How to take down and pack a chandelier
- Cut the power Switch off the wall switch and the breaker, then test the wires.
- Photograph the fixture Shoot every angle and each crystal tier before anything comes off.
- Remove bulbs and crystals Bag the crystals from each tier separately and label the bags.
- Remove arms and lower the body Have an electrician disconnect the wiring while a second person supports the body.
- Box each group Wrap arms, body and hardware, cushion the box on all sides and mark it fragile.
A chandelier combines glass, thin metal arms, a chain and live wiring, which is why it breaks when it is wrapped as one lump in a blanket. The answer is to take it apart the way it was built, keep each group of parts together, and give the fixture its own box. This guide covers the order of work for a crystal or glass chandelier, and the points where an electrician or a crate makes sense.
Turn off the power first
Switch off the wall switch and then the breaker for that circuit. A wall switch alone can leave the wires live at the fixture. If you are not sure which breaker feeds the room, test the wires with a voltage tester before you touch them.
Disconnecting and hanging a fixture is electrical work. Nevada licenses electrical contractors, and the Nevada State Contractors Board lets you check a license online. Plan the removal and the rehang with a licensed electrician if the fixture hangs from a high ceiling or has a heavy canopy.
Photograph before you disassemble
Take pictures of the whole fixture from several angles, and of each tier of crystals before it comes apart. Film a short video turning slowly around the fixture if you can. The photos become the instruction sheet at the new home, when you are standing on a ladder trying to remember how the strands were draped.
Take it apart in stages
- Remove bulbs and any shades or candle covers. Pack bulbs in their original sleeves if you still have them.
- Take off hanging crystals and prisms. Put the crystals from each arm or tier in their own small bag, and label the bag with the tier.
- Remove the arms if the design allows it, and wrap each arm in paper before it goes in the box.
- Lower the body, supported from below by a second person, once the electrician has disconnected the wires from the canopy.
- Wrap the chain, canopy and mounting hardware together, and tape the bag to the box so the hardware stays with the fixture.
Box the fixture
Use a sturdy box that leaves a few inches of soft padding on every side, and fill the empty space with crumpled packing paper so nothing shifts. Place the body in the middle, the arms along the sides, and the bagged crystals in a separate smaller box that sits on top. Mark the outside of every box fragile and write which side is up.
For a large or valuable fixture, a purpose-built crate beats a carton. O'Brien's offers custom crating for glass and antiques, and professional packing covers the wrapping if you would rather not do it yourself.
Rehang with care
Confirm that the ceiling box at the new home is rated for the weight of the fixture. A heavy chandelier may need a brace in the ceiling, which is another reason to bring in a licensed electrician. Reassemble the fixture on the floor on a blanket before it goes up, using your photos as the guide, then lift the body and reattach the chain and canopy.
Last, hang the crystals tier by tier. Working from the bottom up is easiest on a stepladder with a helper handing the pieces up.
List it on the inventory
A chandelier is a fragile, often valuable item. Put it on the written inventory with a short description and its photos, and read how valuation coverage works so you know what protects it in transit. The full process is in the federal rules at 49 CFR Part 375.