Moving Lego Collection 1000+ Miles, Tips, Packing, Etc...

[trstnkn]

Undergoing a corporate relocation at the end of the month.  For anyone that's moved their collection, can you weigh in on what else I need to do?

What I've done...

-  Worked with moving company to approve moving a high value collection.  (Most say they will not move any type of "collection".)

-  Provided instructions in person to moving consultant on how to safely move the items.  (E.g. double box, stack vertically, pick-up with two hands).  I will also have detailed instructions on walls for movers to see.  And I can be there to monitor.

- Took pictures of everything.

-  Filled out the movers "High Value Inventory" sheet so that they have to sign for each individual item they are moving.

I purged a little bit the last few months, but I really don't have the time and don't want to get rid of anything else.  Appreciate anything else I need to do to cover myself.

 

 

[supergman]

I did this once and used small and large moving boxes from Lowes.  Packed everything accordingly, taking photos of each box contents and wrote numbers on the outside of each, taping them shut.  I'm a bit crazy with these things and use a tamper-proof tape so if they were to get opened, I'd know it. Everything is (was) covered by insurance, so I was fine with that.  

[donbee]

I just tell the guy from the labor pool, “don’t drop it.”

[tyclin]

I moved 1000+ lego boxes a year ago. 1/4 of the moving truck was filled with 100+ Packing boxes, 1/4 was for my furniture.

I measured lego boxes and went to ULINE to buy matching size packing boxes. I stacked multiple lego boxes into one packing box and put another packing box upside down to pack. For example, big sets like 10234, I used two 24 x 20 x 8 inches packing boxes, put in three 10234 standing up side by side, the depth of the 10234 is 6.75 inches, three of them added up about 20 inches, the length of the 10234 is 23 (~24 inches). Then put another 24 x 20 x 8 packing box upside down covering up and tape the two packing boxes at the joining point.

It applies to all other lego sets but mainly for larger sets.

It did take quite a bit time and work to pack 1000+ lego sets. But the movers loved it because most of the packing boxes were the same or similar size. It did not waste the space inside the moving truck. The damage to 1000+ lego during the transit was nil and so were all the packing boxes. I then reuse those packing boxes for packing the set being sold because of the right size. However, I did feel sorry for the movers when they had to carry all the packing boxes to the second floor of the new location. All packing boxes were bulky and heavy. 

[crayxlp]

On 6/1/2018 at 4:43 PM, trstnkn said:

Undergoing a corporate relocation at the end of the month.  For anyone that's moved their collection, can you weigh in on what else I need to do?

What I've done...

-  Worked with moving company to approve moving a high value collection.  (Most say they will not move any type of "collection".)

-  Provided instructions in person to moving consultant on how to safely move the items.  (E.g. double box, stack vertically, pick-up with two hands).  I will also have detailed instructions on walls for movers to see.  And I can be there to monitor.

- Took pictures of everything.

-  Filled out the movers "High Value Inventory" sheet so that they have to sign for each individual item they are moving.

I purged a little bit the last few months, but I really don't have the time and don't want to get rid of anything else.  Appreciate anything else I need to do to cover myself.

 

 

Ive been using custom-made, really strong cardboard boxes for storing my own sets.. they proved absolutely solid also for moving. But in your case I would consider also this:

a) however carefully you can pack your collection, there is always somethign that can go wrong.. count on that.. particularly the boxex are usually most vulnerable from the sides than the tops or bottoms.. So if you have some spare flat cardboard sheets (some older boxes etc.) try to to put them around all insides to "strengthen up" the solidity of the walls
 

b) DO NOT pack the the moving boxes up their very tops.. rather leave 1.5 - 2" inches of unused, empty space from the top flaps. That space you can fill up with some bubble wrap or so, so that your sets do not bump around. You probably know pretty much the same that when somebody puts the boxes on top of each other, the box at the very bottom could not have sustatin the weight.

c) when you pack your individual moving boxes, make photo documentation of how they were all finally fitted inside with an extra picture of the "unused" space that you left at the top of the box (while taking into assumption that the boxes above could and would somehow issue a pressure on that box below.. basically that you counted with that and left enough space for that). Could come very handy in later insurance claims.

d) when stacking the boxes in the moving van, the best case scenario (proved by every major cardboard manufacturer) is that the boxes are best stacked not like "bricks", but put exactly on top of each other so that the borders and sides of the top box match exactly the sides and corners of the box below. But its all relative given the weight of the boxes, how many layers / floors you would have and what pressure can the material sustain. My boxes are so sturdy that they can withhold like 65 kg for years (cca 120 pounds). 

if you have that option - put some extra strong flat slice / slide.. panel.. ? (not sure about the term) between the stacked boxes. That will allow for a great re-distribution of the weight.

Edited June 2, 2018 by crayxlp

[Thanos75]

I moved my entire collection two years ago and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I bought rolls of that industrial plastic wrap. I left the sets on my metal shelves wrapped them up good and rolled them into the moving truck. Most of my build collection was stored in the sterilite bins with three draws that I kept under my table. The rest I just put in those black bins you get cheap from Officemax. Went pretty easy.

[crayxlp]

well yeah, but from your description I get the feeling like you needed to move already assembled sets and you didnt quite worried about some unexpected damage to the unopened sets (which was what I took from the Tyclin's submission as the biggest fear / worry)

[Thanos75]

This was my unopened collection. Nothing got damaged. Rearranged some sets and wrapped them up. Fast and easy.

[crayxlp]

nice.. ! Im really intrigued as to the way the boxes are attached / hanging on the roller "totems".. are there some shelves or are they literally suspended (from something) and hanging in there?

[Thanos75]

Those are just the standard metal shelves people get from eBay. I buy mine from Target. They run $40-50 depending on what size. I set the top shelf lower so that the rails hold the sets in when rolling. I just buy the wheels and can roll them around as needed. There are more behind the ones you see. I just roll the ones in the front out of the way. It's all about maximizing space and accessibility.