Take One from the US Postal Service

It’s easy to find home safety and security tips on-line. It’s even easy to find some good ones! And I should know, since I see them all the time and have posted them frequently, across a broad range of issues: general home security, fire safety, social media usage, special tips for peace of mind during the holidays, and even advice on how to shop for home alarm systems. This blog has also shared home safety and security tips from all manner of third parties (local police departments, FBI, National Fire Protection Association, Better Business Bureau, etc.) so that you have the best advice from objective and credible sources. Today I’m passing on a suggestion from the USPS (United States Postal Service), and it fits nicely into the important advice of making it hard for a burglar to know that you are away.

Going away for a while? Request Hold Mail for the time you're gone, and we'll keep your mail safely at the local Post Office™ until you return. Schedule the service up to 30 days in advance, or by 2AM CST (Mon-Sat) on the start date. Each address can have one Hold Mail scheduled at a time. All mail will be held, rather than an individual's mail.

Sound Advice Every good list of basic home security tips mentions mail and newspapers, lawn mowing, snow shoveling, and other methods to mask the fact that you are away from home. Remember, burglars don’t want a confrontation: they are much more likely to pass by a home that looks occupied - and protected. And when you have those alarm company yard signs and window decals posted, your odds improve to about 3:1 over your unprotected neighbor. More on the USPS Hold Mail Program

We'll hold all the mail for this address, rather than an individual's mail. Each address can have one hold mail scheduled at a time. Some ZIP Codes™ don't offer this service online, so check for availability before making your request.

How About Longer Trips?

Gone longer than 30 days? Make sure you don’t miss any bills or other important mail, and have all your mail sent in a weekly batch to your temporary address with Premium Forwarding Service®. For just $15.25 a week we’ll hold your mail, package it up, and reship it to you in a weekly Priority Mail® shipment. You can use Premium Forwarding Service for any duration from 2 weeks up to 1 year. And, it’s just $15.00 to enroll. Note: this online service does not currently work with a PO Box™.

I was not aware that the USPS offered these services until one of my co-workers pointed them out to me, and suggested I blog about them. After all, this blog is all about providing useful information that will broaden your home security awareness, and making recommendations on how to increase your peace of mind. And with a burglary happening every 14 seconds across the US, it’s peace of mind we’re all looking for. We love home security tips, and we’ll keep sharing them with you. Of course, the best way to deter a burglar is to let them know your house is protected by a monitored home alarm system – especially one with safer cellular monitoring and smarter interactive features. FrontPoint specializes in these systems: as the leader in wireless home security, and the #1 ranked alarm company in the US, that’s our commitment. You can even set up your FrontPoint system yourself, in about half an hour, and move it when you move. FrontPoint systems are safer, smarter, simpler, more affordable, and virtually impossible to defeat. Just read the reviews!