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pasusan's avatar
pasusan
Explorer
Jan 04, 2017

Hold Mail

We have always been able to hold our mail for our 2 week trips...

Now with our retirement we will take longer trips - this spring we will be gone for about 50 days.

You can only hold mail at the Post Office for 30 days. We don't need to actually get it till we get home - nothing important that we can't do electronically.

Is there a way to do this?
(I did a search and didn't find much on "hold mail")
  • Thanks for the tips! We'll talk to our postmaster first, then if they won't hold it for so long, get a PO box to have it forwarded to.

    I *was* wondering if we could set up a hold and then set up another one when that was soon to run out. We really don't need to get it forwarded to where we will be...
  • Have you talked to your Post Office? I asked our Post Office to hold our mail when we go traveling (up to 4 or 5 months) and they do it without question. Granted, we have a large plastic container full of mail when we return but they do hold it.

    The reg's say 2 weeks but ask for an exception to policy. It worked for us.

    Safe travels, Bill.
  • You are correct in that post office only hold your mail held for 30 days, BUT, I understand you can fill out the "hold mail" form a second time, mail it in or have a friend do it and have it held for another 30 day period. Second method. Get a post office box and the post office will hold you mail as long as you pay the box rental fee, Third suggestion, if you get mail at you house, get a mail box that allows the mail to drop down into a secure area of the box that you unlock to get the mail when you get home. Forth way, have a neighbor or friend get and hold your mail while you are gone. We used or done for others every one of the sbove.
  • I would talk to your Post Master where you live. Each summer we are gone for about 50 days at a time and the Post Office holds our mail. No problems in the last 15 / 20 years. I have talked to other people and a lot of them do the same in other areas and States but you must talk to the Post Master to get his/her
    ok
  • Mail forwarding services could be an option if you plan to stay in one location for a period of time. Not sure that it would work well if you plan to move around a lot. My first suggestions would pertain to the US Postal Service.
  • Your only option would be to have mail forwarded. You could have this sent to an address of a family member or neighbor and have them send important mail on to an address you are staying at. Forwarding mail temporarily can be done for up to a year. You simply complete a temporary change of address noting start and end date? Mail will be forwarded to the temporary address until end date and then automatically mailed to your home at end date. We have used thIs for several years. Magazines will only be forwarded for 60 days but the rest will be forwarded for the time period you select. At the end of 60 days, magazines go back to the publisher, NOT to your home address!
  • You want to look for a mail service that can forward your mail to you wherever you are - there are many -mine costs me $10 per month plus postage to send to me when I want it

    I have used American Home Base out of Florida for 8 years

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