When you are moving to Aruba and planning to stay you probably want to take your furniture with you. But you have to take some things into consideration. First of all, you need a residency permit so you can get your things trough customs without having to pay taxes. If you do not have a residency permit you will have to pay taxes on everything you bring to Aruba.

Because of often different voltages and hertz-values in the country of origin it might not always be right to take electrical appliances. Sometimes a solution to avoid replacement could be the acquisition of a transformer. Also consider the acquisition of a multi-system TV and/or video recorder.

During your preparations please take the following issues into consideration:

• Remove as much things that do not need to be moved or use stickers pointing what needs to go where.
• Liquid, corrosive or burning chemicals are a risk and will be denied. To avoid any packaging it might be better to remove them in advance.
• Put together an "Emergency Package" which should either be packed or not be packed at all. This could contain amongst others bandage and toiletry, tools, coffee and/or thee necessities, etc.
• Put your personal documents in safe place in order to avoid them being packed by mistake. Consider hereby renting a small safe at your bank.
• Remove money, shares/stock, jewelry and other valuable items which could leave a wrong impression in the case they get lost. Attention: These kind of items are not a part of any transport insurance.
• Only send photographs of value of which you possess the negatives and pack them safely or leave them stored.
• Take pictures of your most valuable belongings so you can, in the case of an insurance claim, show how these belongings looked like right before the movement. Pictures with a date might give an extra assurance as proof.
• Check if the original packaging of electronic / computer appliances are still available including eventual packing materials.
• Check if the packing material / brackets of your washing machine are still available or ask your supplier if he can take care of this.
• Make sure that lights, appliances, floor covering are removed in time.
• In the case of a waterbed a manual should be available.
• Your current phonebook / telephone guide is a handy address book at your destination.