P.O.Box owners

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A post office box (often abbreviated P.O. Box or PO Box) is a uniquely-addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station. Why do you have one? What do you do with it. What is the advantage? How does yours look like?

Members: 38
Latest Activity: Nov 21, 2023

In many countries, particularly in Africa, and the Middle East there is no 'door to door' delivery of mail. For example, should one post mail to a street address in Namibia, it will be returned to sender as undeliverable.[1] Consequently renting a PO box has traditionally been the only way to receive mail in such countries, although some, like Jordan, are now introducing home delivery.[2]

Generally, post office boxes are rented from the post office either by individuals or by businesses on a basis ranging from monthly to annual, and the cost of rent varies depending on the box size. Central business district or CBD PO boxes are usually more expensive than a rural PO box.

PO Boxes in the United States can now also be rented and renewed online at http://www.usps.com/poboxes. There is an online PO Box locator that allows users to find available PO Boxes in their local Post Office.

In the US, the rental rate used to be uniform across the country. Now, however, a postal facility can be in any of seven fee groups by location; in addition, certain customers qualify for free box rental.

In the United Kingdom, Royal Mail PO boxes are often little more than pigeon holes in the secure section of a Sorting Office, and are only accessible by staff. In such cases, the renter of the PO box will be issued with a card on which is written the PO box number and post office name, and must produce this to the desk staff when collecting mail. For an additional fee, the Royal Mail will deliver received items to the renter's geographical address.

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Comment by Rebekka Schmidt on August 20, 2023 at 1:33am: our post office is often closed now sponteneously - due to lack of staff. at the moment they open only two times per week.

from a friend I heared the same about their post office. we estimate they will close sooner or later. don't know if P.O. boxes will die out here. I hope there will be an alternative e.g. PO boxes in tobacco stores or supermarkets..but haven't heared of such plans yet.

Comment by Suzanna Anderson on April 1, 2016 at 8:59pm

Comment by Franis on July 29, 2015 at 10:12am: I keep a Post Office Box that I've had for 35 years in a small town in Bolinas, California, (even though I now live in Hawaii.) I kept a post office box in both states because I don't have a "real" place to live in either state.
I prefer to having a post office box, because then I do not have to change my address whenever I must move house. When I am in California, I live in a car that I park not very far away from where the post office box is located. When living in Hawaii, I camp out on someone's land who is building a house and there is no home delivery on that rural road anyway. The post office is next to the corner store, down the road from the pool where I like to swim regularly.
I like having a Post Office Box, because nobody can knock on the door where I live because they do not know where I am located, exactly.
I'll take a picture of my P.O. Box the next time I visit.
My post office box is:
Fran AEngel
P.O. Box 362 Laupahoehoe, Hawaii USA 96764

Comment by Suzanna Anderson on July 26, 2015 at 3:47pm: Hello! I've had a PO Box since May 2012. I got it because I was staying with a friend until my apartment was ready. I loved making trips to the Post Office to pick up mail, so I kept it. Plus I enjoy the security of knowing my packages will not be left at the door. Plus it keeps me mailing letters and packages if I have to go check it. In the US, it is about $50 for a year. I love that my number is 731.

Comment by Heleen de Vaan on May 11, 2015 at 7:52am: Many pictures of American P.O.boxes to see on the website of the Post Office Project:

http://thepostofficeproject.com

I was surprised to see that the envelopes are delivered / stored vertically (according to the shape of the p.o.boxes, and on one of the pictures there is a sticker or leaflet showing vertical stored envelopes) in the USA, while here in the Netherlands I am used to horizontally delivered mail :-)

Comment by guillermo diaz gomez coello on February 6, 2012 at 4:51pm: 2 proywctos para este 2012

Intercambio postal

(Primera fase)

Objetivo:            establecer un contacto con personas de la red postal (no necesariamente artista visual, puede ser cualquier persona que guste y disfrute del arte) mediante un intercambio postal ya sea por correo convencional o por electrónico.

Mecánica:           envió una invitación abierta a la red de mail art y quien corresponda o me envié una postal y de acuerdo a como llegue esta ya sea por correo convencional o electrónico YO les reenviare una postal de mi autoría por el mismo medio ya sea por correo convencional o electrónico. Todas las postales que reciba serán expuestas en mi galería virtual GUIJARRO GALERIA

Tema:                   libre

Técnica:               libre

Tamaño:              mínimo tamaño postal 4” x 6” máximo tamaño carta 8.5” x 13.5” para correo convencional y para el electrónico el equivalente a 90 dpi

Fecha limite       febrero del 2013 (primera fase)

Enviar a:              GUIJARRO

Calle 46 # 790-15 x 131-A y 135

Fracc. Villa Magna del Sur

Mérida, Yucatán, México

CP. 97285

e-mail:                 guijarro.galeria@gmail.com

Galería virtual: guijarrogaleria.blogspot.com (en construcción)

Para la segunda fase y dependiendo de la respuesta a la convocatoria hay varias opciones: una exposición en un espacio físico, un catalogo de todas las postales recibidas, un evento interactivo virtual.

Arte correo mexicano

(Primera fase)

Objetivo:            crear un directorio de personas que estén dentro de la red de mail art o que estén interesadas en esta que sean mexicanos o residentes en México y también mexicanos viviendo en el extranjero.

Mecánica:           envió una invitación abierta a la red de mail art y en especial a las personas que nacieron o vivan en México y también mexicanos que vivan en el extranjero para que me envíen sus datos para poder armar el directorio este directorio estará disponible en la galería virtual GUIJARRO GALERIA además les reenviare una postal de mi autoría

Datos para el directorio:              nombre

Nick o seudónimo

Dirección

Correo electrónico

Sitio web o blog

Fecha limite       febrero del 2013 (primera fase)

Enviar a:              GUIJARRO

Calle 46 # 790-15 x 131-A y 135

Frac. Villa Magna del Sur

Mérida, Yucatán, México

CP. 97285

e-mail:                 guijarro.galeria@gmail.com

Galería virtual: guijarrogaleria.blogspot.com (en construcción)

Para la segunda fase y dependiendo de la respuesta a la convocatoria hay varias opciones: un directorio de mail artistas mexicanos y o un evento interactivo virtual

Comment by Samuel Montalvetti on January 26, 2012 at 3:15pm

Comment by Samuel Montalvetti on January 26, 2012 at 3:14pm

Comment by Samuel Montalvetti on November 28, 2011 at 12:39pm

Comment by Cuan Miles on November 11, 2011 at 6:18pm: Thought this might be of some interest. I couldn't resist this "decorated" post box situated in downtown East London, South Africa. Welcome to the banana Republic!

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