establishing destination US PO Box before leaving

[dogear52]

I need to order a few last minute items before I leave but due to my rental month end closing in when I order I'll have to have them delivered to my destination post office or other available establishment. So has anyone been able to establish a destination US PO Box before leaving (in my case destination N. AZ) so items were delivered in a town near by their campsite? Or do you have to establish PO Box in person at destination post office upon arrival? I'd like to get these items asap if not at time I arrive. Or is there a better way to do this?    

 

[Almost There]

I need to order a few last minute items before I leave but due to my rental month end closing in when I order I'll have to have them delivered to my destination post office or other available establishment. So has anyone been able to establish a destination US PO Box before leaving (in my case destination N. AZ) so items were delivered in a town near by their campsite? Or do you have to establish PO Box in person at destination post office upon arrival? I'd like to get these items asap if not at time I arrive.    

If it's being shipped UPS it can be shipped 'hold for pick up', same goes for Fedex. If it's going USPS, then general delivery at a post office near you is automatically held for pick up.

When I was on the road I developed a system for getting supplies. UPS won't tell you where the closest UPS depot is to you without a zip code so I'd look up where I was going to be on the W/M listing in their Rand McNally maps. That would give me a zip code, then I could use the UPS site to determine where the closest depot was and what the hours were. Once you've got that, you can then order the shipment for delivery there.

Make sure you take ID with you when you go to pick it up.

 

[blars]

http://usps.com/ has a "find postal locations" useful for finding post offices and zip codes, and if any specific post office handles general delivery.

 

[dogear52]

Heck, looks easier than I thought. Thanks guys.

 

[gypsychic]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201530900

Here's info about Amazon locker. If you're buying from Amazon you can ship to a location and pickup within 3 days. I have multiple locker locations near me. Just another option to keep in mind.

 

[akrvbob]

I spent a summer camped outside of Flagstaff, AZ so I got a private mailbox in town. I used these good folks:
http://www.mailboxplusflagstaff.com/

Give em a call, tell them you have a box coming and they will hold it for you. They charge $5 a package, which is why i got a box for $12 a month instead. They receive from all carriers and also will forward your packages.

Bob

 

[compassrose]

Many campgrounds (private ones, not public) will accept a package. I think you would need a reservation for that. The problem I see with the Amazon locker is that #1 there might not be one near where you pass (there isn't one in Roswell and it's got a population of over 300K) and if you don't pick up within the three days, the package gets returned.

 

[sisterearth]

I don't know if this is typical or even still done, but I used to call small town post offices and let them know I was coming and for a very short time could have stuff waiting for me via General Delivery, but that was a time ago. Happy weekend everybelly!

 

[steveh2112]

http://usps.com/ has a "find postal locations" useful for finding post offices and zip codes, and if any specific post office handles general delivery.

hi, so can my son mail an item tome at any given post office and they will hold it until i arrive to check it out?

thx steve

 

[cdiggy]

hi, so can my son mail an item tome at any given post office and they will hold it until i arrive to check it out?

thx steve

Yes. I, as well as many backpackers, use this service a lot to resupply on the trail and/or mail stuff that you cannot carry on an aero plane. Find the zip code of the post office you want it delivered to, address it to yourself with the post office address/zip code with the words "General Delivery" and the post office will hold it for you. Bring your ID.

 

[steveh2112]

Yes. I, as well as many backpackers, use this service a lot to resupply on the trail and/or mail stuff that you cannot carry on an aero plane. Find the zip code of the post office you want it delivered to, address it to yourself with the post office address/zip code with the words "General Delivery" and the post office will hold it for you. Bring your ID.

great, thanks, i assume this is safe enough the send important docs then. my new drivers license and van reg will come in 2 weeks and i'd like to get going before then, so my son will mail it to me

steve

 

[cdiggy]

great, thanks, i assume this is safe enough the send important docs then. my new drivers license and van reg will come in 2 weeks and i'd like to get going before then, so my son will mail it to me

steve

I have done it many times using parcel post ground and priority mail. Have never had an issue. Backpackers doing the AT do this all the time for food resupply for all 2000 miles. If you feel extra nervous about it you can google 'general delivery post office' and get directions on how right from the postmaster general himself!

 

[Almost There]

Helpful Hints for this:

1. USPS will only hold for 30 days, make sure you're not outside of this.

2. Use small town Post Offices only - bigger cities have 2 or more post offices and inevitably your parcel will end up at the wrong one.

3. Phone ahead to make sure that the post office you've chosen WILL accept General Delivery, some Postmasters can be kinda snarly about it. Don't trust the website, it may not be up to date or accurate.  Also find out what hours you can pick up g/d during, some hikers found out the hard way that some post offices have specific hours for general delivery pickup.

4. If it's box that's being shipped, have the shipper mark the shipping address on ALL sides so that no matter how it's put on the shelf the shipping info shows.

5. Label should read: 

Your Name,
General Delivery,
Name of Town,
Zip Code

It should also have 'Hold for Pick Up' written in bold letters in a few places.

 

[akrvbob]

NO!! Not all P.O. branches will receive general delivery. If town has multiple branches, usually only one will accept general delivery. In a big town, multiple branches may receive GD, but not all.

Generally it works just fine, but if you do run into a problem with it, you are really SOL!! I've heard some pretty sad stories.
Bob

 

[cdiggy]

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm/D930.htm
According to the post office and this web page from the post office in areas where there are multiple facilities only one is likely to hold GD mail. So cities with more then one PO you might have a problem if it does not go to the correct office. Cities with only one PO you should be good to go.