The most important step in shipping your personal belongings is the packing.

Personal belongings shipped from the USA are mostly sent via sea inside steel containers. These containers can vary in size, i.e., 20-foot or 40-foot containers. These can provide the utmost protection for the individual boxes, trunks, etc. However, one consequence is the degree of heat one container can produce within a limited space on a vessel. This can create the formation of moisture which results in mildew. We have listed below various packing materials you can use for your personal belongings that will protect your goods against damage(s). These materials are readily available in any Moving Supply Centers, U-Haul centers, Home Depot, Staples, and Mail Boxes, Etc.

These are several of the examples of boxes most commonly used in shipping:

• Dish/China Boxes: Used for fragile items (Dishware, crystals, glassware)
• Linen Boxes: Used for clothes, bed sheets & Blankets
• Book Boxes: Used for Books, albums, Magazines, etc.
• Wardrobe Boxes: Used for clothes which need to be hung on hangers
• Computer Boxes: Used for computers and audio equipment

For the safety of your belongings you should also purchase the following packing materials:

• Bubble Plastic Wrap: Used for computers, sound systems, dish ware and other fragile items
• Wrapping Paper: Used for extra wrapping for dishware & glassware
• Styrofoam: Also known as peanuts or popcorn, to be used for filling empty spaces in the boxes.
• Packing Tape: Standard 2 inches wide roll of tape to seal boxes.

To prevent moisture and mildew, we suggest strongly to place a layer of plastic trash bags in the bottom of the box. As an extra cushioning, we also recommend using old newspapers to wrap the fragile items, and also the bubble plastic wrap, as mentioned above. Once the box is full, use the peanuts to fill in any/all empty spaces inside the box. This is the best way to pack your fragile goods.

For the packing of computers and electronics equipment, we suggest that these items be packed in their Original box in which they were purchased. Should these boxes be unavailable, you can purchase the boxes from moving supply centers. The original boxes should also contain the original foam pieces and plastic coverings.

Other items such as clothing, linen and blankets can be placed in regular boxes or wardrobe boxes. Once again, we urge you to place a trash bag on the bottom of these boxes to prevent moisture and mildew.

Textbooks, books and other paper made items, must be packed in book boxes. Due go the heaviness of some books, we strongly suggest that the maximum weight limit per book box should not exceed 70 lbs. In addition, when packing your items, it is important to remember that fragile items should not be packed together with heavy items, such as computer equipment and electronics, as the fragile items will surely be damaged.

Once the boxes are packed completely, please state clearly the following information:

• Name & address of shipper in the United States
• Address of final destination overseas
• VITA BAHARI, INC
• The number of the box (Box #1, Box #2, Box #3, etc.)
• Booking number/shipping number

Please note that if you are sending the goods via UPS service, the above information should also be printed, except #2, the overseas address. UPS will not deliver the packages if there are 2 (two) different addresses. The only address that should be printed on these boxes is the address of the warehouse facility that you are sending to. Should UPS notice the overseas address, they may mistakenly send these goods to your overseas address by accident, and that will be very costly to you Once we receive these goods, we will be able to identify the final destination of these goods by using the Booking Number that is printed on the boxes.