How to Pack Necklaces for Moving and Storage
Necklaces are popular pieces of jewelry that must be carefully assessed and handled if you plan on moving them to a new home. Thankfully, it is relatively easy to pack up necklaces and keep them from getting tangled or damaged during your move. Make sure that you follow these steps fully to get the best results – and buy plenty of moving boxes and bubble wrap to keep them safe.
Inventory Your Important Jewelry Pieces
Before you start packing up your necklaces, you need to make sure that you inventory each of your most expensive items if they get lost during the move. You don't need to do this for any inexpensive items that you use for everyday decoration. These items are probably easy to replace and don't need to be tracked that carefully – by contrast, any expensive or sentimental pieces – such as a necklace passed down through the generations – should be tracked.
Write down a description of each piece on a sheet of paper, naming each item, and giving an idea of their estimated value. You might want to get them valued by a jewelry specialist to make sure that your price is accurate. Then, you need to take photos of each piece, save them on a memory card and in cloud storage areas, and then print out a picture to place on each description card.
Take these cards and place them in a sealed folder or bag and take them with you when you move. Now, if the necklaces end up getting lost in the move, you can use this information to track them down or report them to the police. Thankfully, properly packing your jewelry should minimize the risk that you lose any to honest methods or theft by your movers or a friend or family member.
Packing Necklaces Without Tangling
Necklaces probably seem pretty easy to pack when you look at them before moving begins. However, this process is more challenging than you think because your necklaces will get tangled up quite extensively if you don't carefully handle and pack them. This problem is most likely to occur if you don't follow the two best ways for packing your necklaces – the straw method or the jewelry roller.
The straw method is the least expensive and also allows you to individualize where you store each necklace. You start by unlatching your necklace and pulling the chain through the straw. Pull the ends back together and snap them to keep your necklace securely in the straw and safe from tangling. Color code your necklaces using the straws to make them easier to track during the move.
If this method seems too hands-on or time-consuming, you can purchase a jewelry roll for the move and long-term storage. These rolls are designed to store necklaces and other types of jewelry and roll smoothly over the top of them to keep them secure and safe. This option is great if you want a more straightforward way to package and move your jewelry without having to worry about excessive packing paper.
Keeping Your Jewelry Secure
Next, it is essential to pack your jewelry in larger boxes and to keep it secure during the move. You'll be using packing paper and bubble wrap in this process but should NEVER use newspaper when packing necklaces. Newspaper has a way of getting tangled up in your necklaces and annoying when you unpack. Packing paper is nowhere near as easy to snag, making it a better choice – but bubble wrap is probably the best for necklaces, so use it if you can.
Start by finding a box that can hold all of your necklaces and which is strong enough to withstand wear and tear. We suggest a small Tupperware moving tub that can easily carry your necklaces. If you used the straw method, you might want to stack the straws in smaller cardboard boxes and use packing paper or bubble wrap to protect them. If you use a jewelry roll, you can place it inside the tub without a second box.
Carefully place each of your jewelry boxes – whether those with straws or the jewelry rollers – inside of the tub and position them snugly against each other. If you have other items in the same box, place your necklaces on the top to avoid damage. Pack the box with packing paper or bubble wrap until the boxes no longer shift – put it on the bottom, top, and sides for maximum protection in this situation.
Moving the Boxes Properly
Seal your boxes with tape and create a tag labeling the box. Doing so makes it easier to sort when it comes time to unpack. When moving a box with necklaces, keep the top up as much as possible and smoothly and efficiently move the box with controlled and slow movements to avoid upsetting the boxes. You probably don't need anybody to help you carry the package unless you have many necklaces that weigh more than you thought. And never place any other boxes on top of your necklace box, as they might smash the top and damage your items.
When storing the necklaces in your moving van or car for the move, make sure to use blankets between each box or tape to hold the box firmly in place as you drive. You might want to put this box towards the back of your moving truck so that it is easier to unpack it properly when you get to your new home. For long-term storage, make sure you use a climate-controlled storage area to keep your necklaces from getting rusty or weathered.
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