Hi Leslie,

I dealt with a similar project at my last job (moving collections from long-term storage in and moving deaccessions out) and agree with the great advice you've been given already. I just wanted to add, from a collections management viewpoint, that one of the best things you can do is go through the collection and document, document, document, both before and after the move. 

For before, the better you know the pieces and any condition issues or fiddly bits (technical term), the better you can educate the fine arts handlers when you do a walk-through or pre-move meeting. What pieces come apart or fold? Which one has the funky gateleg that hangs weirdly? Which ones have flaking paint or disintegrating upholstery? There are going to be some pieces that are pretty standard and can be moved easily with a basic understanding of fine arts handling (side chairs, for example), and then there are going to be the pieces that you really need to mentally prepare for (marble top table or high chest, for example). While anything can be damaged, knowing the pieces that have the most risk is going to help you focus on how you work with the handlers. 

Having the before condition reports (and photos, if possible) on hand will help with your walk-through after the move to determine if anything has been damaged. There's always going to be the chance of something happening, but it's far better to report damage as soon as it is noticed (and checking ASAP is advisable) than to come across it a couple of months later and not be sure when the damage occurred. If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me off list.

Good luck!

--Meghan

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