How do you ship an item from your house?

Okay, so you wanna ship something from your humble abode, huh? It’s actually not as scary as it sounds! I mean, I used to be totally intimidated, but now I practically have a little shipping station set up in my spare room (don’t judge!).

Basically, here’s the lowdown on how I do it. I mean, there are probably a million ways, but this works for me:

1. First things first: Gotta Get Your Stuff Together! This is the “gather supplies” part, which, honestly, is often the hardest ’cause where did I put that packing tape again?! I always need:
   • A box: Obvious, right? But not too obvious. You need one that fits your item snugly.
   • Packing Material: Bubble wrap, packing peanuts, newspaper… whatever floats your boat and protects your precious cargo! One time, I shipped a delicate ceramic mug to my aunt, and I swear, I used half a roll of bubble wrap. Better safe than sorry, you know?
   • Packing Tape: The unsung hero of home shipping. Seriously, don’t skimp on this. Get the good stuff.
   • A Printer: Because… well, you’ll see in a second.
   • A Scale: Not like, a bathroom scale (although, hey, you could use that in a pinch!), but something to weigh your package. The post office really cares about the weight, trust me.
2. Box It Up, Buttercup! Okay, now for the box itself. Try not to use a box that’s been through the wars. Find a sturdy one. The size is key – not too big where your item is swimming around, but not so small that you’re cramming it in. Make sure to wrap your item well with your packing material of choice. Think of it like giving it a little padded hug for its journey.
3. Label Mania! (aka Buy & Print a Shipping Label Online) This is the best part, because you don’t have to go to the dreaded post office! You can go to USPS, UPS, FedEx, or even Pirate Ship (which I’ve heard good things about but haven’t personally tried). Just enter the weight and dimensions of your package, your address, and the recipient’s address, and bam, instant label! You’ll pay online, and then print it out. Pro-tip: Make sure your printer has ink before you start this step! I’ve learned that one the hard way… more than once.
4. Stick it Good! Now, carefully attach the label to the outside of the box with packing tape. Make sure you cover the whole label, but don’t cover the barcode, because that’s how they track it!
5. Send it on its Way! Alright, you have a few options here. You can usually schedule a pickup online with the carrier. So they come to your house and pick it up- talk about easy. Or you can drop it off at one of their locations. And you are done!

So yeah, that’s basically how I ship stuff from home. It might seem like a lot of steps, but once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. And honestly, avoiding the lines at the post office? Priceless! Is there anything better than that?