Wrap It Up
The alternative to crating is "blanket wrap," which involves wrapping the item in large, comfy blankets for its journey. Blanket wrapping can save money, according to Joseph Holahan, president of the Antique Transport Company, which specializes in shipping antique furniture.

"The crating cost is usually more than the actual freight costs," he said, adding that a crate shipper will handle all packages the same, "whether it's a crate of books or watermelons or antique furniture."

Holahan's company will pick up and wrap the item, deliver it, and set up furniture in its new home. He says the alternative is a crate shipper who will drop the crated item in your driveway, rain or shine, leaving the recipient to uncrate and move the item inside.

Marc Beaulac of antique furniture seller Stanley Weiss Associates said, "We prefer specialized fine art movers, who blanket wrap rather than crate large items, and have a single driver accompany the piece door-to-door. This way, things do not become anonymous crates in warehouses that can be mishandled by a mover who does not know the contents firsthand." An additional benefit of blanket-wrapped shipping is that "our clients are not obligated to handle the bulky and often difficult-to-open packing materials involved in other shipping methods," Beaulac said.

Shipping costs depend on many variables, including the size and weight of the item, the distance between pickup and delivery points, whether the product must be crated or wrapped by the shipper, and whether it is a terminal or door-to-door delivery. All shippers will provide a custom quote for moving the item.

Forward Air charges from $7 per 100 pounds for a short-distance delivery that can be made overnight, to about $29 per 100 pounds for a delivery from Los Angeles to New York (a delivery that will take about four days, according to the company). AAA Cooper, which specializes in deliveries in the East and South, could move a piece of 200-pound used furniture from Key West to Minneapolis for $305 in three days.

If possible, use a carrier that can pick up and deliver the package without handing it off to another shipper. This can result in a lower price, decreased transit time, and less abuse of the item during delivery.

Final Thoughts
Fort Smith, Arkansas-based ABF offers the following tips for shipping heavier items:

Packing Merchandise Packing Merchandise Part 2 Stating Shipping Terms

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