Shipping personal artwork

Hi Gaynor,

Welcome to expat-blog!

Hope members will contact with lots of good advice.

Regards,

David.

Now there is no 100% right answer for this. It's true that paintings and statues of people or animals are something that officially banned in Saudi Arabia, but if you go to a furniture accessories shop here in Jeddah, you will find them being sold there (baaad Chinese quality and ugly) yet  if you talk to anyone in the business of furniture accessories or toys he will tell you that it's hard to get them in but they manage eventually.

I will say ,there should be no problem in getting them into the country since they are part of your personal stuff. The only restriction will be on Nude Art.

Thanks for the reply - our paintings are of fishermen, fish and lizards so hope there's no issue! We are sending them by air and hoping for less problems. Is there likely to be a problem with soft toys like Teddy bears, etc as toys and dolls was also on the list? Thanks again!

dolls and toys are OK... By the way , I ship things from and to Jordan by bus, you will get it in 24H and they are cheap ( from Abdali)

I have been having the same dilemma and we decided that if we did not want to risk losing it we would leave it in the states. So we basically have 3 piles. Must go (children cannot live with out these animals), can go & if taken no biggie (though Ahmed assures me this won't happen), & very special will stay here and not risk, because they can't be replaced.

We are in the end getting a furnished place so 95% of our belongings are staying in storage which solves a lot of issues.

We have already arranged shipping for this Saturday, well collection anyway and storage and then airfreight when we arrive in Jeddah at the end of august. Everyone has said airfreight is treated better at the border and we can clear it ourselves in Jeddah........hmmm wish I posted earlier!   Yes stressedmom we are starting to think that would have been good too but unfortunately we area leaving Jordan to go to the uk and then france with easy jet so not much chance of taking huge amounts on the plane.. In the end there is nothing we can't live without although I would be sad to lose a few paintings. We try not to travel with too much precious stuff!!

Hey StressedMom, I could share your username!!  I am currently getting rid of everything in our house and toys and such as well.  I'm literally buried in everything.  I threw the kids' toys away except their puzzle and beyblades. I promised them I'd take them on a toy shopping spree.

I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to ship my things to Jeddah and was wondering what you were able to figure out?

I am coming from Dallas and I have had two recommendations, the post office and also through lugless   

Can you share anything you've learned in shipping your things, companies, tips?

When are you arriving? Where are you going to? I'll be in Jeddah in Amoudia. I have yet to really figure out how it looks inside the family apartments but we'll see how this all works out.

thanks!!

GloriaD wrote:

We have already arranged shipping for this Saturday, well collection anyway and storage and then airfreight when we arrive in Jeddah at the end of august. Everyone has said airfreight is treated better at the border and we can clear it ourselves in Jeddah........hmmm wish I posted earlier!   Yes stressedmom we are starting to think that would have been good too but unfortunately we area leaving Jordan to go to the uk and then france with easy jet so not much chance of taking huge amounts on the plane.. In the end there is nothing we can't live without although I would be sad to lose a few paintings. We try not to travel with too much precious stuff!!

Gloria,  have you figured out what the process is if you clear your stuff yourself?  How will you pick up your things from...whereever they are etc?  Please share anything you've learned.

thanks!

Myyams -
  I think I maybe in a slightly different situation as my husband's company is shipping our items. It is a small (1000 lbs) air shipment. The moving truck that has been at my house is Mayflower if that helps.
I didn't throw any of my kids toys away since most would devastate them at 4 & 1 to lose. So we are taking some on the plane in checked luggage. From the help I received on this site most toys should be okay. Though the really special items and the piggy banks are staying in storage here with the rest of our belongings. We are getting a furnished villa.

We will hopefully be there in mid August as my husband's Iquama is in process & then we will do the visas for me and my girls. We will be staying in Mura Bustan and hopefully my 4 year old will be in preschool at the American school (I can't register her till we are there).

it is definitely an adventure & my stress went down a little today as my house was packed up and the movers will take everything away tomorrow. One more step down & many more hoops to jump through.

Good Luck!!