The United States Postal Service takes your mail very seriously. For all the jokes that can be made about postal employees, their job requires them to follow a complex set of rules for handling first class mail. If you will be away from your home for an extended period of time, you have three options.
Have someone collect your mail. This is probably your worst option. Unless you will have someone actually living in your house or you have a mail slot in your front door, you will most likely run into problems. If the person in charge of picking up your mail forgets for a few days, most mailboxes will become overfull. If this happens, the USPS will send you a “box full” notice. If you are unable to pick up the extra mail that did not fit in your box, it will be returned to the sender. This is a very unpleasant situation and it is hard to rectify if you are unable to return home in 10 days.
Place a Vacation Hold if you want the post office to collect your mail. At the end of the hold you can either pick the mail up at the post office or they will deliver it to your door. Vacation holds may only last for up to 30 days. If you are planning on traveling for an extended period of time, or if there is any chance your plans might change and extend your trip this may not be the best option.
If you will be away for more than 30 days, you can Temporarily Forward your mail to another address. This could be your office, a rented box, or a friend or family member’s house. If you will be staying in one place while you are away, don’t hesitate to have your mail sent to that address. Even if you will be living abroad, the USPS will forward you mail. This is the best option if you will be away for longer than 30 days.
3. Prescriptions and Pills
This may not seem like a huge deal, but if you find yourself staying away from home longer than anticipated, you’ll need your prescriptions. It’s common sense to travel with a copy of your prescription, but consider getting an extra month of pills before you leave. If you find yourself stranded in Paris (wouldn’t that be horrible) don’t let an empty inhaler, bottle of cholesterol medicine, or birth control kit spoil your fun. Even if your insurance won’t pay for the extra refill, it’s worth it.