Monday, February 7, 2011

Best-Kept Secret of the Post Office



I'm no expert on the postal service.  However, I do know that we have Benjamin Franklin to thank for coming up with the idea of a mail delivery service.  And I once interviewed the Post Master General about the Christmas rush.  And you now know that I am friends with the nicest Post Master you'll ever meet!  But as far as mailing stuff, I put my letters in the mailbox just like everybody else...one letter at a time.

But I do have some inside information to share with you about the postal system that you probably don't know.  If you live in a "rural delivery" area you might be able to take advantage of PS Form 3227-R (shown above), which allows you to buy stamps directly from your postal carrier.    

Don't know if you are on an "RD" route?  Well, if your mail is delivered by a carrier wearing street clothes who also drives his own car (and not an official PO vehicle)...then you're most likely part of a "rural delivery" route.  As a result, the post office offers this orange envelope as your consolation prize.  I had no idea about this until my neighbor brought it to my attention, but apparently these envelopes have magical powers.

All you do is put your money in it, note which stamps you need, and put it in your mailbox.  When you return to check your mail, you will find the appropriate number of stamps that you ordered inside....anything from 1 cent stamps to large books of stamps.  I hear your RD mail carrier will even totally weigh and mail your packages for you too.  They have to...it's part of the RD deal!  Sweet huh?  But like I said, it's all very hush-hush, so go to your PO and ask for this special envelope or ask your carrier about it...and you can save yourself a lot of time--and money, since if you order stamps online, you have to pay shipping!

Reserved - Magnetic letter, mail, or note holder


Hopefully, by now, you're getting your mailing supplies semi-organized at home.  I've got a little mailing station that I set up in my kitchen just for this Service Boot Camp.  I'll show you sometime later this week.

But I sure could use something like this to use as my "out box".  I usually just send Guy out to put my letters in the mailbox immediately.  Poor little dear.  He just loves to run all the way down the driveway-through the ice and snow-to the mailbox.  Otherwise, if it sits on my counter, it gets all mixed up with the bills I'm trying to ignore, and I forget to mail it!

Thankfully, Moore Magnets has this nifty solution.  It is a magnetic mail organizer and it can go anywhere that a magnet can...on your fridge or on a door, to hold important bills or letters that you've written for Service Boot Camp that need to mail OUT asap!

April at Moore Magnets is giving away the magnetic letter holder shown here to one lucky reader.  To enter do any of the following:

1.  Make my Monday by leaving a COMMENT on this post.

2.  Mail a letter today.

3.  Check out Moore Magnets  for their organizational products.

4.  Like this post of FB.


Bonus entry:  Remember to read your five pages today.  You should try to read through Jacob 2 today!


Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  I will announce the winner on Wednesday.

23 comments:

  1. What a GREAT idea! I love all the sites you are sharing with us.

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  2. The US postal is the bomb... It is fast, cheap and they pick up your mail, ahhhh love it!

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  3. I've made a little mailing station. Love it!

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  4. What a fantastic idea! I am working on organizing my mailing station. I almost never mail ANYTHING, though, so I'm having a hard time deciding where my mailing station should be. :)

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  5. I love all their magnet boards and the wall organizers are a NEED at my house, me thinks.

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  6. What a great idea! Then you never fall behind on the bills and remember to get those important letters and cards mailed out because they are right there where you can see them.

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  7. I agree what a great, cute idea! Good to know, thanks for the info.

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  8. I liked the different snazzy magnet boards. The colors are fun. I would like a magnet board that I could use also as my weekly meal calendar/appointment calendar/personal job. Is that asking too much?

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  9. I used to love getting the mail for my mom-it was my favorite 'chore'

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  10. You can also through the USPS make your own stamps with your own picture on them. You can do it through Shutterfly, Zazzle, or another on-line company. It is kind of fun. Also with a rural carrier you can learn their likes and dislikes and leave them a treat every once and while. Sometimes in the summer we leave a frozen bottle of water in the mailbox with a note for our mailman.

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  11. I love all of the fabric covered magnet boards. But my favorite was the pencil holders. I need to buy a few of those.

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  12. Love the magnet holder. I also manage to get my outgoing mixed up with the bills, which is why I try and go through them and through our the stuff I don't need. Love your post today. Especially the fact that you are happy with your Post Office. Sometimes, we hear more griping and less praise. It is nice to know someone is happy.

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  13. Okay, I'm getting underway and writing a letter to mail tomorrow.

    =)

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  14. I'll do that today...hugs. Oh...be aware of a letter arriving at your mailbox soon...hee...hee.

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  15. i love the little mail station. am looking forward to seeing more!

    the sleepy time gal

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  16. I'm always finding the best tips over here!

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  17. I checked out the great etsy store too!

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  18. Cool magnetic holder...and neat!

    I use a shoebox to separate and put all my letter/s to be mailed, stationaries, envelopes!

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