Tips for packing your preciously bought Bali souvenirs home, by Sarasvati  Design Store

 

Bali has some of the most beautiful art pieces, wooden carvings and other great purchases you can find in almost every corner of the island.  Be it a cool Balinese painting, an antique home decor, or a ceramic art piece, there is nothing wrong with being tempted to splurge while you’re on a holiday. But not until it is almost time to go home and you need to pack do you start thinking of how you can possibly take those valuable, yet fragile items back home?

Don’t worry, for we have some handy tips on how to pack delicate objects to make it through the long flights home, by the experts from Sarasvati  Design Store.

First thing first, before anything else..

You enter a legitimate shop, you are flabbergasted in front of that exotic Barong wooden carving and definitely see it staring at you in your living room shelf. You are determined to buy it. However, before delving into your impulses, you should first make sure that you are allowed to bring it with you. Ask the shop keepers for a detailed description of your items, and some information for a potential immigration check. They should be able to answer your questions, or else, you can jump in to the internet.

Some useful information from Sarasvati  Design Store’s team – it is mostly items made of or containing wooden materials and natural shells that you will need to check with your country’s regulations. And for scented soaps, coconut oils and organic toiletries, they will need to be BPOM licensed, and are free from cruel animal tests.

Photo by Sarasvati Design Store

Flying with a painting..

Painting is a tricky one, especially if it is framed with glass. You will need to make sure the glass won’t break. And if it is the canvas type, you wouldn’t want the painting to peel off. These are two common ways to pack paintings.

First, you better make sure with the airline you fly with whether the cabin size meets the dimension of the painting you’d like to bring home. For a painting with no glass frame, carefully dismantle the canvas off the wooden frame. You can then roll it in a tube and carry it separately.

For a painting with glass frame, place them on a flat surface and apply masking tapes in a crisscross (an x) pattern over the glass to prevent it from shattering the artwork. Wrap it in bubble wraps and more tapes before packing it in a thick cardboard or wooden box to ensure it is fully protected during transits.

You can potentially ask the shop attendants or the artist to assist you with packing. Otherwise, you can find boxes from most mini marts or supermarkets around Bali – as they normally keep unused boxes for a few days before they get picked up for recycling. As for the bubble wraps, you can find some in our national post office – Post Indonesia, or book stores and art supply stores.

Photos by Sarasvati Design Store and Amazing Custom Art

Bubble wrap them like nobody’s business

Some statues or arts are more delicate than others. Some have more details and thus, require extra attention when it comes to packing. Wouldn’t it be a nightmare to be finding your Balinese Dancer missing one arm when you arrive home –  or worse…torn in half!

Bubble wrap does work wonder! Cut it into smaller pieces and wrap it around the easily bent or fractured areas with not much support. Looking for hassle-free option? Here’s one tip: most shipping companies do offer a secure and proper packing with insurance if you’d like to skip this stressful part and are patient enough to wait for your precious statues to arrive home after you do!

 

Photos by Sarasvati Design Store and Lindsay Lohan Music

And now, after all the dramas, it is time to appreciate your splendid purchase and hang up that Balinese Village painting in your living room! Yes, you finally made it, and you are happy as ever. Now, you have a little piece of Bali in your home country and jogo aviator. Time to plan another trip to bring another Balinese art masterpiece back home 😉