--- title: Moving Antiques Safely: Documents, Wrap, Storage url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-antiques/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving guides](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/) - Moving antiques safely # Moving antiques safely Antiques need three things before the truck arrives: a photographed inventory, soft wrap that touches only the surfaces it was made for, and a conversation about valuation coverage. A piece with original finish, veneer or inlay is handled with padded blankets and straps, never with plastic film against the wood. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) An antique is worth moving carefully because its value often sits in its original finish, joints and hardware. The routine that suits a modern dresser can strip those details away. O'Brien's has been a family business in Northern Nevada since 1941, and the steps below are the ones that matter most before and during a move. ## Document each piece before packing Photograph every antique from the front, the back, the underside and any marks or repairs. Note the maker, age and any appraisal you hold. This record helps with the inventory, with valuation coverage and with any claim, and it also shows how each piece looked on the day it left your house. Federal rules for interstate household goods moves in 49 CFR Part 375 call for a written inventory and a condition record. Ask the estimator to list antiques one by one instead of grouping them as furniture. ## Wrap what the piece was made for Soft moving blankets are the standard wrap for finished wood. Plastic stretch film sticks to old finishes and can lift them, so it goes over the blanket, never on the wood. Take off drawers, shelves and glass doors if they come out easily, wrap them separately and tape nothing to a surface that matters. Pad the corners and carved edges. Protect marble tops, mirrors and glass with cardboard corners and flat padding. Put hardware and small parts in labeled bags taped to the piece or boxed with it. ## Think about dry air and storage Solid wood shrinks and swells with the air around it. The high desert around Reno and Sparks is dry, and furniture that spent years in a humid place can open a seam or loosen a joint as it settles. The National Park Service publishes conservation notes on caring for wood and other museum objects that apply to household antiques as well. If pieces need to be stored between homes, O'Brien's full-service [vault storage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/full-service-storage/vault-storage/) holds goods in wooden vaults measuring 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft, from $40 per month, and you ship stored goods with about 2 to 3 weeks of notice. ## Crating for the most delicate pieces A glass-front cabinet, a fragile clock or a carved piece with thin parts can travel in a purpose-built wooden crate. Learn more about [custom crating](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/packing/custom-crating/) and about O'Brien's [fine art and antique moving](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/specialty-moving/fine-art-and-antiques/). ## Valuation and what to ask - Does the written estimate list each antique and its condition? - What valuation coverage applies, and what does it pay on a high-value piece? See [valuation coverage](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/valuation-coverage/). - Will the pieces be crated, blanket-wrapped or boxed? - Who will lift and carry the heaviest pieces, and how many people? - Is there an appraisal or receipt that should travel with the piece? ## Special cases Clocks, chandeliers and large cabinets have their own steps. Read [how to move a grandfather clock](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-move-a-grandfather-clock/) and [how to move a chandelier](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-move-a-chandelier/) for the details. For a piano, see [piano and organ moving](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/specialty-moving/pianos/). ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [eCFR, 49 CFR Part 375 (household goods moves)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-375) - [National Park Service, Conserve O Gram series](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/museums/conserve-o-grams.htm) - [FMCSA, Protect Your Move](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/protect-your-move) ### Free in-home estimate - An O'Brien's estimator walks through your home - A written, itemized estimate - 10 free heavy-duty boxes, yours to keep [How our estimates work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/how-our-estimates-work/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Fine art and antique moving](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/specialty-moving/fine-art-and-antiques/) - [Custom crating for art, glass, antiques and machinery](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/packing/custom-crating/) - [Valuation coverage: released value vs full value protection](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/valuation-coverage/) - [Vault storage: how 7 x 7 x 5 ft wooden vaults work](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/full-service-storage/vault-storage/) Moving guides ## Read next - [How gun safes are moved (and what to ask)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/how-to-move-a-gun-safe/) - [Shipping a car when you move](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/shipping-a-car-when-you-move/) - [Moving a wine collection](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-wine/) - [Moving with plants (and state plant rules)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-plants/) - [Moving with cats](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-cats/) - [Moving with dogs](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-dogs/) - [Moving with fish](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-fish/) - [Moving with kids](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/guides/moving-with-kids/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### Should I wrap an antique in plastic? Not directly. Plastic film can pull at an old finish. Use a moving blanket against the wood and put any film or tape over the blanket. ### Do I need an appraisal before a move? It helps. An appraisal and photographs show the value and condition of a piece, which supports your valuation coverage choice. ### Can antiques go into storage between homes? Yes. Vault storage holds furniture and household goods in the Sparks warehouse. Ask the estimator how to prepare each piece. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) L Laurie I. September 28, 2025 The two employees showed up on time and were very polite and ready to work. Our quote was 8 hours and they finished in 5 hours. Office staff checked in prior to move and confirmed all details and check in after move to make sure everything was taken care of. Would use this company again for sure! ### Owner's reply Laurie, Thank you for the awesome review! We are glad to hear everything went smoothly, and you were satisfied with the service. We want to also thank you for your business we appreciate you! N Nicole B. June 25, 2025 The crew worked extremely hard and treated our belongings with care. Customer service was outstanding leading up to, during, and after move. Thank you! S Sonia P. August 4, 2023 Talk about organized people. I peeked in the truck about an hour into the job and was amazed at how well organized it was and how many of my things had protective coverings. Our bed is a mechanical one and a nightmare to us, but these guys had no issue with it at all. Although I have no desire to ever move again--but if I did, I would be calling these guys for sure!!! ## Get your free, in-home moving estimate An estimator visits, walks through everything and gives you a written, itemized estimate. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070