What to do with mail, if away from a home >30 days at a time.

last year

last modified: last year

We split our time between two locations. Never on a regular schedule and not always for the same duration of time at one or the other. I don't use the address of the second location at all for any purpose so that nearly all mail of importance comes to the primary address. In addition, for years even before getting the second home, I've always opted for e-delivery and not snail mail delivery of bills and notices whenever possible. And, autopayment. Still some things of importance slip through (I have Informed Delivery for both locations). Mostly because of what the other member of my household does. :-(

It's a bit frustrating that the US Postal Service only allows temporary mail holds of 30 days. When initiating a Hold, one has the choice of 1) carrier delivers mail on the last day, or 2) The post office will hold the mail for 2 weeks past last date of the Hold. And then, who knows what they do with it?

You can let one hold end and then start another the next day or second day afterwards.

Because the here and there nature of where we are continues and is irregular, I don't want to inconvenience a friend or neighbor to have to swing by two days in a row to pick up mail and accumulated mail when one hold ends and another begins. Though I've done that reluctantly a few times. We have no family members living near our primary location.

Mail can be permanently redirected to a new address once but that's not what I want to do in this situation. Maybe I misunderstand this choice?

I think some of you have mentioned having a second home, though comments have suggested they're used seasonally for months at a time (like winter homes in Florida) which our use pattern is not similar to.

How do you handle your mail for long trips or when away from home for more than 30 days?

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Ally De

last year

Good neighbors are worth gold to me. There are 4 houses around me in NY where we share things like this. Watering plants on porches, getting mail, watching for packages - makes my heart happy to have our own mini neighborhood watch and task pool.

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Comments (11)

KW PNW Z8
last year
Elmer, We’ve never had to hold mail for more than 30 days so can’t help there. But, an option might be to use a service like full time RV living & traveling folks do. That is, they use a private mail box (PMB) as their permanent address. Periodically they contact PMB to request mail be sent to them. It’s usually sent in a packet via FedEx or other same type of service. I only know this as 2 of my siblings lived in giant RV’s & traveled. That’s how they got their mail that was still paper. Most of their business mail was paperless. I think the sibling that’s still using the service has instructed the PMB to discard obvious advertising mail. If you did that the PMB could be in the town you live in the most & you could pick up mail periodically but have it sent to your second home when you’re away for extended periods. I’m pretty sure I’m telling you correctly how this works but might be worth checking out as an option.
aok27502
last year
We are in a similar situation. We have a PO Box in the town where my in-laws live. Everything possible automated.

I recently found a newly-opened shipping and service store in our little town. They offer digital mailbox. Similar to the RV service mentioned above. But, they scan the envelopes and email (I think) every day. You go to your dashboard and tell them to trash (they shred), hold, or open and show the inside.

I haven't worked out the small details yet. But it's significantly cheaper than our PO box, with more services.

Google "digital mailbox."
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eld6161
last year
last modified: last year
We pay a trusted friend to bring in the mail 3 times a week. She calls if there is something important.

I would not expect anyone to do this as a favor.

We also have most things online but there are still a few things that can’t be.

For our other residence, we have a home watch company that will check the mail.
foodonastump
last year
I’ve never run into this problem but if I did, rather than ”inconvenience” a neighbor I’d pay a neighborhood kid to collect the mail each day and accumulate it until I'm back. Simple chore and kids like making money. Overpay them and they’ll look forward to next time! In addition, I'd consider leaving a few addressed and stamped manila envelopes, so it would be easy to forward something of urgency should it come through on Informed Delivery. Might coordinate that through the parents who I’m sure would be happy to help at that point.
sephia_wa
last year
I don't get that much mail and pay everything online so what little mail I gets sits in the locking mailbox for at least a week before I get it. I have informed delivery too so can see daily what I'm receiving. When I'm gone I pay a trusted neighbor kid to check the box once a week. I don’t get any mail of significance anyway and the kid makes a few bucks.
lettersatoz
last year
last modified: last year
Interesting thread, thank you for starting it. I didn’t realize there were such services as PMB or digital mailbox, so that’s good to learn.

For now, I’m at our second home for the winter season because I work remotely but my husband does not have that luxury, so comes down sporadically, about a week per month-ish. Therefore, he’s in charge of our mail up north, but as he winds down at work and can spend more time here we’ll need to consider other options.

We don’t get much, if any, real mail here but because we’re gone for months at a time in the off season, I pay a home watch guy to come into the house once per week and he’ll occasionally check the mail to make sure there’s nothing important looking.
arcy_gw
last year
I have neighbors who have their mail forwarded while they are away. One could also rent a box at the post office and request it be 'rerouted' to there.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
last year
Some neighbors hire another neighbor's boys to pick up their mail and newspapers. Our neighbor across the street asks me to get theirs when they are away and I am happy to do so.
Emily Hurley
last year
Hey everyone - I just cleaned up quite a few comments on this thread that were directed at individual members and a bit harsh - not in keeping with a kind and supportive community. Please refrain from taking potshots at other members (this goes both ways) and if you do run across someone who is behaving in a way that you feel is unkind, just flag the comment for our team to review rather than respond. That's the best way to keep it from getting out of hand. Responding tends to make it worse.

Thank you!
Elmer J Fudd
Original Author
last year
Thank you Emily.

What to do with mail, if away from a home >30 days at a time.

Ally De

Comments (11)

KW PNW Z8

aok27502

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What to do with mail, if away from a home >30 days at a time.

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