Pak Mail Santa Fe

The Best Packing, Shipping and Freighting Provider in Santa Fe

(505)989-7380

Packing and Shipping

What is the Safest way to Ship Art?

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When art shipping your utmost goal obviously is to see that the art reaches its destination safe and in immaculate condition. People whose business is shipping art agree it requires wisdom and planning. Their advice is that you take your time and learn all you can about the various methods of artwork shipping.

When it comes to shipping small and midsize artworks, there are normally two options: you can do it yourself or you can hire professional art movers who are specialists in shipping fine art.

Consider Shipping Artwork Yourself

If you decide to do your own art shipping, you should be aware of the different methods of artwork handling and shipping. It’s good and wise also to consider getting advice from experienced, professional movers. Be mindful that each piece of art you own is unique and demands an individual approach to its packing and shipping.

Fine Art Shippers, a New York-based father and son branded firm specializing in handling and shipping fine art, gives three important things to consider if you go the do-it-yourself route:

  • always purchase insurance;
  • use only the best packing materials to protect your art during transit;
  • pack your artwork early and never wait until the last minute.

If you need professional advice on how to ship artwork safely, experienced art movers should be sought. They will help you avoid costly mistakes.

Shipping Art Using Professional Movers Is the Safest

You want to avoid costly mistakes and not worry about your art piece as it moves from one point to another point. You don’t want to be kicking yourself somewhere down the line for doing a poor job of preparing and not giving proper attention to handling and shipping.
So the safest way to ship art is obvious, isn’t it?

Hire a professional mover and shipper. It’s the safest, wisest way to ship that precious article. Here are some reasons why using professional art movers is the safest way to go:

  • professional art movers have all the answers to your questions and can relieve you of any doubts you may be harboring.
  • professional movers will guarantee the highest level of care and protection to even the most delicate items.
  • professional movers will diligently explain the paperwork involved before you give it your signature.
  • professional art movers are affordable and easy on your budget.

In conclusion, professional art movers know what they are doing when it comes to art shipping. They know how best to handle paintings, antiques, and other valuables and collectibles before they are shipped. Make it easy on yourself and use a professional company. It is the safest way to ship art.

What Makes Artwork Valuable, and How Is it Shipped?

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It’s very difficult for an untrained person to understand the value of a piece of artwork just by looking at it. What seems pleasing to the eye could be worth very little, while some very simple or chaotic pieces could command extremely high price tags. The more valuable fine art pieces require specific and careful consideration when shipping. Shipping fine art is a specialty that should be left to professionals.

What determines the price of a piece of art?

Like all goods that are bought and sold, the price is determined by supply and demand. Some artists are in very high demand by collectors, and a single person can only paint so many pieces on their own. Bear in mind that a person wanting to own a piece of artwork can only purchase ones that are currently for sale, which is sometimes only one at any given time or even none.

What makes the works of a given artist more in-demand or valuable? Some of the determining factors are the exhibition history of the artist’s works, the price history of the prior sales of their artwork, the career and fame of the artist and the size of the piece. The artist might also raise the price of a piece if there were some high production costs involved in creating it.

The place where you buy a piece of art also affects its value. If you attend an exhibit at one of the world’s most renowned galleries or museums, the price is bound to be much higher. Other factors are current buying trends and tastes. If a particular artist’s style seems to be the current trend in the market, their art can go at a higher price tag. If an artist is seen as the next possible celebrity on-the-rise, many people might seek out their art in anticipation of a big return on investment, and the rising demand will drive up the price.

For artists who have been deceased for decades or centuries, their place in art history plays a large role in the value of their works. Collectors also place higher value on works that are easily recognizable as such when they’re hanging on the wall.

How is art shipped?

If you have to transport some treasured paintings, your method of art shipping has to be taken into consideration. Your artwork could be worth millions, but if it arrives in tatters, it becomes practically worthless.

When shipping valuables, especially art, you must anticipate that mistakes and mishaps are likely to happen and plan to protect your art when these things occur. When shipping artwork, it is advisable to hire professionals who are experienced in art shipping. If your artwork is framed, you may need to have a custom-built wooden crate to house the art and wrap it in bubble wrap to protect the glass and delicate frame from bumps and motion in the vehicle.

If you are transporting unframed artwork, make sure no hands or skin directly touch the art. Wear cotton gloves, and wrap the art in acid-free tissue paper. It’s also good to wrap the art in plastic to protect from moisture or water damage. Sandwich the art between pieces of cardboard and tape them securely shut. If the artwork is being transported with other household belongings, mark it clearly as fragile.

