HOW TO: Move a whiskey collection

Congrats! You’re moving! Now, what to do with all those bottles you actually want to bring with you and not just consume in one debaucherous night?!  Relax, I’m here to help.  😉

Having just moved my rather sizable whiskey and wine collection (200+ total bottles) – I have a better idea now how to do this compared to just a few weeks ago and in my “I’m back to blogging and getting back to life” post (really titled “Spring Cleaning” click HERE) I was asked by Chuck over at the Whiskey World Tour blog if I had any tips for moving one’s collection.  Turns out, I do!  Too many to write in the comments section so I thought it best to list them here.

Not assuming we’re all starting out with the same base knowledge about this – some of these tips may seem obvious but better to be safe then sorry!

For the quick, get-it-done, rather spend the money not the time person:

1. Assess how many bottles you have that are open (don’t risk it, if the seal is broken, just treat it like it’s in the “opened” camp)
2. Buy a box (or 2, 3, …) of the 1 gallon size Ziplock bags for your shorter bottles and the 2 gallon size for your taller bottles (I personally like these: Ziploc Double Zipper Freezer Bag and these: Ziploc Resealable 2 Gallon Size) for all of your open bottles.  You can do this for all of your closed bottles too if you’d like for just a little extra security.
3. Place all of your open bottles in the appropriate size Ziploc bag (ok to turn the bag – not the open bottle – sideways to get the fit nice & snug (see photos)).
4. Buy the appropriate number and size packing boxes from either The Spirited Shipper or a similar company.  These are specially designed for precious – but heavy – alcohol bottles and I think they are GREAT.
5. Follow the packing directions provided by The Spirited Shipper and seal with a healthy amount of heavy-duty packing tape (like THIS one by Scotch)
6. Before sealing the box entirely, move it around a bit.  If you feel like the bottles are not completely secure or you hear them moving around (even if they are “just” hitting the cardboard sides) add packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or rolled up socks -clean preferably.
7. If you see a good amount of space between bottles, you might be able to fit in some of your smaller, 50ml UNopened bottles here if they are well protected and don’t interfere with the packaging around the bigger bottles.
8. Buy a set of white (not clear!) printable labels (like THESE by Avery) and print in big, bold letters: FRAGILE – WHISKY (or FRAGILE-HEAVY) and insert an “Up” arrow graphic (like THIS free one from Veryicon.com) –Believe me, you’ll thank me for this step – it’s a huge time saver verses writing all over the boxes
9. If I had thought of step 8 before I finished packing, I would have done this not only for the whiskies & wine, but also would have made a stack of labels with the each of the rooms where I wanted the movers to place each box (i.e. “OFFICE” “KITCHEN” “BEDROOM” etc)
10. One final tip – using a big bold marker, number all of your boxes and keep a list for yourself (perhaps you will organize it like: “Kitchen – 30 boxes OR: Whiskey- 5 boxes).  You don’t want to run the risk of having anything accidentally left on the truck!

For the “I have some time and am trying to save some money” person, try these revisions!/span>

1. STEP 4 revised:

• Instead of purchasing new boxes, ask your local liquor & wine shop if you can grab some boxes after their next delivery.  Make sure you inspect the cardboard thoroughly and don’t use any that feel at all flimsy or unstable.
•  Also take a look at the inserts – grab as many as you can (if you can’t use them on your spirits, perhaps they’ll come in handy for your dishes or something else).

2. STEP 5 & 6 revised:

• Assuming your whisky collection has bottles of various sizes, you’ll need to spend some time making sure you package all of the bottles of similar sizes in appropriately sized boxes.  Get the height of the box as close to the top of your bottles -but not under!- and don’t let a single bottle touch another.
• Use towels, socks, your crazy collection of used wine corks (I did this!), anything that is soft to help secure each bottle in it’s place.  Shake that box hard to make sure you don’t hear movement, if you do – add more packing materials.
• If the top of the bottles don’t come up to the top of the box when closed, fill in the top with folded towels or something light but strong.  These boxes will get stacked on top of each other and any space left in the top will cause that box to dent when under pressure, causing all of the boxes on top of that one to tilt, or worse, fall.

