Full-time campers are used to being asked a series of questions, like “how do you make a living?” and “how do you live in such a small place?” another common question is, “how do you get your mail?”
For this article, let’s tackle the easiest of the three: how to carry mail on the go. Whether you’re thinking of hitting the road full-time, part-time, or just going on an extended trip; mail management is a task you will need to tackle.
The good news is that there are several ways to get your mail when you’re on the go, as long as you have a well-thought-out plan to make it happen. Let’s dig deeper.
1. mail forwarding vs. permanent address change
If you travel from 15 days to a year, the United States Post Office can forward your mail from your address to another of your choice. this is the ideal route if you’ll be traveling for less than a year, as it doesn’t require you to constantly update your mailing address with friends, family, and businesses.
If you’re going to be traveling for more than a year, you’ll need to make a more permanent change. Options here include using a mail forwarding service, which will provide you with a new mailing address, or changing your address to that of a friend or family member who can pick up your mail for you.
2. hire a mail forwarding service
Whether you’re a full-time traveler or an aficionado of the snow, getting a shipping service is a good option. Many services, such as Escapes, Travel Mailbox, and even some UPS stores, will receive, package, and ship your mail at regular intervals or on demand. there is a fee to use these services, but also the peace of mind of having an external party take care of this for you.
for paper mail, runaways and travel mailbox are popular services. these services will provide you with an address to share with your friends, family and businesses. when you receive mail at that address, the service will send you an email and let you know. from there, you have a few options. you can open and scan your mail, package it and send it to a different address (see tips below), shred it, or hold it for a later date. some mail services will even deposit checks into your bank account for you.
Advice for travelers: Whenever possible, go paperless. This not only saves you from having to sign up for a forwarding service, but also saves paper along the way. Not all services will advertise paperless options, so ask. most of the time, they have them and they are easy to use.
3. ask a friend or relative
Another way to get your mail when you’re on the go is to send it to a family member or friend who’s willing to pick it up for you. this works well if you have a family member or close friend who doesn’t mind getting a little extra mail and then forwarding it when they know you’ll be somewhere long enough to receive it.
Whether you’re using your family’s address as your permanent address or forwarding your mail to them, be sure to alert your mail carrier or post office that they’ll be receiving mail on your behalf. there are instances where delays can occur when mail is sent to an address that does not typically receive mail for the recipient. to get around that temporarily, you can add a c/o (care of) to the address. using a c/o is easy and guarantees no delays.
here is an example of how to use a c/o in an address:
your name c/o name of family member or friend address city state zip code
Now that your mail is safe with a mail forwarding service or with a friend or family member, how can you get your hands on it?
4. use usps general delivery
usps general delivery is a popular way to receive mail packages from a mail forwarding service or whoever picks it up for you. With USPS General Delivery, a post office will receive and hold your packaged mail envelope behind the counter. they will keep it between 10 and 30 days (this depends on the office, call ahead to confirm) and you can pick it up without a prescription.
A couple of important things to note about overall delivery:
- Not all Post Offices participate in the service. To find a Post Office that will receive general delivery, search for locations in the Post Office Locator and then look under “services at this location ” for “general delivery”. It is also worth calling the post office directly to confirm. A post office has been known to be listed as a general delivery receiver on the website, only to find out when you go to pick up your mail that at they don’t actually offer the service.
- Photo ID, such as a license or passport, is required to pick up general delivery mail at a post office.
- do not ship packages via ups, fed-ex, or other non-usps delivery services because they will most likely be undeliverable.
how to approach general deliveries:
your name general delivery city state post office zip code
5. receive mail in a camp
If you know you’ll be at a specific campground, RV resort, or lodge on a specific date, call ahead and see if they’ll get the mail for you. Some businesses, especially campgrounds that offer extended or seasonal stays, will accept mail for campers. be sure to check with the company to make sure they’re open to receiving guest mail, and ask exactly how that mail should be sent.
If your camp doesn’t accept mail for guests, ask if they know of a local private mailbox service near you. For example, in many popular snowbird areas like Quartz and Lake Havasu, private mailbox services will, for a fee, receive and distribute mail and packages for long-term campers and travelers who They’re just passing through.
6. how to get packages
Getting your mail sorted is one thing, but what about package deliveries from online stores and retailers? there are a couple of ways to receive packets on the road. they all require a bit of advanced planning, so it’s best to order ahead if there’s something you really need by a certain date.
One of the easiest ways to do this is with store pickup if that’s an option. Most of the large chains (ie Walmart, Target, etc.) offer in-store pickup options and you can choose the location closest to you. then all you have to do is get in, grab your item and hit the road.
If you’re ordering from amazon, find an amazon box near you. These are found in most major cities and are easy to choose from during checkout on Amazon. there are no additional fees for the lockers, they have great hours and will notify you when your package is ready for pickup.
Finally, it is possible to receive packages for stores in suppliers such as UPS or FedEx. this service is done for a fee, and you should call ahead to make sure they accept blanket deliveries, as not all locations do. Make sure you know exactly how your package is being shipped before choosing a receiving store location, as you’re unlikely to have much luck receiving a UPS-delivered package at a FedEx store.
and there you have it! While taking mail and packages on the road takes a bit of planning, it’s not that hard once you get the hang of it. Do you have any mail delivery tips we’ve missed? please leave them in the comments below!