Contact us or get your free quote here.

Overnight Shipping Do’s and Don’ts

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Raise your hand if any of the following scenarios sound familiar: One, you have been so busy with work and life, you realized the day before your mom’s birthday that you didn’t send her anything yet. Two, you have an extremely important financial document that you have to send in immediately to your accountant, the IRS and/or a mortgage company. Or three, one of your kids is away at camp and has forgotten a much-needed item.

What do these three situations share in common? They are all examples of when overnight shipping can really help. If you need this type of service but are new to this method of shipping and have questions, please consider the following do’s and don’ts to get your package or envelope there on time:

Do: Know that You Have More than One Option

When you absolutely have to get something to someone overnight, you have more than one shipping option. In addition to the USPS, you can also use services like UPS, FedEx, and other shippers. You are also welcome to come into our conveniently located PakMail location and we will be happy to help you with your speedy delivery needs. As a bonus, we can also box up your Mom’s birthday gift for you (she will love what you got her!) or the goodies for your campground kiddo.

Don’t: Assume that Can Drop Off Your Package Anytime for Next-Day Delivery

Yes, your friendly team from PakMail can help with overnight deliveries, as can a number of shippers and the USPS. But please do not assume that you can show up with your important IRS document near our closing time, hoping it can be at their main office the following morning. Please be aware of any cut-off times that we and other carriers have—if you have a question about it, just give us a jingle and we’ll be happy to advise you of your shipping deadline.

Do: Know that Sunday Delivery is Now an Option

There was a time when true overnight delivery didn’t always apply. For instance, it often referred to regular business days and not holidays and the like. As USPS notes on their website (1), overnight delivery on a Sunday or a holiday is now available in many major markets for an additional charge. This also applies to deliveries that must be there by 10:30 a.m. the following morning—you will pay more for this service, but if you really want your beloved Mom to enjoy her birthday gift on Sunday morning, it’s well worth it.

Don’t: Think that All Carriers Charge the Same

There is definitely a difference in overnight delivery fees; you can come into our PakMail store and we can give you the different options, or you can also check out the other carriers’ websites to see what they offer. How much you will pay will vary depending on what you are shipping—an overnight envelope to your mortgage company will be less money than sending a huge and heavy care package to your tween at camp. It also depends on where you live and where you are overnighting the item; carriers usually use shipping zones to determine where you live and where the box or envelope needs to go—the further the distance, the higher the cost.

All About Postage from Santa Fe to England

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If you have friends and family who live in jolly old England, you may want to send them cards on their birthdays, gifts at the holidays and an old-fashioned written letter now and then.

Of course, if these people recently relocated to the United Kingdom, you might be understandably unsure of how to go about mailing anything to England, as well as the costs.

At Pak Mail, we get these types of questions all the time, and we are here to reassure you that there is no such thing as a silly postage-related question. Fortunately, we can also tell you that we offer reliable and relatively inexpensive shipping and mailing options for the UK.

USPS Postage Rates

In general, First-Class Mail International is the most affordable mail class for sending letters, postcards and flat packages to England, as well as 190-plus other countries. You can purchase and use Global Forever stamps to send letters or postcards that weigh up to 1 ounce to England; like the domestic Forever stamps, you can buy them at the current one-ounce rate, but they will not expire even if and when this amount goes up.

Stamps for standard-sized letters and standard-sized postcards that are up to one ounce in weight start at $1.15 for all countries. If you are sending your favorite aunt in England a large-sized birthday card filled with some photos and other goodies, you will have to pay more based on England’s price group; you can bring the envelope to your local post office and they can weigh it and advise you on a total amount for postage.

Is Tracking Possible?

If you are sending a box of gifts to your friend in London, tracking can help you to keep tabs on the package until it arrives safely at his or her flat. Depending on which method you select to send the package, you can get tracking info.

This is straight forward for shippers like FedEx and UPS and is available for most USPS options, including Global Express Guaranteed and Priority Mail Express International shipping services.

Free USPS Tracking is also available for certain select destinations for First Class Package International Service shipments. Please note, right now, tracking is not available for regular first-class letters and postcards going over to the UK. If you have questions on any of these important points, visit the USPS site and click on the “International” tab at the top of the page.

What are the Options for Fast Package Shipments to the UK?

