My Advisory:  Here I will list things that you might find useful.

I have just started this list and will add to it as I remember them!

-- Over the counter medications:

You can not find many over the counter drugs like in the western world. Things like, eye wash/ ear drops & cleaners/ insect bite salve/ menstrual and PMS pills/ most anti asids/ etc..., bring your own supply. When you ask for these medications you'll be given a REAL medicine (the antibiotics type), nothing simple.

-- Lactose Intolerant:

If you are lactose intolerant, there are NO pills to counteract this problem, I know, my grandson had this condition but Thanks to God, he's out grown it now.

-- Spices:

The local market is now offering a very limited amount of spices from the western world, they instead have a local brand that are not as aromatic or flavorful. If you have a special spice that you MUST have, bring some with you!

-- Under garments:

If you have a special need in underwear, I suggest that you have a supply with you until you figure out where or IF you can buy them in Saudi. Front-hook bra's are very rare here!

-- Crafters:

You can only find a very few stores here that sell crafting supplies so you might keep a list of names of crafting suppliers who'll send overseas (not everyone will ship to KSA) and do your ordering on-line.

---- Sewing clothing IS NOT a problem as the majority of women have their clothes tailor made, the glitter material and edging are abundant. For patterns there is a great magazine, Burda, that has all the patterns of each magazine contained on sheets, trace the pattern and cut out. If you're not sure about this then bring several basis pattern styles with you.

-- Bringing magazines through customs:

Every time I return from the states I always have a large amount of printed material but have been lucky and none were confiscated. Of course I have not brought in anything banned or controversal but I may have been aprehensive about some pictures in the women's magazines. You might do your own censoring and blacken out any 'over bare' bodies but usually if the magazines are normal women's type, they are ignored or overlooked.

.

.

I'll update as I remember things!

Lighting, and lots of it!
  The Arabs love lights, especially the Saudi's!! With all the heat and hot sun over here, you would think that they might shun away from bright light..... not true!
  Sitting in any home's 'salon' (the entertaining of guest's room) you will find that every light in the room is on. Even in the desert or on the beach, a person will provide as much light as possible! There is a very wide use of  neon lighting to help keep the electricity costs down and this allows MORE lighting to be used. My brother in law at his beach cabin use to have at least 20 neon lights installed on his over-the-water deck but he has replaced them with four, 2,000 watt spotlights!
  You can immediately identify any men's tailoring store by the amount of bright light surrounding their display window, I guess they use this as a way of advertising as well. Even the Bedouin truckers add decorative lighting to the inside and outside of their trucks.
  During a wedding at home, strings of lights will be draped all around the house to let everyone passing know of the marriage. Oh the other hand, a home that has lost a family member to death will hang a single string of lights to announce that's it's open house so that anyone wanting to offer condo lances may visit.
  It has taken me years to get my husband to 'allow' soft lighting in our family room during evenings, he too, loves the bright atmosphere.

.

..

Siestas:
   In Saudi as well as the other Gulf states, it is customary to have afternoon naps, usually from 3 until 5 PM. You never see children in the streets or yards playing during the day but when the sun has cooled down, about 1/2 hour before sunset, people will venture out to shop or have fun.
  Saudi families take their children out often, perhaps four times a week, either for a picnic on the Cornish or shopping in the malls and stores. Every child will get something to eat and perhaps a toy. Families spend good money on their children's entertainment here!
   There are now many huge centers especially for "family entertainment" that are mainly a restaurant but with a lot of  extras. Video Games, virtual video rides, toddler sized rides and many small boutique shop. It's a place to gather and have fun in air-conditioning. A woman will take her girls and small sons (no boys over 12 allowed) to these 'halls' and spend the entire evening there. Dinner time in Saudi is after 8 pm so there's no rush.

.

.