Hands up whose attic is crammed full of all manner of items you just cannot bear to part with. We’re all guilty of hoarding, and especially when we’ve got lots of art, antiques and other valuable items that may also have a great deal of sentimental value.

It’s not just our attics, either. Many of us are continually making purchases for the home, whether expensive or not, and trips to antique fairs, markets and art galleries can often result in new additions to the house. But there is only so much space on your walls and in your living areas — and cramming fine art into awkward gaps is certainly not a home decor recommendation.

Nor is the attic really a suitable environment for valuable paintings and antiques. It can be dusty, prone to leaks from the roof and plumbing — and what if the unthinkable happens and the home catches fire, destroying everything? These are real scenarios that unfortunately happen around the country every day.

The answer to all these dilemmas is to opt for fine art storage from a professional firm. And “professional” is the key word here. You don’t want any old business taking your valuable works and making bungled attempts at handling and storage. It can lead to damage or even destruction of the paintings or antiques, leaving you out of pocket and possibly having lost an item of deep emotional value.

FINE ART STORAGE HELP

Professional fine art storage starts with the people handling the items: highly trained individuals who know how to care for everything from small paintings to large works of art, antiques of all kinds and anything else that requires proper storage.

Ensuring the works are placed in adequate spaces is only part of this. Constant monitoring of their condition is also vital, as is high-level climate control to avoid paintings peeling, mould forming or other kinds of potential damage. Quality fine art storage specialists can provide regular updates on the condition of works, by emailing photographs to customers. They may also have viewing areas on their premises where you can view your art or other items in storage.

Then there’s the equally important matter of security. Paintings and other valuable works can go missing or be stolen, never to be seen again. To avoid this happening, fine art storage facilities must employ the best in security features to keep unwanted people out. This includes 24-hour CCTV, perimeter fencing, ram-raid doors and anti-theft systems.  

ON THE MOVE WITH ARTWORK TRANSPORT

Storing fine art aside, what about packing up and moving home, whether that’s locally, nationwide or even abroad? It’s a stressful enough prospect without even thinking about all the art and antiques around your home. So what should you do with them, and how can you ensure they survive such a tumultuous move?

Again, choose a professional service offered by an artwork transport company. It pays to do your homework at the outset, to offset the risks of anything happening to your possessions along the way.

Trained art technicians will pack up paintings and other items with extreme care, using custom-made cases to ensure each individual work or object is packed according to its size and dimensions, preventing bumps and shocks while in transit. Vehicles will be climate controlled with insulated bodies and air-ride suspension to minimise potentially damaging movements along the journey.  

Alarm systems and CCTV will help to keep intruders out of the vehicles, and GPS tracking also provides peace of mind with artwork transport. Now your transport and storage is sorted, you’re ready to set up another unique home with your precious works of art.