Of course, there are a number of speedy shipment choices for sending a box of presents to your friends or loved ones in England. As you might suspect, these tend to cost a lot more than a simple envelope with a birthday card tucked inside. Rates can vary widely (think $50 and up) so give us a call to discuss your options.

Get your free quote here.

How Expensive Is Shipping Furniture Overseas? How Risky Is It?

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Whether you are moving overseas or shipping antiques or art pieces to a friend or family member living abroad, international goods shipping can prove to be a difficult chore if you are not familiar with the know-how of international shipments.  Our experts here at Pak Mail know exactly how to handle shipping fine art and antique furniture overseas.

When considering international furniture shipping, cheap is never an option. Truth be told, overseas shipping can be expensive as it requires special care, management, packaging, and then finally shipping.

Losing your goods and/or getting them damaged are two of the most common risk factors involved that even the best international shipping companies may not warn you about.  If you are careful enough and follow the correct guideline, international furniture shipping can be cost-effective and less risky; here’s how!

Go for Sea Freight

Shipping your furniture through air freights can cost you more than sea freights, so it is always a better option to go for the latter. For example, to send furniture belonging to a pocket-sized flat from the UK to Australia may cost about 1700 pounds by sea while 7000 pounds by air.

The only downside you will face is the amount of time it will take to deliver your items, as sea freight usually takes longer to ship goods. For instance, delivering the same amount of furniture from the UK to Australia may take up to 3 to 4 days to deliver by air while a month by sea freight.

It’s Always Best to Compare Shipping Quotes

The market is flooded with international shipping companies so before you choose one; it is best to weigh in different shipping quotes first. Not all companies offer the same shipping charges and facilities and “the lowest price” doesn’t mean the best. So, it is necessary that you check out websites and reviews of each goods shipping company and then make the right decision.

Use Custom Crates for International Furniture Shipping

International shipping companies may not tell you about the ideal type of packing material to use for shipping furniture unless you ask them yourself. Our advice will be to go for custom crates as they come with a wide range of advantages.

Benefits of Using Custom Crates

  • Keeps the Items Safe

Since furniture, heirlooms collections, art pieces are quite expensive; you don’t want them to get impaired in any way. Custom crates are specifically designed to keep all your goods in their top-condition.

  • Easy to Move

International shipping includes loading and unloading of items many times which is why custom crating can come in handy as it is easy to move from one place to another.

  • Strong and Durable

Custom crates are made from a long-lasting material, so while being moved multiple times during the shipment, they won’t break or tear down.

By following these important guidelines, you wouldn’t have to worry about the international shipment of your goods at all!

Get your free quote here!

What’s the Difference between Art Handlers and Art Transportation Services?

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Do you know what the difference between an art handler and art transportation is? The two terms sound familiar right? Well, they are quite different from each other and the people working under it have different responsibilities that are outlined below:

Art Handler

In brief terms, the job of an art handler is to deal with the packaging of the artwork. Other duties include:

  • Inspects artwork to decide when, where and how to pack and deliver the package
  • Selects the proper packaging material that keeps the artwork safe from dirt, water and moisture
  • Properly wraps the artwork for its safety during transport
  • Crates the artwork depending on its size
  • Hires the services of art transportation for shipping the package (optional)
  • Deals with all the paperwork that is necessary for shipping the artwork and may also tell you about insurance (optional)
  • Installs artwork professionally

Art Transportation

This service is concerned with how the artwork is delivered to the buyer.

  • Involves a transporter driving a truck with the art package (the delivery method depends on how far the package needs to go)
  • Delivery pickup
  • Insurance for your artwork is provided (you will need property insurance, which is the most basic type of art insurance that protects from damage caused by the transportation company or theft)

Art transportation involves a couple of transport options:

  • Air Freight Forwarding: delivery around the globe (sea, air, truck)
  • Ocean Freight Forwarding: by ship (full container load, less-than container load)
  • Road and Rail Services: multiple distribution options (less-than container load)
  • Intermodal and Multimodal Transport: the former transport service does domestic delivery by road and rail and the latter transport service optimizes sea, air, rail and land
  • Transload and Cross-Docking: shipping directly to the customer rather than to the warehouse
  • Origin Cargo Management: delivery by eliminating all middle men

Now you know why you need to hire both these services. Where one handles the artwork, the other handles the delivery. Each delivery option has a different price and gives you the benefit of shipping the artwork within your preferred time frame. So, get that artwork packed and leave the rest to an art transportation service.