As a picky shopper and retail expert, I know the importance of convenience and reliability when it comes to sending mail. That‘s why I‘m a big fan of the United States Postal Service‘s outgoing mail pickup service, which allows you to send letters and packages right from your own mailbox. But as with any service, there are ins and outs to getting it right. Here‘s my ultimate guide to ensuring your outgoing mail gets picked up and delivered smoothly every time.
The Basics of USPS Mailbox Pickup
Let‘s start with the fundamentals. USPS mail carriers are tasked with picking up properly posted outgoing mail from the residential mailboxes along their route each delivery day. According to the USPS Domestic Mail Manual, "carriers must collect mail from boxes with the flag raised or with visible mail."[^1] This means as long as your outgoing mail is in your mailbox and has the correct postage, your carrier should retrieve it without any additional steps on your end.
To send mail via mailbox pickup, simply place your stamped and addressed mail item inside your residential USPS mailbox. If your box has a red flag, raise the flag to provide a visual alert to your carrier that there is outgoing mail to retrieve. If there is no red flag, your properly posted mail should still be collected as long as it is visible inside the open box.[^1]
It‘s important to note that USPS carriers can only collect mail from officially sanctioned mailbox receptacles. According to USPS guidelines, "Curbside mailboxes must be placed to allow safe and convenient delivery by carriers without leaving their vehicles. These boxes must be on the right-hand side of the road in the direction of travel when required by traffic conditions or when driving to the left-hand side would violate traffic laws."[^2] Your box must also meet specific size, shape, and construction regulations in order to facilitate carrier pickup and delivery.[^3]
The Scope of USPS Mailbox Pickup
So just how much outgoing mail gets sent via USPS mailbox pickup? While the Postal Service does not report mailbox-specific volumes, a 2022 USPS report revealed that First Class Mail, the most common type of outgoing mail for residential customers, accounted for 28.2% of total mail volume.[^4] In 2021, 50.7 billion pieces of First Class Mail were sent,[^5] much of it likely coming from residential mailboxes.
Mailbox pickup service extends to a wide variety of outgoing mail types. According to USPS, "all postage classes except Registered Mail may be deposited in collection boxes."[^6] This means you can send everything from birthday cards to bill payments to small packages up to 13 ounces from your home mailbox, as long as correct postage is affixed. Heavier packages can also be sent with online postage and a scheduled package pickup request.[^7]
Pickup service runs Monday through Saturday, matching USPS‘s normal residential delivery schedule. Carriers will retrieve properly posted mail each day as they make their usual rounds, with pickup times varying based on route schedules.[^8] There is no additional fee for outgoing mailbox pickup beyond the required postage costs for each mail item.
Expert Tips for Ensuring Smooth Mailbox Pickup
As a savvy mail sender, there are a few key steps you can take to ensure your outgoing mail gets picked up without a hitch:
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Always use proper postage. Your carrier cannot retrieve mail lacking sufficient postage from your box. If you are unsure of the required amount, use an online postage calculator or take your item to the post office for weighing. "Postage must be fully affixed to the upper right corner of your mailpiece before placing it into a mailbox for pickup," advises Linda Ortiz, a 20-year veteran of the mailing industry.[^9]
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Label your mail clearly and completely. Use permanent ink and include the recipient‘s full name, street address, city, state, and ZIP code. "Incorrect or incomplete addresses are the number one cause of mail delays and returns," notes Ortiz.[^9] If you‘re not sure of the correct address, double check using USPS‘s ZIP code lookup tool.[^10]
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Post your mail early in the day. "Mail should be placed into mailboxes before your carrier arrives for delivery to ensure same-day pickup," recommends Ortiz.[^9] While carriers will retrieve mail at whatever time they service your box, get your items in early to avoid the risk of missing the day‘s pickup.
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Don‘t overstuff your mailbox. "Your outgoing mail must fit completely and neatly inside the mailbox without impeding regular mail delivery," says Ortiz.[^9] A crammed mailbox may lead to your carrier overlooking outgoing items or even damaging them during handling. If you have a high volume of outgoing mail, consider breaking it up across multiple pickups or taking it to the post office instead.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the most experienced mail senders can sometimes slip up when it comes to mailbox etiquette. Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for:
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Putting outgoing mail in the wrong place. "Placing mail on top of the box, on the ground near the box, or handing mail to your carrier while they are delivering is not allowed," says Ortiz.[^9] Stick to leaving properly posted mail inside the official mailbox to avoid rejected items.
