When I'm not wearing a green suit (which, thankfully after two plus years of active duty has been more frequent lately) I work for the US Postal Service. Lately, when working on the machinery that sorts the mail, I've been finding things in the machines that should not have gotten there in the first place. Coins, necklaces, candy, you name it. The USPS does a lousy job of communicating with our customers, so I figured I could assist and explain a few things to PTers, mainly what should and shouldn't be mailed in an envelope, and some packing suggestions.
Many people put things into envelopes and them stamp or write "Hand sort", or "Do Not bend" on the envelope. That doesn't work. The last time a human handles your letter is when the carrier picks it up from the mailbox. After that, all handling is done by machine. If you put statements like that on the envelope it does no good.
Things that seem to fit in envelopes do not work well at all in the First Class mailstream. Anything that causes a bulge in the envelope (Coins, necklaces, candy, you name it, I've seen it) will be ripped out by the machinery when it goes through the pinch points on the machines. This is not intentional, it's just the way it happens. The machinery that handles First Class mail (the mail you send with a $.37 stamp) is made to handle letters. Flat envelopes with paper inside. Not flat letters with something inside wrapped in paper. If you put something in an envelope, (i.e. coins, jewelry) you not only stand a good chance of losing what you mailed, but the ensuing machine malfunction will also tear up the mail around your letter.
If you need to mail a necklace, coins, or other small items, there are mailers available (normally at the local post office) which will ensure that they get to their destination safely. Pictures will normally do quite well in a normal envelope, but if you are nervous about putting it in the regular mail, just put it in a large manila envelope and it will get handled by much gentler machines.
CD's and DVD's do not do well as a First Class Mailpiece. There are mailers available for those items as well.
If you are mailing a parcel, please make sure there is PLENTY of padding around the item(s). Bubble wrap is cheap, lightweight, and easy to use, and the Post Office charges for parcel shipping by weight, not volume. Newspaper works, but should not be used as the sole packing filler. Take what you think is the appropriate size box, go up one size, and fill the rest of the box with packing of some kind. You will be much happier in the end.
I'd be happy to answer any questions. I'd rather have your mail get to its destination than have to clean it out of a machine in pieces.
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12/02
Originally Posted by moosmom
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