Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.
These words are the official creed of the United States Postal Service. This motto perfectly describes the dedication of our postal carriers to try their best to successfully deliver and retrieve your mail no matter the circumstances. We rely on our postal carriers and depend on them to deliver our mail to the correct recipients, ensure that the proper pieces of mail are coming to the correct address, and guarantee that our mail is not damaged or late. It is important that we as customers of the United States Postal Service do our part to make things easier for our couriers and increase mail carrier safety. This will only improve mail delivery by helping the process be quicker and more efficient. The next time you go to your mailbox or prepare mail to be sent, stop and consider a few things that your mail person would like you to know.
1Write Legibly
2Red Envelopes are a Problem
3Use a Ballpoint Pen
4Don’t Use Staples
5Buy Stamps
6Postal Holidays are Observed
7Check Your Mail
8Do not Plant Around Your Mailbox
9Keep Area Around Mailbox Clear
10Move Your Car
11Properly Display Your House Numbers
12Keep Dogs Tied Up
Installing a New Mailbox
When looking for a new mailbox, find one that has received the Postmaster General’s (PMG) seal of approval before purchasing. If you choose to build your own, you must construct it according to the manufactured standards. When you are ready to install your new mailbox, there are several guidelines that you must follow for both the post and the mailbox.
- Use a 4” x 4” stable wooden support.
- Avoid supports like heavy metal pipes or concrete posts.
- Do not bury your post more than 2 feet deep in the ground.
- Position the mailbox 41-45 inches high from the road surface to the bottom of the point of mail entry.
- Place your mailbox 6-8 inches back from the curb.
- Put your house number on the mailbox with easy to read numbers.
- If your mailbox is located on a different street from your house or apartment, put your full address on the mailbox.
- If you are attaching a mailbox to your house, make sure the postal carrier can easily reach it.
For more information on why you need house numbers, check out The Importance of House Numbers.
Sources: Postal Holidays, Mailbox Guidelines
Picture Credit: Sasha Staton, Pixabay
