Mail and what to do with it

[smartguy]

I'm sort of new to extended RVing and while gone for more then 30 days at a time, I use my neighbor to get my mail. The USPS has a 30 day limit on holding mail and after thirty days, I'm told they will return it to sender.
I'm now faced with the this delema again with an upcoming 3 month trip and no neighbor. Yeah, I haven't anyone around me that I can use to get my mail. I do all of my bill paying on line and don't really care about whats in the mail but I do know that from time to time, things will come that might require me to deal with eventually.
I need some advice on how to deal with this problem. Has anyone had to do the same? I live in Yuma and see the snowbirds flocking to the post office to do a change of address from their summer place to their now winter place. I will be traveling to many places and just want to get all the mail when I get back home. Any ideas??

[Steve Ownby]

Can you rent a mailbox either at the USPS & fill out a change of address card to forward mail to that box. Or do the same with a box at some private mail box rental business. Some of the private businesses will forward the contents of your box to you at your request.

[K-Star]

similar thread running here:

Question about mail forwarding


Here is what I did:

After retiring but before going full time, we took an extended trip. My SIL/Daughter went to our house once per week. He cut the grass for us and she picked up our mail at the Post Office. I had to sign an authorization for her to pick up our mail. When we talked to her she told us what was in the mail. Anything important she dropped in the mail to where we were. She held everything else until we got home.

[jzick]

We use a box at a local UPS store and do a temporary forward with the USPS. If we want, the UPS manager will look at our mail for us to help decide what to send. Most of the time we just email them and they bundle our mail and send it where we tell them (usually a campground) and when it should arrive. Works well for us. We tried a relative once and a neighbor once but in both cases their lives interfered with our needs so it did not work out. Enjoy your trip.

[GaryKD]

jzick does the same as I do. Anything from the government (all levels) or an attorney is forwarded. The rest is put in a box until we return.

[mhs4771]

Check with your post office. We know about the 30 day rule, but they held our mail for 3 months this past spring while we were traveling in FL looking for a winter nest. We're now in that nest and are having our mail forwarded to the Resort as we're here for 5 months (USPS will forward 1st class for 6 months)

[smartguy]

Thanks to all of you who responded. I will get a PO box and just hold the mail until I return. Thanks again for the good advice. Its great to know that so many people here have or had similar problems or dilemma's and can off good solutions. Thanks!!!

[Healeyman]

I'd suggest that you go in and actually talk to the REAL Postmaster, not a counter worker.

Explain your situation and he may be able to work with you on how long they can/will hold your mail.

MY local post office has held my mail for over 7 weeks, although we're not usually gone for more than 4-5 weeks. We always go in and pick up our accumulated mail rather than having it delivered.

We also always graciously THANK the person who gets it out of the back for us. (They don't seem to get thanked very much).

If that doesn't work, try some of the suggestions from others.

Tim

[w6pea]

The 30 day limit is news to me....maybe since the post of is on the verge of insolvency, they started that. Year before last, 2009 DW and I were gone for a little less than 90 days. The local post office held all of our mail for that time and delivered it to our door the Monday afternoon we got home.

If We Can't Haul It....You Don't Need It! Motor-T