Guide · Safety and emergencies

Mail and Package Safety

A friendly, practical guide to keeping mail and deliveries safe, in houses and shared buildings alike, and making sure your mail follows you when you move.

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Where to start

Package missing right now?
Take a breath. Many turn up nearby. See if mail or a package goes missing.
Moving soon?
File your change of address about two weeks ahead, then tick through moving and move in day.
Owner of a home or building?
See setting up mail and deliveries and when moving or after a loss.

The short version

Most missing mail and packages disappear while they sit unattended, so bringing deliveries in promptly is the simplest, best protection.

Track packages, turn on delivery alerts, and choose a pickup location, locker or trusted neighbor when you won’t be home. Hold your mail when you travel.

In shared buildings, pick up packages promptly, take only your own, and never prop open a secured door for a driver you can’t see.

When you move, file a change of address about two weeks ahead and update banks and accounts directly. If something goes missing, contact the seller, the carrier, and if needed the police.

Mail theft is a federal crime, and other rules vary from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at the rules where your home is. If you ever have questions, we would love to help.

Four simple rules

1
Bring it in promptly
The less time mail and packages sit outside, the safer they are. Try to collect them the same day.
2
Know what is coming
Track packages and watch for expected mail, so you notice quickly if something goes missing.
3
Choose a safe delivery spot
If no one will be home, ship to a pickup location, a locker, a neighbor or your workplace.
4
Update your address early
When you move, forward your mail and update banks and accounts before your last day.

Try it

Good mail and package habits

From the guide’s own habits. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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Collect mail every day, and bring packages inside as soon as you can.
Use tracking and delivery alerts so you know when a package arrives.
Choose a pickup location, parcel locker or neighbor when you won’t be home.
Add delivery notes, like “please place behind the side gate,” when it is safe and allowed.
Hold your mail and pause deliveries when you travel.
Shred or tear up mail with personal information before throwing it away.

A few things to avoid

Please don’t leave outgoing mail with checks or personal details in an unlocked mailbox overnight.
Please don’t open, move or keep mail addressed to someone else, even a former resident.
Please don’t mail cash. Use a check or a secure payment method instead.
Please don’t let packages pile up in a shared lobby or hallway for days.

Keep packages out of sight from the street. A side door, a covered porch corner or a lidded delivery box is far less tempting than a front step.

If mail or a package goes missing

Check the tracking details, the delivery photo if there is one, and nearby spots like side doors, porches or the lobby.
Ask roommates and neighbors kindly if they picked it up or saw it delivered.
Contact the seller or sender. Many will help with a replacement or refund.
Contact the carrier to report the missing item and ask about next steps.
If you believe it was stolen, report it to local police and, for postal mail, to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
If personal or financial mail is missing, contact your bank and watch your accounts for anything unusual.

Report a missing package to the seller first. Many sellers can replace or refund it faster than any other route.

Try it

Moving and move in day

From the guide’s moving and move in tips. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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File a change of address about two weeks before you move.
Update your address with banks and accounts directly, since some mail isn’t forwarded.
On move in day, check that the mailbox key works.
Make sure the mailbox is clearly labeled.
Find out where packages are delivered.
Note the mailbox and its lock in your move in report, with a comment on every item, in any condition.

Bunklow Walk makes the move in report easy. See Bunklow Walk.

Deliveries in shared buildings

In shared buildings, please pick up packages promptly, take only your own, and let a neighbor know kindly if one of theirs was left at your door.

Never prop open a secured door for a delivery driver you can’t see. Meet them at the door, or use a locker or package room if there is one.

Outgoing mail. Drop outgoing bills and checks inside a post office or hand them to a carrier, rather than leaving them in a mailbox overnight with the flag up.

Signature on delivery. For valuable items, ask the sender to require a signature. The package won’t be left unattended at your door.

Pickup points. Retail lockers and pickup counters hold packages safely until you can get them. They are a great choice for anything valuable or anything arriving while you travel.

For owners

Setting up mail and deliveries

From the guide’s list for owners. Tick each one as you go. Your ticks stay on this device. These are examples; your home may need others.

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Make sure the mailbox has a working lock, a clear label for the unit, and a key for each resident.
Re key or change mailbox locks between residents whenever possible.
Keep the mail and package area well lit, and consider a secure parcel locker or package room in shared buildings.
Share simple delivery guidelines with everyone, like where packages go and how long they can stay.
Make sure house and unit numbers are easy to read so deliveries reach the right door.

For owners

When moving or after a loss

Repair a broken mailbox lock or damaged box quickly. A damaged box puts everyone’s mail at risk.
When a resident moves out, remind them kindly to file a change of address before their last day.
Return mail for former residents to the carrier marked “Not at this address,” rather than throwing it away.
Help residents look at camera footage or lobby records when a package goes missing, if available.
Keep a simple written record of reported losses and what was done.
If thefts repeat, talk with residents together about better lighting, lockers or delivery options.

Helpful resources

U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Mail and Package Theft and USPS: Standard Forward Mail. Rules about mailboxes, building package areas and deliveries in rental homes can differ from place to place, so we’d gently encourage a quick look at the rules where your home is. A local landlord or tenant association or an attorney in your area can help.

Printable checklist

Like it on paper?

The printable checklist for this guide is fillable, with a screen version and an ink saver print version. Keep it on your phone or pin it to the fridge.

Get the printable checklist

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Test yourself

How much do you remember?

4 quick questions from this guide, with a one line why for each. Totally optional, no sign in, and your answers are never saved.

From The Perfect Series

Go deeper with The Perfect Move-In Checklist Workbook

Simple, step by step checklists you can write in for moving in: the move in walk, moving day, your first week, utilities, keys and more.

See The Perfect Move-In Checklist Workbook All books in The Perfect Series

Keep the full guide handy

The PDF has everything: everyday habits, what to do when something goes wrong, common myths, helpful resources and plenty of real-world tips. Print it, save it or share it with anyone who could use it.