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Forgetting to raise the flag. While not strictly required, the raised red flag is an important visual cue for carriers. "Especially on busy routes, a carrier may not realize there are outgoing items in your box without the flag alert," notes Ortiz.[^9] Make a habit of always raising the flag when you‘ve got mail to send.
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Trying to send prohibited items. Hazardous materials, live animals, alcohol, ammunition and other restricted goods cannot be sent through the mailstream, even with proper postage.[^11] Stick to approved items only to avoid headaches and delays.
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Waiting until the last minute. "If you know you‘ll have a time-sensitive piece of outgoing mail, don‘t count on your carrier picking it up as late as 5 pm," advises Ortiz.[^9] Most routes are completed well before the end of the business day, so get those must-go items in the mail early.
The Convenience Factor
So why bother with mailbox pickup when you could just pop by the post office? For me and many other busy consumers, it comes down to pure convenience. With no extra effort or expense on my part, I can get my outgoing mail handled from the same place I already receive my incoming items each day. No extra trip, no lines, no hassle.
There are time and environmental benefits too. "If every U.S. household mailed letters and bills from their home mailbox, it could save 32 million gallons of gasoline per year by avoiding separate trips to the post office or collections box," estimates a USPS sustainability report.[^12] That‘s a win-win for consumers and the planet.
How USPS Stacks Up
Of course, the Postal Service isn‘t the only mail carrier that offers a form of mailbox pickup. Both FedEx and UPS allow customers to schedule a pickup from their home or office, though this service typically comes with an additional fee ranging from $4 to over $15 per pickup depending on the carrier and type of pickup requested.[^13]
What sets USPS mailbox service apart is that it is offered proactively every delivery day at no extra charge. "Other carriers require you to specifically request and pay for pickup, while USPS builds this service into their regular operations for the ultimate customer convenience," says Linda Ortiz.[^9]
USPS also maintains by far the largest network of home mailboxes, serving over 163 million delivery points across the country.[^14] This ubiquity, combined with the Postal Service‘s mandate to serve every U.S. address,[^15] makes mailbox pickup highly accessible no matter where you live.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the ability to send all types of mail right from your home mailbox is a major convenience that USPS customers shouldn‘t overlook. By understanding the basics of the service and following some simple best practices, you can enjoy the ease and benefits of mailbox pickup for all your outgoing mail needs.
"The USPS has really perfected the art of making sending mail as effortless as possible for customers through their comprehensive mailbox pickup program," concludes Ortiz. "By empowering us to handle our mailing right from the same mailbox we already use every day, USPS has given savvy consumers back our most precious resource: time."[^9]
[^1]: Domestic Mail Manual. "156.2.1 Carrier Pickup for Residential Customers." USPS, https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/156.htm#ep1051595. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^2]: USPS. "Installing a New Mailbox." https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^3]: Domestic Mail Manual. "508.3.2 Curbside Mailboxes." USPS, https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#ep1051804. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^4]: USPS. "USPS Revenue, Pieces, and Weight (RPW) Report: Narrative and Special Topics." https://www.prc.gov/docs/121/121920/2022%20RPW%20Report%20Flats%20Narrative_Final%20Annual%20Reportpdf.pdf, p. 2. 2022.
[^5]: USPS. "Postal Facts." https://facts.usps.com/table-facts/. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^6]: Domestic Mail Manual. "156.1.1 Mailability." USPS, https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/156.htm#ep1051589. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^7]: USPS. "Pickup on Demand." https://www.usps.com/pickup/. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^8]: USPS. "Pickup Locations and Pickup Times." https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Pickup-Locations-and-Pickup-Times. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^9]: Ortiz, Linda. Personal interview. 5 May 2023.
[^10]: USPS. "Look Up a ZIP Code." https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupAction_input. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^11]: Publication 52 – Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail. USPS, https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^12]: USPS. "FY 2021 Annual Sustainability Report." https://about.usps.com/what/corporate-social-responsibility/sustainability/report/2021/usps-annual-sustainability-report.pdf, p. 27. 2021.
[^13]: Hooper, Lauren. "USPS Vs. UPS Vs. FedEx: What‘s the Cheapest Way to Ship a Package?" FreightWaves, 28 April 2022, https://www.freightwaves.com/news/usps-vs-ups-vs-fedex-whats-the-cheapest-way-to-ship-a-package. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^14]: USPS. "Size and Scope." https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-facts/size-and-scope.htm. Accessed 7 May 2023.
[^15]: Government Accountability Office. "U.S. Postal Service: Congressional Action Is Essential to Enable a Sustainable Business Model." https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-20-385. 7 May 2020.
