Seeking advice on packing ponies!

[Rosencrantz]

I'm moving! I've lived at this house forever and in this time picked up a boatload of ponies including ones with fullbody paintjobs, so I'm seeking the public's assistance in making sure my ponies stay safe!

My packing boxes are plastic crates, but I also have several smaller boxes ('really useful boxes' brand) that I can use.

- what is the best way to ensure the safety of my ponies to make sure they don't get bent or squished out of shape
- what is the best way to keep custom ponies safe, especially those with clay attachments or paintjobs! And one of these ponies has a sticky paintjob, so extra advice for that one please!


I really appreciate any help I can get. I've never packed to move before, I've lived here for so long.


(bonus questions: safe ways to transport barbie cars, a playmobil dollhouse, barbies, and lego you don't want to do a lot of reassembling on)

Everything I pack CAN be transported in my car in separate journeys, as I am only moving about  ten minutes away.

[Thunderwing]

When I have moved, I have packed ponies as follows:

1/ Goes without saying - NEVER clean things before packing. Don't pack them wet or with any fresh product on!

How to pack a large number of loose ponies:
1/ Each pony goes in a little plastic bag. I use the cheap 'fold top' sandwich bags. If you use Ziploc, that is fine, but don't zip them closed. You still want a bit of air movement.
2/ STAND the ponies in the box. Do not lay them on their side. Laying them down makes them prone to squashing. Put the ones that are least likely to be distorted on the bottom, like flat foots, glory pose, moondancer pose. I find it makes things easier to pack all ponies in the same pose beside each other.
3/ Add bubble wrap, to build up to a nice flat layer.
4/ Repeat. For the very top layer, put the ones likely to distort, the bangles pose, the sweet tooth pose, etc. Use padding on all sides, the vibration of a car ride can cause rubs!
5/ I wrap the manes and tails in white tissue paper, for any colors that are likely to bleed, like the bright yellow or reds.

For extremely fragile items, you may not want to box them at all. When we moved, I made two trips with my 'extremely fragile' items. They were set on the seat beside me and in the back seat, just loose with some padding so they didn't fall over.

[hathorcat]

I would just echo Thunderwings comments - especially the fact it is very important if you can to keep ponies in their actual display position (prevents squishing) and of course dont put too many layers on top of one another - legs and horns and hips can get out of shape very easily.

Good luck and congrats on the move...sounds exciting!

[Kiwi]

Thunder has great tips there (look at all the Canadian's in this thread, LOL! Cat guess you'll have to be an honorary canuk ).

When we moved I started with putting ponies in bags, but ran out on the last tub and just tossed them in. I also didn't stand them like I should've.

For customs, I got a bunch of tissue / craft paper, wrapped each one thickly with a bit of masking (I wrote ponies names or items on the tape so I knew what was inside), and then put them in a separate box, so the wrapping was it's own packing and there wasn't a lot of excess room.

We also did a trip ahead of moving day with valuable / fragile items or hard to pack: wedding dress, large custom framed picture, Paradise Estate, and the jumbo plushies.

[moonflower]

When I moved I wrapped all my ponies in acid free tissue paper with some silica gel packets thrown into the boxes. If it may be a while before you unpack them I would recommend the silica gel packets - especially as you are using plastic bags and boxes.

[DaffyDilly]

For the sticky custom, either transport that loose (say on a plate on the front seat, something it can't stick to permanently like tissue paper) or well in advance, re-spray it with sealant so it isn't sticky anymore.

[Katika]

Since you already have your moving containers, my suggestion may not be helpful, but I've now done five moves with my collection (as short as 250 miles, as much as literally halfway across the US) and have moved most of them in those under-bed height plastic storage tubs.  Most G1s and G3s fit perfectly in those tubs, with the exception of the obvious, larger ponies (Quackers pose and the Precious Pockets may not fit in them... I don't really recall off the top of my head, and obviously the giant G3s won't fit.  I'm not completely convinced FS G4s will, either, but we'll see about that come next move )  I've never trusted my ponies to actual movers, so I like having the single layer tubs to give added structure to the protection they get while stacked in my trunk.

I go about the preparing them for shipment way about the same as described above, and I make sure to sort of nest them all together by pose, which I have found helps to minimize shifting in transit. 

[mlp4me]

Congrats on the move! You've had some great advice.
All I have to say is take stock in lots of baggies and bubble wrap! :-)
Are you going to have a separate pony room at the new place?

[QueenStarglow]

I have lots of advice on my website! The Glow 'N Show Stables Pony Maintenance

Caring for ponies in storage:

Many pony ailments such as cancer, mold, and tail rust are caused or sped up by environmental conditions. Your collection should never be stored in ways that seal in moisture. Many collectors like to store ponies in plastic tubs and zip-lock bags, but that can do more harm than good. At least leave a little corner of the bag unzipped and place the lid over the tub but not all the way clicked and sealed. Allow for that moisture to evaporate and for fresh air to circulate through your ponies.

If you live in an area of high humidity or store/display your ponies in a room of high humidity like a basement or attic, be sure to run a de-humidifier at all times. Moisture and heat are the perfect ingredients to spread mold and other conditions like wildfire through your collection.

If you intend to store your ponies, make sure they have been left in fresh air to dry for a couple of days before storing them away. I can't stress this enough: moisture is your enemy!

Cardboard attracts pests, so the best way to store ponies is in plastic tubs like the ones pictured below. You don't want more than two layers of ponies stacked, because the ones on the bottom layer will be crushed. To keep my ponies neat and protected, I purchased the tubs below. Wrap each pony individually in a strip of bubble wrap or open plastic baggie to prevent ponies from touching each other. Some ponies, particularly those with neon hair like Confetti and Trickles, have been known to bleed their colors onto their own bodies and nearby ponies. Ponies with delicate parts like Summer/Windy Wing and Flutter ponies should be wrapped generously in bubble wrap.

Pony clothes from any generation have been reported to stain pony bodies after prolonged wear. This is something every collector should keep in mind.

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[Rosencrantz]

Ah, thank you so much, everyone! I'm feeling a lot more confident about my packing now