Proper Packaging Prevents Problems

I’m a sucker for alliteration.

But seriously, it’s the beginning of November! With roughly seven weeks left in this year, I need to pull out my checklist to see what I have left to do.

Reluctantly put away the Halloween decor…check. Vote…check. Start making a grocery list for Thanksgiving…check. Start shopping for holiday gifts and greeting cards…check.

What am I forgetting? Oh yeah! I need to figure out how to properly wrap and ship all the gifts. That vase for my Aunt Patty won’t get there in one piece if I don’t package it the right way. So exactly how do I protect and ship gifts so they get there in one piece?

The Postal Service can help with that. Long gone are the days when items could be wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with string. Now there are so many options to send your packages — including Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express. Whichever method you choose, make sure to follow a few simple rules.

Leave space for extra cushioning inside the package and stuff glass and fragile, hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage. Mailing framed photographs? Take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately. If you’re sending any battery operated devices, make sure those items are turned off or package the batteries separately, preferably in the original manufacturer’s packaging.

Of course, if you send via Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, you can get your shipping boxes for FREE!

Sending gifts to another country has different restrictions and requirements, including filling out customs forms. For information on sending packages internationally, visit the USPS International Shipping page.

The Postal Service also offers shipping tips in a variety of online “how to” guides. Each video is less than three minutes long and shows how to address packages, ship packages and pack a box so items arrive safely.

More information on all things holiday can be found in our Holiday Newsroom.