If artwork needs storage between homes, compare the proposed handling and storage plan before booking. Ask for the facility, packing method, responsible companies, and protection terms in writing. A climate-control label does not describe all of those arrangements.
This checklist helps you prepare questions for a mover, storage provider, and, where needed, a qualified conservator. Confirm the suitability of the proposed arrangement for the individual works in your collection.
Record condition and assess whether the piece can travel
The Canadian Conservation Institute’s guidance on paintings before travel explains that suitability depends on materials, construction, and condition. It recommends written condition notes and images before transport and records at subsequent handoffs. Seek conservator advice if a painting has unstable paint, damage, or other concerns about travel.
Prepare a record for each item with dimensions, photographs, existing damage, and any previous treatment information. Ask who will check that record at pickup, storage entry, storage exit, and delivery. Keep your own copy.
Ask: “Who will assess fitness to travel and record condition at each transfer?”
Verify storage conditions for the actual facility
CCI’s basic care guidance for paintings describes risks from rapid changes in temperature and relative humidity, handling, and light exposure. It recommends fairly constant environmental conditions and avoiding unsuitable locations such as damp basements or dry attics. Different materials may need different care; ask a conservator to define requirements for your collection.
Ask the facility to document:
- The temperature and relative humidity ranges it offers.
- How those conditions are measured and recorded.
- What happens when equipment fails or readings fall outside the agreed range.
- How items are supported, separated, accessed, and protected from water and light.
Ask which environmental requirements can be met for your dates and retain the provider’s written answer. Request separate details about temperature and humidity control.
Ask: “Can you provide the specifications and monitoring information for the facility where my collection will actually be stored?”
Request a packing plan for each type of work
CCI’s wrapping guidance discusses protection from moisture, punctures, shocks, temperature changes, and movement within a package or vehicle. Size, fragility, and condition can require special support or preparation. Consult a conservator when the appropriate treatment is uncertain.
Ask the provider to describe the packing method, materials, support, and any proposed crate for each piece. Clarify who packs it, who unpacks it, and whether those tasks are included in the estimate. Avoid applying one painting’s instructions to photographs, textiles, ceramics, or mixed-media objects without specialist advice.
Ask: “What packing and support are proposed for this specific item, and who will perform the work?”
Map the companies and handoffs
Write down the proposed sequence: collection, packing, transport, storage entry, retrieval, and final delivery. Identify the carrier and storage operator, along with a contact for each stage. Ask whether additional transfers are planned and how they affect cost, condition records, and responsibility.
If discussing packing or storage with AmeriSafe, provide the inventory and requirements first. Ask the team to confirm the available arrangement in writing. Confirm which provider performs each stage and which services the proposed facility offers.
Ask: “Which company is responsible at each stage, and who should I contact if the plan changes?”
Review valuation, insurance, and storage terms
Read FMCSA’s interstate valuation guidance. Request written transport and storage terms, including any high-value-item declarations.
Ask: “Which protection terms apply, and what should I declare before pickup?”
Assemble your request before seeking an estimate
Send the item list, dimensions, condition records, pickup and delivery details, desired dates, and any conservator instructions. Request separate written details for packing, transport, storage duration, access, retrieval, and redelivery. Keep unresolved requirements visible until the relevant provider answers them.
To discuss your move with AmeriSafe, request an estimate and ask which requirements the proposed carrier and storage operator can meet.
Frequently asked questions
Does “climate controlled” mean a facility is suitable for any artwork?
Ask for the actual facility’s specifications and compare them with your collection’s needs. The label alone does not establish suitability.
Should every painting be stored flat?
Ask a conservator or qualified art handler how each piece should be supported and positioned. There is no single arrangement appropriate for all artwork.
What should I retain after booking?
Keep the estimate, service terms, provider contacts, condition records, facility information, and protection documents together. Use them to check that the agreed plan follows your collection through the move.