wicker baskets going to Australia

[giggly]

I know this will sound daft but does the no wicker rule for customs include wicker baskets, the type from Ikea? I've got quite a lot and use them for the kids toys etc, they cost a fortune, are they for the charity shop or am I allowed them

We got rid of all of ours [sob] and didn't have any problem with customes. Our friends didn't, and had no problem either. Our shipping company advised us not to send because if customs see "wicker" on the contents list, they will search everything. We decided it wasn't worth the risk.

Keep them. Make sure they are spotlessly clean, packed together with nothing in them, and put near bikes, outdoor stuff shoes, etc. when packed. They'll be OK. What the customs hate is hard-to-find-but-possibly-soil-contamnated stuff. If you make it hard for them to inspect, they will unpack your container with extreme prejudice.

We got rid of ours too

Our shippers said they were a no no so we didn't risk it.

We left ours cos Auntie 12 months earlier has been charged to destroy hers. Also my dried wedding flowers sob

Snap cjdamoo, having deliberately chosen a dried arrangement so I could keep them "forever" I had to leave them behind. Doubt I'll ever see them again

Ours were found by customs and destroyed, one was from Ikea the other from John Lewis. Strangely they had no issue with our wicker laundry basket also from john lewis. Both destroyed baskets had a mix of weave and when speaking to our agent it seemed that it was because the customs man couldn't identify exactly the material. Hope that helps.

I had some bamboo and wicker furniture - treated (varnished) and untreated. I took the varnished, no problems; and left the unvarnished (under advice from the packing company). Glad I did.

Cj and Peri - my DH carefully threw out my dried wedding bouquet :( - admittedly it was just a hanging bunch but I think I would have preferred to dispose of it myself (no way I could have taken it).

I also had some late boxes shipped over by airfreight, and included in those was a wooden rocking horse that we'd nearly missed (behind a joist in the loft). This box was thoroughly inspected, presumably because it was a) wooden and b) they though it might have actual horsehair on the mane or tail (it didn't, it's a baldy rocking horse!) Passed with no incident but we had to be there for the inspection (I don't think this is so necessary with sea freight).

I also left behind a prized horsehair-stuffed chair that belonged to my great aunt - just too risky.

Does this ap

Does this apply to Singapore too? Suddenly seem to have a house-load of wicker :(

Londonmoo - no Singapore not so strict on wooden items like Oz - we had no problem with wicker anyway. You're shippers should be able to advise (in case it's changed since we moved here).

We bought all our wicker items with us. From hampers, to kids chairs. Just declared them on the customs form, and there were no problems. They were more interested in looking for pine cones out of date rubbish decs that we don't own, and ripped our Xmas box open And some other random boxes.
They did however distroy my dh air pistols which I was happy with as they didn't have a safety catch.
This was at Fremantle port.

Oh phew, thanks! And same here, Longdistance, I'd be more than happy for customs to destroy most of DS's horrible boy toys. Am sure shipping co will advise us when they give a quote next week. Never even thought to ask about things like that.

You can also contact the appropriate authority directly, Londonmoo - for Australia it's AQIS (Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service) - I'm sure Singapore would have something similar. I found AQIS very helpful in terms of telling me what food I could bring back from the UK to Australia, and it helped me at the airport when I declared it and said I had contacted AQIS in regard to the legality of all of it. I was pretty much waved through.

You do have to remember that you pay for the privilege of having your stuff destroyed!

That's right, Sharks - or if they decide you can keep it but it needs treating, then you pay for that too. :)

Thanks, Thumbwitch, I'll Google & chase up; very good to have an official stamp on the research.

I wouldn't bring IKEA baskets, destroying them would cost more than buying new. (they charge a lot!!)

And yes as others have said if it is untreated they will very likely destroy it. Not worth it, especially as it will also delay your container getting to you!!
(if it were a very beautiful piece you adored, I might chance it, but not with ikea baskets!)

okay seems they're staying behind. I do have an old wicker chair from my childhood but it has about 30 years of gloss on it. I'll convince myself that they would only attract dust and spiders
My container is going to Freemantle, longdistance, I dont want to chance a delay in my container.
For sale wicker baskets anyone?

Giggly, I'm sure the painted one will be fine, honestly - it's only the raw ones that are a real issue. Good luck!

Giggly, I'm sure the painted one will be fine, honestly - it's only the raw ones that are a real issue. Good luck!

Oops! stupid double post - I don't even have a twat smartphone to blame, just Google Chrome telling me it didn't post!

thanks thumbwitch( so tempted to post twice)