Mail Drops - Rules on Boxes

[Cookerhiker]

I haven't seen this addressed in other forums. Perhaps most of you already know this but for those who don't....

If you're like me and need free sturdy boxes for packing, moving, or shipping, the first and usually only place you head to is the liquor store. Boxes are aplenty and even though most are too big for Trail maildrops, I found some good ones. I also had 2 non-liquor boxes.

So today I packed up my 4 maildrops for my upcoming Allegheny Trail thruhike and headed to the PO where I learned something: The USPS forbids shipping things in alcohol boxes. No, not alcohol as in denatured for stoves; any boxes with the markings of alcoholic beverages including beer and wine as well as the hard stuff.

I was lucky in that the clerk allowed me to tape over all the words & pictures on the 2 illegal boxes. Fortunately, I had the tape - dark brown, not clear - to cover the offending material. In response to my question "Why - there's no alcohol in those boxes?" the answer was "You and I know that, but no one else does."

Next time, I'll get the boxes from the drug or grocery store.

[jersey joe]

I did not know that you couldn't use alcohol boxes to mail stuff...Good to know!

[garlic08]

I'm sure it has to do with interstate commerce and taxation of the alcohol. In fact, I heard one of the reasons denatured alcohol exists is for tax reasons. It's much cheaper to ship across state lines if it's not potable, so the distiller dumps a small percentage of gasoline in there to poison it. What a waste (of good alcohol, not gasoline).

[Jack Tarlin]

Your local bookstore is also a good place. Almost ALL books arrive there in cardboard boxes of one size or another and they have people who work in receiving who spend tons of time breaking these things down. They'll be happy to give you as many as you like. (Keep in mind that the P.O. will give you Priority Mail boxes for free).

[peter_pan]

USPS has free boxes for priority mail...Just ask at the counter.

Pan

[fiddlehead]

Sounds like one of those rules that's either a/ not true, or b/ up to the discretion of the post master.
I say this because I have used liquor store boxes many times in the past with no problems.

But, as you say, they are usually quite big for mail drops. (except perhaps the one to Glencliffe for NOBOers that might have a sleeping bag, heavier clothes, shoes, etc.)

I do know that you cannot mail alcohol.

I'll always remember the time Rainman (Vermont) sent me a 6 pack of Long Trail Ale to my stop in Steamboat Springs, CO and 5 of the 6 bottles broke. It made quite a mess in their storeroom and they weren't happy at all.

[Cookerhiker]

Sounds like one of those rules that's either a/ not true, or b/ up to the discretion of the post master.
I say this because I have used liquor store boxes many times in the past with no problems.

But, as you say, they are usually quite big for mail drops. (except perhaps the one to Glencliffe for NOBOers that might have a sleeping bag, heavier clothes, shoes, etc.)

I do know that you cannot mail alcohol.

I'll always remember the time Rainman (Vermont) sent me a 6 pack of Long Trail Ale to my stop in Steamboat Springs, CO and 5 of the 6 bottles broke. It made quite a mess in their storeroom and they weren't happy at all.

or c/ it's a new rule instituted since you last mailed a supply box. The guy didn't say how long it had been in effect but he told me that my boxes were illegal before I even got them on the counter.

That's a real bummer about losing 5 bottles of good Long Trail Ale.

[wcgornto]

USPS will send you as many Priority Mail boxes as you want in whatever sizes you want for no charge. I pre-ordered these last year and used them to pre-stage my mail drops so that all my sister had to do was include last minute items, tape shut, address and ship.

You can get them here:


http://www.usps.com/shipping/prioritymail.htm

[boarstone]

I haven't seen this addressed in other forums. Perhaps most of you already know this but for those who don't....

If you're like me and need free sturdy boxes for packing, moving, or shipping, the first and usually only place you head to is the liquor store. Boxes are aplenty and even though most are too big for Trail maildrops, I found some good ones. I also had 2 non-liquor boxes.

So today I packed up my 4 maildrops for my upcoming Allegheny Trail thruhike and headed to the PO where I learned something: The USPS forbids shipping things in alcohol boxes. No, not alcohol as in denatured for stoves; any boxes with the markings of alcoholic beverages including beer and wine as well as the hard stuff.

I was lucky in that the clerk allowed me to tape over all the words & pictures on the 2 illegal boxes. Fortunately, I had the tape - dark brown, not clear - to cover the offending material. In response to my question "Why - there's no alcohol in those boxes?" the answer was "You and I know that, but no one else does."

Next time, I'll get the boxes from the drug or grocery store.

See? Now if you'd of just used the boxes the PO provides free of charge, you wouldn't of had that issue...base rate shipping

[fiddlehead]

or c/ it's a new rule instituted since you last mailed a supply box. The guy didn't say how long it had been in effect but he told me that my boxes were illegal before I even got them on the counter.

That's a real bummer about losing 5 bottles of good Long Trail Ale.

You're probably right.
I haven't tried using the liquor store boxes for at least a year now.

The priority mail boxes (which are the free ones) are sometimes too small for a bounce box if you are sending sleeping bag, heavy clothing, etc.
I can see the need for a liquor type box.
Didn't know that book stores would be an alternative. That, I will look into.

[Dogwood]

Actually, you can re-use cardboard boxes that liquor originally was shipped in. The PO tends to frown on it though. You just have to COMPLETELY mark out, or tape over, all the spelling and pics on the outside of the box, preferably before you get to the PO and at the front of the line to the teller! The easier you make your package to be delivered the easier it will be for the PO to not make a mistake mailing it!

[blind & lost]

If you must use liquor boxes, you can cut one side, turn them inside out and re-tape.

[10-K]

If you must use liquor boxes, you can cut one side, turn them inside out and re-tape.

MYOG cardboard boxes!

[SunnyWalker]

Another good place for stought boxes is a Pharmecy.

[mudhead]

If you need larger than Priority boxes: Egg boxes. The organic type are much sturdier than normal egg boxes.

Potato boxes. Tad smaller than an egg box, and much sturdier.

Skip Walmart boxes. Even the shipping boxes are thin and cheap.

[tortoise1]

Hands down. The priority boxes at the USPS is the way to go. They come in three different sizes.They are a flat rate box, usually around $8-10, and you can put up to 70 lbs in them. I have been shipping stuff back and forth from AK to the lower 48 for years. 95% of the time it would be there in two to three days. Good luck.

[Frosty]

from USPS website:

Other items, such as alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor), are not considered hazardous but are prohibited and boxes displaying such markings are also prohibited.

If you are unsure whether a material is considered hazardous or is prohibited, please contact 1-800-ASK-USPS or your local Business Mail Entry Unit.


http://www.usps.com/aviationsecurity/