Think Your Holidays are Busy? 
Come Check out FedEx!

 

Guest blogger Renee Lauriano – a Pack and Ship expert from the FedEx Office center in Manhattan – shares some of her advice for getting through the busiest shopping and shipping time of the year. Don’t miss her colorful and creative shipping tip at the bottom!


The holidays are an incredibly busy time of year for everyone. From family get-togethers and office Christmas parties to marathon shopping expeditions, there’s always something going on. Things at my center are round-the-clock busy too.


In fact, today is the busiest day of the year for the entire FedEx company. Our forecasters expect that tonight we’ll move 13 million packages all over the world. Normally it would be about 7.5 million. A lot of those packages come in for shipping through FedEx Office centers like mine, and this time of year I get to spend a lot of time helping customers pick out the right shipping supplies for their fragile gifts, and giving points on the best way to ensure holiday packages arrive safely and securely. So today – on our busiest day of the year – I’m taking time out to share my best tips for holiday packing and shipping with you!


No matter what you’re shipping, the same basic rules apply:


Ship early and avoid the lines



  • December 17th is the last day to ship FedEx Ground – the most cost-effective shipping option we offer.

  • December 23rd is the last day to ship FedEx Express for overnight delivery before Christmas.

Choose the right supplies and pack it like a pro



  • Get your gift ready to be packaged by determining if it’s sturdy or fragile. Does it having moving parts, protruding angles or small pieces? Wrap the item securely and square off any odd angles (like mug handles) to make them less fragile during shipment.

  • Select your shipping box using only those with flaps intact. Do not reuse boxes if at all possible. If reusing a box, make sure there are no holes, tears or corner dents, and remove any old labels. Consider placing the box within another box for additional protection when shipping fragile items like vases or glass ornaments. Make sure your box is large enough to put adequate padding around the gift inside.

  • Cushion the gift or inner box using just the right amount of padding material – like bubble wrap, foam "peanuts,” densely packed shredded paper or foam pads. Avoid newspaper, as it is heavy and adds extra weight to the shipment. You’ll know you have the right amount of cushioning protecting your gift by closing up the box and giving it a light shake. Hear anything move around? If you do – add more cushioning!

  • Seal the seams of the box on all sides using tape designed for packing, not duct or masking tape. Do not wrap the outer box with paper or string, which can get caught in automated processing equipment.

  • Label the box inside and out. Position the address label squarely on the largest surface, and provide complete sender and recipient addresses, including a 24-hour phone number and ZIP code. Put both the sender and recipient’s address and 24-hour phone numbers inside the box as well.

 


If you’re thinking about shipping cookies or other homemade treats this holiday season, check out Kellie’s post last week with tips on how to make sure your cookies don’t crumble in transit!


And here’s a quick idea on making the inside of shipping boxes more festive during the holiday season while still cushioning your gifts. Put a bunch of brightly colored paper or even used wrapping paper through a shredder. The shredded paper makes beautiful filler for the boxes, works great in gift bags instead of tissue paper – or even as confetti on New Year’s Eve!


Related FedEx Office Solutions: Packing Service, Pack and Ship, Shipping Supplies, Shipping Services

Comments

Easy way to ship cookies in one piece

I like to ship cookies that make it fresh and in one piece this is a great idea for smaller cookies bake cookies that are flat with no icing on top such as snickerdoodle or peanut butter etc take smaller ones and fill a pringle can with them inbetween add wax paper that you can cut by tracing the lid in circles on sheets and cutting out while your baking and waiting you get quite a few cookies in a can and they make a trip in mint shape!

My Gift Packing Tip

I make my own caramel popcorn and use it to cushion the cookies I send in the box for shipping.  I use colorful bags and ribbon to tie which allows me more space, less filler and a great snack that is environmentally friendly.   .. thanks FedEx and MomCentral!

Happy Holidays!

Fed Ex has come to my rescue SEVERAL Christmas seasons, when I have either a) Procrastinated or b) Just haven't had the time to get all our gifts ready to ship to Family across the country!  If you follow Fed Ex's packing tips, your precious gifts WILL all get there in record time and IN 1 PIECE, too!  Thanks, Fed Ex for making the season much more MERRY!

Fed Ex

I have this handy dandy sticker for my mailbox so that Fed Ex can leave parcels for me without a siggy - kind of risque I admit but I live in a good neighbourhood and it saves me time in going to pick up parcels

Fed Ex

I always try to reuse some of the great packaging that I receive - I using set aside a few mailing tubes and a couple shipping boxes - it saves on money and helps the environment

Always plan for the crowds. 

Always plan for the crowds.  I like to send packages very early.

Styrofoam or cardboard egg

Styrofoam or cardboard egg containers are also great for cushioning! Just tear or chop them into segments and throw them in.

FedEx Office Blog

Fedex has been great this year

Fed Ex Office Out of Office Blog

Thanks for the great ideas on how to ship items for the holidays!  I usually ship at least 7 gifts every Christmas and I hate dealing with the shipping but this makes it so much easier!! Thanks again!!

Glad you liked the tips!

Glad you liked the tips! Renee was so gracious in sharing her thoughts with us.

Another fun idea for

Another fun idea for cushioning your gifts when packing is to use air popped pop corn!  Then it can be put outdoors and the bird can enjoy it. (Only use airpopped with no oil or it will stain the wrapping paper)

Less stress at Holiday time

Ready yourself well in advance.  Don't be a last minute staggler.  Fed Ex is wonderful but not magicians.  I make sure that my Christmas packages are ready well in advance and send them the first week of December.

I did not know that tomorrow

I did not know that tomorrow is the deadline for ground. Thanks for giving us this info. Very helpful as I had planned on shipping some items on Friday...Will go tomorrow instead.

Thanks for the packing tips!

Thanks for the packing tips! I am actually mailing out a package to my cousins so these help! :)

 

dreamzz12{at}aol{dot}com

DG

Great idea

I like the idea of using shredded paper. It looks pretty, but is also a "green" idea. We're always looking for ways to recycle. And it's a great alternative to the foam peanuts that make such a mess. We just got a box with them in it today and my cat started chewing on one that got loose -- NOT GOOD!

Another alternative idea is to collect all the zip-top plastic bags that you use for sandwiches or snacks. We use a ton - my kids take at least 2 a day (each!!) in their lunches. Rinse them out and let dry. Then fill them with air and seal, and use them for cushioning in a package. (I find it easiest to seal them almost all the way, then use a straw to blow the air in before sealing them completely.)

Great ideas!  Just reading

Great ideas!  Just reading this helps to reduce some of the stress that I've been feeling about getting gifts together to ship out!  Thanks so much for sharing!

Fed Ex

thanks for the great shipping ideas! I love Fed Ex

Every year I ship Christmas

Every year I ship Christmas presents to my brother who lives out of state.  The  packing tips are a great help to me.  I am going to copy them and keep them inside my notebook of Christmas ideas so I can refer to them in the future.

Fed Ex is the only way to ship

Such a great giveaway from Fed ex/  AND THE TWITTER PARTY LOOKS FUN!!!!!!!!!

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