If you’re planning on moving to a new city but haven’t found your new home yet, setting up a PO Box address before you move is a good way to ensure you don’t miss out on any important mail. Since mail is usually the last thing you think about when planning a move, this is a good opportunity to take care of an often-overlooked aspect of the whole moving process and learn how to set up a PO Box.
How to Set Up a PO Box Address
Fortunately, setting up a PO Box address is one of the easier parts of moving. You can apply online or in person at a post office in your new location.
To set up your PO Box online
- Go to the US Postal Service website and find an available PO Box in your new location
- Choose your PO Box, along with the size: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large
- Select the amount of time you’d like to rent it for 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months
- Create an account, apply, pay, and print your completed form
- Bring your completed form, receipt, and 2 forms of ID to the post office
To set up your PO Box in person
- Print the application and fill it in by hand
- Bring it to the post office and make a payment
- The post office will provide you with your new PO Box address
Pros of Having a PO Box
- In addition to providing you with a local address in your new hometown before you purchase a house or apartment, there are other benefits of having a PO Box
- They’re great if you plan on living in an area that’s difficult for mail carriers to get to
- If you travel a lot, PO boxes prevent a large pile-up of mail outside your home, which can alert potential robbers that you’re out of town
- There’s no better privacy and security since PO Box addresses keep your home address unknown
Cons of Having a PO Box
- The cons of having a PO Box include
- There is a rental fee
- You have to go out of your home to get your mail
Of course, if the reason for having a PO Box address is because you’re moving to a new location but haven’t yet decided where to live, these are cons that you’ll have to live with. But hopefully, you won’t have to live with them for long.
What Should You Do With Your PO Box After You Move?
Once you’ve moved into your new place, you can decide whether to maintain your PO Box address or discontinue it. You may find that you like getting your mail delivered into a neatly kept, private box. Or, you may decide that you want your mail delivered directly to your new address. The choice is yours.
However, if you decide that you don’t need your PO Box anymore, make sure you know how to change your address permanently. If you don’t change it, you won’t get mail! And once you’ve done that, it’s a good idea to go over your after moving checklist to make sure there aren’t any other loose ends to tie up.
While the process may seem never-ending, after you’ve gone over your checklist, you’ll be free to sit back, relax, and of course, read your mail comfortably in your new home.
