Are you a sports fanatic? If so, the walls of your bedroom or man cave may be lined with sports memorabilia. You may have signed balls, game-worn jerseys, or valuable and collectible cards. If you are preparing to move, you want to properly pack these items to ensure they don't become damaged during the process. Even a small ding or scrape can decrease the value of your collectible. Here are some of the common types of sports memorabilia and tips for packing and moving them safely.

Balls

Autographed balls have a lot of value associated with them. However, if the autograph gets smudged, the value can be decreased and the item may not look as good when displayed. Follow these steps to prepare your autographed baseballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, footballs, and hockey pucks for a move:

1. Wrap the ball in a few layers of tissue paper. It is best to use white tissue paper, as dye from colored tissue paper can transfer to your sports item. The tissue paper helps to protect the autograph on the ball.
2. Use packing tape to tape the tissue paper into place. Do not allow any of the tape to come into contact with the ball as it can damage the ball when pulled away or leave sticky glue behind.
3. Wrap the ball in a layer of bubble wrap. This helps protect the ball against dings and dents while being transported.
4. Place the ball in an appropriately sized box. The better fitted the box is to the ball, the less likely the ball will be to shift or move during transport. If there is extra space in the box, fill it in with packing peanuts, or use clothing items, such as rolled socks or t-shirts, as packing materials.

Cards

If your sports cards are currently stored in a shoe box, you will not want to move them like that. As the cards shift in the box, the corners of the cards can become damaged, and this can lower the value of the cards. Sports cards can and should either be loaded into sports card binders, plastic sleeves and top loaders, screw-down covers or sports card storage boxes. Each method has its pros and cons. Placing each and every card in a plastic sleeve and top loader or pocket in a sports card binder can be time consuming. Screw down covers can be expensive and time consuming to use. A sports card storage box allows you to load your cards quickly, but the cards may still slightly shift. Ultimately, the value of the cards and the amount of time you want to invest will help you determine which is the best option for you.

Once you have prepared your cards using your preferred method, place the cards in an appropriately sized moving box. Fill the box with bubble wrap, packing peanut,s or extra clothes, linens, or towels to help ensure the cards don't shift.

Jerseys

A signed or game-worn sports jersey must be properly packed when you are preparing to move. Failing to do this can damage either the jersey or the autograph. Follow these steps to properly prepare and move an autographed or game-worn sports jersey:

1. Your jersey should already be hanging. This helps to prevent it from getting wrinkled. However, if the jersey is not hanging, you will want to hang it on either a specialty plastic sports jersey hanger or wooden hanger to prepare for your move. Do not use metal hangers, as they can rust and may not be thick enough to support the weight of a sports jersey.
2. After hanging the jersey, place it in a zippered or sealed garment bag. If you don't have a garment bag and are on a budget, poke a hole in the bottom of a garbage bag. Flip the garbage bag upside down so the top is now the bottom and insert your jersey, pulling the hanger's head through the hole. Tie a knot in the bottom of the bag. Sealing up the jersey helps prevent dirt and dust from coming into contact with the jersey, which is important, as it can't be washed if it is autographed or game worn.
3. Lay the jersey flat in the moving truck or keep it hanging up. Do not place it in a spot where it will get wet and try to avoid placing it in direct sunlight if you are using a clear bag, as the sunlight can fade the color of the jersey.

If you own sports memorabilia, you need to take time to properly pack your item before a move. This will help ensue your items do not become damaged while you are moving. If you have high-end pieces that you don't want to risk moving yourself, a professional moving service can help pack the item and transport it to your destination for you. Find one through a website like http://www.bekins.com.