Safe Packing Guidelines

Packing items yourself? We have some rule-of-thumb guidelines to help you pack items for safe shipping.

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Safe Packing Guidelines

We at postalcenter® can wrap, pack and ship almost any item.  If it can be shipped, we can pack it.  What if you pack items yourself?  How do you know that your items are packaged safely?  Well, shipping insurance and declared value requirements can at times be complex and if you don’t follow them, you may not be covered if you need to file a claim. Here’s some items that may help you out:

 

1. Your shipment should be able to withstand a 4 foot drop.  The sorting belts in the carriers facilities are typically 4 feet high.  If your package falls off the belt, it needs to be safe.
2. The package should not crush.  Press on the top of your box after it is packed.  Does the box bend inward?  Does it not feel tight?  If so, you do not have adequate cushoning inside.  Your shipment must be able to handle having other (and heavier) packages stacked on top of it.
3. Contents should rattle when you shake the box.  When you shake your box, do the contents inside shift or make noise.  If they do, they may not be secure enough inside.
4. Don’t put breakable items in bubble mailers or padded envelopes.  The purpose of your shipping container (box, envelope, tube, ect) is to make your shipment able to stack.  Therefore, other packages/shipments will be stored on top of yours.  When you put an item in an envelope, you should feel comfortable with heavier items stacked on top of it. 

 

It is important to understand that when a package is in transit, it will be moving and will be stacked with other shipments.  It is your job to make sure that your shipment is packed in a way that will allow it to travel safely in this environment.  These are just general rule-of-thumb guidelines to help you keep your shipment safe.  We recommend that you always check the insurance or declared value guidelines associated with the items you are shipping.  These requirements can change based on the type and value of the item(s) you are sending.

 

If you have items that you would rather have us pack, we can do that for you.  Our staff are professionally trained in safe packing techniques.  We’ll pack your items correctly for you.

 

Professional Packing Services

We can wrap, pack and ship just about any size item.  Furniture, artwork, and large items are everyday items for us at postalcenter®.  If you are moving, we can pack items for your move.  If you are shipping, we can obviously pack for that also.  We guarantee the items we pack are always packed to meet carrier and insurance guidelines.  To learn more about this, see our pack and ship guarantee.

 

Pack & Ship Guarantee

With our professional packing services, you are always in good hands at postalcenter®. If an item that is packed by one of our associates and shipped with insured/declared value coverage, you’ll be reimbursed for the value of the item (subject to the lesser of actual value, replacement or repair cost), and the full cost of packing materials (excluding insurance/declared value charges).  Restrictions apply.   For full details, see our pack & ship guarantee.