How To Ship a Package From Home

Shipping a package from home can be a great way to save money on shipping. You can avoid going to the post office, dealing with crowded lines, and waiting in long lines. In this article, we'll show you how to ship packages from your house so that you can rest easy knowing that your packages will arrive safely at their destinations.

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Equipment needed

To ship a package, you'll need the following equipment:

• Printer. In general, you can use any printer prints labels. If you want a faster printing process, using a shipping label printer would be your best bet. It generates labels in milliseconds and no ink or toner is needed at all.

• Thermal paper or labels. The paper fits your needs if you print the traditional way. If you are dealing with a large number of orders at a time, using adhesive labels would save the process of cutting and taping. Plus, thermal labels are environmentally friendly which reduces the waste of paper. Before making your own, it's beneficial to look at a sample shipping label to understand the essential components.

• Postal scale. A shipping scale is an essential tool for business owners who do their mailings; it measures packages' weights so they can get the best rates from carriers like FedEx and UPS.

Prepare packaging materials

1. Use a box that's the right size for your package. If you're shipping a small item, like a book or DVD, you can use a standard printer paper box and mailer tube. If you're shipping something bigger, like tableware, look for boxes that are the perfect size for your items.

2. Poly mailers are mailing bags made of polyethylene film, a lightweight plastic that keeps moisture out of the package's contents. This type of package saves you money on shipping because it is lightweight and has self-seal flaps that make it easier to close. We recommend this one for shipping less fragile and lighter items, such as clothing.

3. Fill your box with sturdy packaging materials to keep everything safe during transport. Some good options include:

• -Honeycomb Packing Paper - This material is lightweight yet sturdy; it won't crush under pressure from other objects inside the box but still provides enough cushioning so that if something does happen to get jostled around during transit (like if there's an accident on the road), nothing will get broken!

• -Foam Padding - These sheets of foam come in all different sizes and thicknesses; they're great because they fit well inside each other so you can take out as much space as possible when needed (such as when trying not to exceed weight limits) while still having plenty left over should another object need added protection!
• -Transparent Packing Tape - Using clear packing tape is essential when preparing a package for shipping, as it ensures that the box remains securely sealed during transit, protecting its contents and providing peace of mind.

4. If you want to add a personal touch, consider ordering sticker labels that you can use to customize your packages and can help customers remember where they purchased their products from. Sticker labels can be used to print product information, a logo, a brand story, a thank you note, and a variety of other things.

5. Put in other branding materials such as business cards to reinforce your brand identity. Surprising your customers with freebies or a thank-you card with a discount code will entice them to return the next time they need to order.

Choose a carrier and schedule a pickup

Once you've decided to ship a package from home, the next step is to choose a carrier. Several major options offer pickup services, including UPS, FedEx, and USPS. If you're shipping something lightweight, consider using USPS Priority Mail or FedEx Ground; if you're shipping heavier items like furniture or appliances, find out whether your local post office offers its own freight services. Regardless of which carrier you choose, be sure to schedule a pickup as early in advance as possible.

1. USPS

To schedule a pickup, you'll need to visit the USPS website and click on the "Schedule a Ship" tab. Then go to Quick Tools and then schedule your pick-up. You’ll put in your address information and then check availability. Then you’ll enter information about the pickup like if there’s a dog, and where you’ll leave your package(such as on the porch, front door, etc.) The next step is to choose a time. Pick-up during regular mail delivery is free, but if you want it to pick up at a specific time, it charges $25 per pickup. 

You can also choose what type of package you want to ship at this point—you'll have options such as Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package International Service, or Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope/Small Flat Rate Boxes.

One thing to notice is that USPS can’t accept items over 70lbs or 130 inches long, so make sure your package weight and length are within the range.

You may also like: How to Schedule a USPS Pickup

2. UPS

To schedule a pickup, go to ups.com and then click "schedule pickup." You'll be taken to the next page, where you'll enter information. 

If you don’t have a pre-printed shipping label, a UPS carrier would bring you shipping documents. And you can pay the driver by Check or Money Order.

One thing that differs from USPS is that UPS accepts package weights of more than 70 lbs, but there might be an extra fee for heavier items.

3. FedEx

To schedule a pickup on FedEx, go to fedex.com and create an account. You will be then asked for your location and the address of the recipient. Select from various types of packages (e.g., Express, Ground). FedEx Express or FedEx Ground can ship domestic packages weighing less than 151 lbs. 

Related：The Cheapest Way to Ship Packages: USPS, UPS, Or FedEx?

Label your package

1. Use a shipping label printer. These devices can be purchased online and installed on your computer or mobile device. Then simply print out the shipping labels on your computer. If you get a wireless printer, it allows you to print labels right from your phone or tablet. Paste your shipping label on the flat surface instead of the corner area.

2. If an item is fragile(like glassware), make sure that you put a fragile label on the box so that whoever receives it can figure out what's inside without having to open up each item or look at labels on each item.

3. Before mailing, tape the box closed. In case something comes off, tape up every seam and corner. Be careful not to cover any of the label's surface.

Related: How to Ship Fragile Items-5 Tips on How to Prevent Shipping Damages

It's easy to ship a package from home, and all you need are a few supplies. To make sure your package is safely delivered, use a shipping label printer to print your label. All you have to do is enter the recipient's address into the printer and it will print out an adhesive shipping label that can be placed on the outside of your box. You can use a carrier who has tracking information so that you can track where your package is at any time. 

Conclusion

We hope you can see how easy shipping from home is. It’s an excellent way to save money on shipping and make sure that your package gets where it needs to go. Using services like Amazon Prime makes it even easier because it means not having to worry about finding a box or packing supplies!