How to Ship a USPS Package from Home

Sending a package through your local post office is always a reliable way to get it to its destination, but we don’t always have time to stand in line at the post office. Fortunately, there are other options for those who want to save time (and money): you can ship a USPS package right from your home in a few easy steps.

The process of shipping a package from home consists of four main steps: packing, paying for postage and printing a shipping label, affixing the label to your package, and leaving the package at a drop-off location or scheduling a package pickup with USPS.

Before packing, make sure you can send the items you want to ship by USPS. Keep in mind that a USPS package cannot weigh more than 70 lbs. In addition, there are prohibited and restricted items that you should be aware of. Prohibited items, such as alcoholic beverages, cannot be shipped via USPS. Restricted items (lithium batteries, perishables, etc.) can be shipped as long as you follow all rules and regulations and properly package and label your items.

The next step is to choose a shipping service. For packages, USPS offers three main domestic services (Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage), plus Media Mail, which has very specific requirements, and three international services (Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International, and First-Class Package International Service). They vary in delivery speed and price: the faster, the more expensive, and vice versa.

Once you know which shipping service you’ll use, you can start packing. You can use a padded envelope (for small and non-fragile items), a sturdy box, or a tube, depending on the items you are shipping. The box should be slightly larger than the items you’re sending to make room for protective padding. It is possible to reuse an old box, but you should make sure it is sturdy enough and cover or black out any old shipping labels, barcodes, logos, etc. If you prefer flat-rate shipping because you don’t want to weigh and measure your box, you can get free flat-rate packaging from USPS.

When packing, be sure to use enough cushioning to protect your items from external impacts and to prevent them from shifting inside the box (but not so much that the box bulges). Close the box and secure all seams with wide, heavy-duty packing tape.

Now you need to pay for postage and print a shipping label. To create prepaid shipping labels, you can use USPS Click-N-Ship® (which requires a USPS account) or a third-party shipping label service such as PostageMaker. The main benefits of using PostageMaker are shipping discounts, which can be as much as 50% off USPS retail rates, and the ability to purchase both USPS and UPS shipping labels, should you decide to use UPS instead.

To create a shipping label, you will need to fill out an online form with the sender and recipient information, as well as some other information needed to ship your package, and select the shipping service. Keep in mind that postage is based on the weight and dimensions of your package, so be sure to weigh and measure it before creating a shipping label (or opt for flat-rate shipping to make things easier).

Now it’s time to pay for the postage (both USPS and PostageMaker accept cards and PayPal, and PostageMaker also accepts USDT and Bitcoin). If you are choose PostageMaker, you will need to add funds to your account in advance, and the payment will be deducted from your account when you generate the shipping label.

The next step is to print the label and affix it to the package. You don’t need a special printer or self-adhesive labels; USPS shipping labels can be printed on regular printer paper. Make sure the label is securely attached, not bent or folded, and that the barcode is clearly visible and easy to scan.

All that’s left is to give the package to the USPS for delivery. You can leave it at a post office, but that defeats the purpose of sending packages from home. More convenient options include dropping your package off at a USPS collection box (your apartment building may have one), putting it in your own mailbox for your mail carrier to pick up, or scheduling a package pickup with USPS.