A self storage unit or portable storage unit is an ideal storage solution for a wide range of items, including furniture, sentimental items, sporting equipment, kitchen gear, children’s toys and much more.
Did you know that storage units are also the perfect solution for your artwork and paintings.
Whether you are looking for short-term storage while you move house, long-term storage for sentimental pieces of artwork that you don’t want to display in your home or you simply want to swap out pieces of artwork on a regular basis to create a new vibe in your living space, storage units are a fantastic way to ensure your artwork is protected when it’s not being displayed.
Both self storage units and portable storage units (which can be left on your home’s property or taken away to a secure location) are weather resistant, meaning your artwork will be kept safe and dry through all of Ontario’s harsh seasons.
However, to ensure your artwork is properly protected, it is essential that you are able to properly transport and package it. To ensure your artwork is safe from damage, Calloway Storage has listed some tips on transporting and packaging your artwork.
Package your painting properly
The first step of ensuring your painting or artwork is protected is to package it properly. Handling artwork comes with a range of risks, such as breakages, tears, fingerprints, stains, smudges and many others. Ensuring you package your artwork properly will minimize these risks:
Wrap the painting in plastic: Before transporting your artwork, you first must package it properly. Use plastic to wrap the painting, this will keep it clean and protect the finish from becoming damaged. When packaging the painting, minimize direct contact with your skin as much as possible, particularly if it is a piece of fine art.
Put the painting inside a protected box: Once wrapped carefully, it’s now time to insert your painting into a properly protected box. Use a box that is snug enough so that your painting doesn’t move around, but one that is big enough to use extra packaging materials. Ensure styrofoam protects the top and bottom of the box, and use bubble wrap to fill any space within the box.
Transport your painting with care
If you are taking your artwork to a self storage unit rather than a portable unit on your premises, it’s important that you transport the artwork with extreme care so it doesn’t become damaged on the journey:
Ensure your paintings can’t move around: Pack your vehicle in a way that prevents the artwork from moving around when you turn corners or hit bumps. If you don’t do this, sharp movements could cause your paintings to fly around your car and become damaged during transit.
Use fragile stickers: If a courier is transporting your artwork, then it’s important that those handling your paintings know to do so with care. Labelling your packages as fragile will ensure your courier knows that the items inside the box are delicate and should be handled with care.
Ensure your paintings are stored carefully
Without proper planning, storage units can easily become chaotic and unorganized. Without taking the time to plan where you put your items, not only is it incredibly hard to find them again but you are also increasing the risk of damage to fragile items such as artwork.
Don’t stack paintings on top of each other: If possible, we recommend not laying your paintings flat – but if you really have to, then absolutely do not stack your paintings on top of each other. While it’s incredibly easy to store similar shaped objects on top of each other in your storage unit, stacked paintings can easily tear, crack and bend.
Check your artwork regularly: It’s possible that artwork can be damaged by moisture or even rodents while in self storage. If you find these problems in time then you’ll be able to rectify the issue before any damage is caused. By checking your artwork frequently, rather than throwing it in your self storage unit and forgetting about it, you’ll be able to keep an eye out for signs of damage and fix them before they become a real problem.
Do you have any further questions about storage your artwork and paintings in a secure self storage unit? Contact Calloway Storage today. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have.