3. STEP 8 revised:

• Fall in love with your Sharpie marker.  You’ll be making lots of “Up” arrow drawings, writing “FRAGILE” and “HEAVY” and “LIVING ROOM” all over these boxes.  But it’s okay – you’ll get through it!  Pour yourself a quick dram and let the drawing begin!

I hope you find these tips helpful.  If you are embarking on a journey that requires you to go through the above – or similar- steps, then I wish you all the luck and patience.  If I have left anything out –  I’ll be sure to reply/comment/update as necessary.

PHOTOS:

Here is a photo of my 750ml, 9 1/4″ tall bottle of Bruichladdich in a 1 gallon size Ziploc baggie.  I like to pull the baggie over the bottle hard enough that it creates a bit of pressure and holds that cork (or screw cap) securely in place.

Example of the right size baggie with the right size bottle   (c) The Whisky Woman 2012

Here is a photo of my 750ml bottle, 12″ tall bottle of Tom Lawless that is too tall for the 1 gallon size Ziploc but a perfect candidate for the 2 gallon size.  If you can’t close the zipper bag without it tearing – the baggie is too small for that bottle.

Example of a the WRONG size baggie for this bottle size   (c) The Whisky Woman, 2012

Please share your own thoughts/experiences/questions/ideas below.  I definitely do not have all of the answers – nor can I or this blog take any responsibilities for your brown beauties should something happen to them during your own move.   I just hope you can find some of these tips useful!

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Spring Cleaning: the moving of a 100+ bottle whiskey collection

First, I must thank everyone who during this month long blogging hiatus of mine have continued commenting, checking in, reading & reacting to posts and conversations previously initiated here.  You all inspire me daily.

Secondly, I must apologize for this month long “walk off” – I wish I could say I was busy traveling the world, exploring hidden distilleries and finding the hidden whisky gems of the world – but alas, I was smacked in the face with the reality called “life” (and no, this was not a TV show that realized just how cool I actually am and bombarded my life to film it)… no, it was nothing like that.

Instead, I moved.  And had a big birthday (which I kind of forgot to celebrate…).  And went to San Francisco.  And then to Seattle.  And placed very large orders for corks, bottles and the like for my own whisky brand that I’ll be launching in the Fall.  And then tried to build a website. And, did I mentioned I moved?  I hate the whole packing/unpacking thing.  And I will forever have immense sympathy for anyone moving into an under-construction or still-being-renovated apartment as I have just done.  The unpacking thing sucks – but it’s even worse when you are physically not allowed to do it and forced to live in chaos.

On the plus side – MOST of the whiskies have been unpacked! Only 5 boxes of bottles left 😉

Photo for The Whisky Woman (c) 2012

On the day of the move, one of my neighbors sent me this text: “Funny how all of your boxes say: Fragile-Whisky or Fragile-Wine … do you not own anything else?”

Apparently not.

Above is what’s left to unpack (eek!).  But below is what the other side of this room looks like … can we all share a spa-like “ahhhhhh” moment?

Photo exclusively for The Whisky Woman (c) 2012

It’s a work in progress but luckily as the contractor wraps up and we’re allowed to start moving into other areas of the apartment, we are whittling away at our fortress of overstuffed cardboard boxes and starting to get settled.

Preferably this will all happen in classic Mad Man style with a glass of whisky in one hand…

My apologies again for my absence, it seemed to be the perfect-storm of crazy big life changes on top of the rush-to-get-everything-done-before-summer-starts typical Spring season that was not just a ridiculous time for me but for many.  On that thought, I hope you all will join me in a little toast to ourselves this evening.

sláinte mhaith