the back. Also, place the boxes that contain paintings with 3D elements vertically. This part of the move is your moving company’s responsibility, and they will make sure to do the best job!
Setting up your new art gallery in DC
After your belongings safely arrive at your new gallery in DC, it’s time to set it up. Here’s what local movers DC advise you to do:
- Firstly, give the whole gallery a thorough clean.
- Then, take the boxes out of the truck and place them in the rooms they need to be in. So, art supplies go into the studio, and artwork goes into the gallery.
- Open up all of the boxes and carefully take out what’s in them.
- Place everything in its proper location.
- Clean the gallery once more, and you are finished with the move!
Final thoughts on how to move your art gallery to DC
After doing everything we just listed, you should be finished with setting up your art gallery. Some movers offer to help you pack and unpack your things, which can cost a bit extra. This option is great if you are not sure whether you are able to pack everything safely. Preparing to move your art gallery to DC is the hardest part of this process. That is because everything depends on how you pack the fragile items. Having the option to have professionals pack everything for you is always a plus. But, if you follow this guide, everything should go smoothly. The only thing left is to run your art gallery!
