[H & Rick]

We have just been on the MAF website and were wondering how detailed the inventory has to be on each box you ship out?

As an example.......
If you are packing a box of tools do you need to list every tool, screw, roll of tape etc.

What about garden tools, can you take them?

We also have a few wooded sculptures, would we be able to take them if we put a light varnish on them?

I was disappointed to read that you cannot take rattan goods......there goes the sea grass bedroom furniture.....gutted :(

[Ana&Steve]

What about garden tools, can you take them?

I believe you may if the tolls are free of debris and have no rust. I'm still pondering this, as most of my tools have rust :p . We'll probably take steel wool and the grinder to them, then spray them down with WD40, or something oily, so they don't develop rust on the trip.

We also have a few wooded sculptures, would we be able to take them if we put a light varnish on them?
Again, they have to be free of debris, termites, bores, beetles, bugs, spiders, etc. Also they should be packed separately and close to the door of your container, along with anything else MAF will want to see. I talked to a Kiwi lady on our visit, who had shipped a large wood statue from her visit to the Philippines, and MAf just inspected and sprayed it, then she was free to take it home.

Hope that helps, sorry it's not first-hand, just what I've pieced together! :)
Ana

[jo-and-jeff]

Labels don't have to be incredibly detailed, just things like:
Tools
Kitchen utensils
Linens and towels
Christmas decorations
Office supplies

Anything labeled "decorations", "knick-knacks", "home decor", "collectibles", "souvenirs", etc. will most likely be flagged by MAF for inspection, so try to put those things together in boxes to reduce the number of boxes which have to be inspected.

Jo

[jonSE]

MAF are only interested in possesions of yours that can harbour alien flora and fauna that they and you don't want in New Zealand.

Don't put miscellaneous on any box - guaranteed they will look at it.
Garden tools, camping equipment, boots, anything you may have used in the countryside should be cleaned and disinfected with jeyes fluid - it's a good idea to use up left over spray paints repainting the metal parts of garden tools- who cares if yur spade is now the colour of the car you sold 5 years ago! Try and pack all this sort of stuff together rather than spread across lots of boxes.

xmas decs (they don't want pine cones) so if you have none mark it Xmas decs all plastic/glass.

tools - auto garage variety regularly - don't need to go over the top de-rusting - rust generally doesn't harbour bugs or seeds, spray with WD40 to stop rusting while being shipped. If it's the old toolbox from grandfather that you haven't opened since he passed on 20 years ago it is likely full of spiders etc - they don't want those spiders either.

Woodworking tools should be cleaned so the toolbox is not full of woodshavings.

Make it easy for the MAF insector and think why they are inspecting - anything that they can't evaluate from the description on the box/inventory will get looked at. Try, it's not always doable, to get your packers to put the likely candidates for inspection in the container last, so they are first out.

When we arrived the list of boxes to be looked at (MAF normally get the inventory before the container is unpacked and give the shippers a list of boxes they want to see) was all wrong - probably somebody elses - they wanted to see boxes of CD's and crockery and other innocuous stuff so we put the boxes to one side that we thought they'ld want to see - tents, bikes, garden tools and garden furniture etc. - and we also put aside the boxes that were on the list - the very nice MAF lady opened a couple to confirm that CDs etc weren't what she wanted to look at.

They aren't out to get you, just stop the nasties getting in.

[jonSE]

oops

[tick tock]

Just had our Maf inspection and they where great. They even clean some "stuff " thhey didnt like from the garden tools. I e-mail Maf a lot with questions before we packed and they where very good at answering them. We had loads of wooden stuff and they just checked it for insects...they looked at ALL xmas decx even thoses marked glass.

Just be honest...pack yor stuff, declare it and see what the Maf inspector says

[willowshouse]

I brought wicker, rattan and seagrass stuff here without any problems .. not really sure what they are looking for apart from 'untreated' stuff. Lots of other people have brought it in too - do a search.

On our shippers info sheet it said - no wicker, no food, TVs won't work .. it's all wrong. Sealed/tinned foods (ie unopened) with the exception of rice if memory serves right) are all fine .. and if you are bringing a container you should make the most of it and bring the foods you like. I brought a case of Rogan Josh sauce!

If there's anything you want to bring and it's on the no-no list - do your homework, it might be fine!

Our inventory was just a list of numbered boxes with a 3 or 4 word description next to each number. The boxes did not each have an inventory on them. This is something your shippers will do so unless you are packing your own container - don't worry about it.

Dawn