Tips for holiday shipping

By Melissa Mixon Friday, 20 November 2009

CEDAR PARK — With the holiday season comes good food, time with family and the always anticipated practice of swapping gifts. But it can also mean long lines at the grocery store, the mall and post offices or shipping businesses.

November and December are some of the busiest times of the year for the U.S. Postal Service and other shipping companies. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year, 20 billion pieces of mail were projected to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

Below is a comprehensive guide of shipping places in the Leander and Cedar Park area as well as tips on how to get your packages shipped safely and smoothly, so that they reach your loved ones in time for the holiday season.

Ship early — Holiday volume leads to overcrowded trucks, planes and routes. Check carrier websites for shipping deadlines: www.usps.com, www.fedex.com, www.ups.com and www.dhl.com.

Pack smart — Use sturdy, corrugated boxes for shipping and make sure there are 2 inches of cushioning around each side of the box. Pack gifts as tightly as possible and fill all spaces with Styrofoam, peanuts or other packing materials. A good indicator as to whether you have enough cushioning is to close and shake the box. If you hear items shifting, more cushioning should be added. Double-box or add extra bubble wrap or peanuts to secure fragile items.

Ship smart—Seal all boxes with proper 2-inch-wide packaging tape. Avoid using masking tape or duct tape and do not wrap packages in brown paper or tie them with cords, strings or twine. Packages destined for military addresses must be sent through the U.S. Postal Service. Shipping alcohol is illegal.

Place a legible label on only one side of the package and always include a return address. Do not place the label on the seam of your box and, to increase security, include the address information inside the package. If you are reusing a box, all previous labels and markings should be covered with heavy black marker or adhesive labels. When shipping, use a ZIP Code + 4, when possible. ZIP Codes can be found www.usps.com or by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS

Leave it to the professionals — If you are dealing with anything fragile or breakable, it may be best to have professionals package the item.

Of special note:

• The federal holidays:
  • Nov. 26 — Thanksgiving Day
  • Dec. 25 — Christmas Day
  • Jan. 1 — New Year’s Day

Source: PostNet in Leander and the United States Postal Service.

Local shipping and postal locations:

1. FedEx Office, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. H300, Cedar Park, 528-9690 • Carrier: FedEx

2. Not Just Mail, 1525 Cypress Creek Road, Ste. H, Cedar Park, 918-9113 • Carriers: UPS, FedEx, USPS

3. Pak & Ship Plus, 14900 Avery Ranch Blvd., Ste. C200, Austin, 246-7117 • Carriers: UPS, FedEx, USPS

4. Pak Mail of Cedar Park, 202 Walton Way, Ste. 192, Cedar Park, 260-7011 • Carriers: UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS

5. Post Office, 801 S. US 183, Leander, 259-1965 • Carrier: USPS

6. Post Office, 500 E. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park, 260-7585 • Carrier: USPS

7. PostNet, 2800 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 120, Cedar Park, 260-5757 • Carriers: UPS, FedEx, USPS

8. PostNet, 651 N. US 183, Ste. 335, Leander, 637-6080 • Carriers: UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS

9. UPS Store, 100 E. Whitestone Blvd., Ste. 148, Cedar Park, 259-5090 • Carriers: UPS, USPS