Restrictions on what can bring with customs?

[canadayogini]

Ok this is probably going to sound like a weird questions... but given our personal effects/household goods will take somewhere between 4-6 months to travel from Australia to Canada we're wondering what we can put in the boxes to keep them bug-free and smelling 'fresh'.

We have packed a lot of clothes and linen already in plastic and/or vacuum sealed bags inside the cardboard boxes. Don't want to put mothballs inside as they are toxic and don't smell good. Wondering could we put some fresh or dried lavender (any tips or alternatives?)

What are the implications with canadian customs if we do add a few twigs of lavender here and there (I searched on their website but couldn't find anything specific and would hate for our boxes to be delayed even further).

any tips appreciated.

Cheers

[shandymoo]

you should use bounce dryer sheets! I put them in my suitcase to keep my clothes smelling clean! Works really well!

[canadayogini]

thanks for the tip... but we haven't been able to find any dryer sheets at all so far in Australia. Most people don't use a dryer here :-)

[lnl]

Maybe try some cloths heavily sprayed with some like fabreze or a few drops of lavender oil?

[TracyS]

I think I'd avoid the dried and fresh lavender. It's a plant matter and you'd probably have to declare it.  It may hold up delivery if you have to show it to customs.  The drops of lavender oil sound like a good idea.

[lnl]

A friend travelled from US to England and when her belongings arrived from transit the clothes didn't smell damp just a little stale. My own clothes and household 'stuff' has been in storage since mid December 2010 so no doubt I'll have similar issues to deal with, all clothing and fabrics was sealed in vacuum bags, which I do recommend by the way. The storage and transit company didn't recommend them as they want the volume to increase fees, but they brought down the amount of space needed by two thirds!!! So if you haven't already bought a supply...they can be used when here is Canada for storage still

[awor]

Cotton balls with a few drops of your favorite essential oil smell, put inside a ziploc baggie and don't seal it.

Another option is to get some good smelling bars of soap (keep in their boxes) and put one box of soap inside each packed box. I know there's a LOT of handmade soap sellers in Australia (I'm a hobby soap maker so I participate in soap making forums) so you could even treat yourself to some really nice soap to have when you land PM me for a link to my favorite Aussie soap seller (if you want of course)

[Alex121]

This sounds intresting
I was wondering can I take cheese, or would this cause me a problem at the border. thanks

[canadayogini]

Cotton balls with a few drops of your favorite essential oil smell, put inside a ziploc baggie and don't seal it.

Another option is to get some good smelling bars of soap (keep in their boxes) and put one box of soap inside each packed box. I know there's a LOT of handmade soap sellers in Australia (I'm a hobby soap maker so I participate in soap making forums) so you could even treat yourself to some really nice soap to have when you land PM me for a link to my favorite Aussie soap seller (if you want of course)

Love the idea of cotton balls with lavender oil and also some random bars of soap, great ideas!! thanks everyone