If you're going to be moving, and you've got a vinyl record collection, it's time to start thinking about safety precautions. Moving a vinyl record collection takes some careful planning, especially if you want to make sure that arrive in one piece. Here are four steps you've got to take to ensure the safety of your vinyl records.
Stock Up On Poly Sleeves
You might think that the paper sleeves and cardboard jackets will be enough to keep your vinyl records safe and secure during the move. Unfortunately, that's not the case. To make sure your records arrive safely, you'll actually need to pack them in poly sleeves. The poly sleeves will protect your records against dirt, dust, and moisture. Carefully place each of your records in a separate poly sleeve and set them aside until you're ready to pack them in their moving boxes.
Purchase Heavy-Duty Moving Boxes
When it comes to packing your vinyl records, you need to make sure that you have the right boxes. Your boxes should be big enough to fit your records vertically without squeezing them into place. Remember that you should never lay your vinyl records flat on the bottom of the box. Packing your records that way can cause serious damage. Instead, you always want to place your records vertically into the storage boxes. This will ensure that your records are able to travel safely to their destination.
Don't Forget the Added Padding
When you're packing your records, you want to make sure that they fit securely. You don't want them to get jostled around during the move. To protect against damage, be sure to add some padding to the box. The best way to do that is to add sheets of newspaper between the records, and along the edges. This is particularly important if there's a small amount of space left in the box. If there are a few inches of space between the top of the records and the top of the box, fill that space with packing peanuts. This will protect your vinyl from being broken during transit.
Keep Them Out of Direct Sun
Once you have your records packed, you'll need to keep them out of direct sunlight. The last thing you want is to have your records become warped during the move. Leave the records in a cool, dry location until the movers are ready to load them onto the truck. Once you're at your new location, make sure the movers take the boxes of records directly into the house. That will help prevent heat damage.
For more information, contact a company like Tomball Moving & Storage Inc.