Pak Mail Colorado Springs
4419 Centennial Blvd
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Tel: 719-593-1212
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Call: 719-593-1212
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Pak Mail – Busy Season – Part 3

June 21st, 2017 by

Camping season is upon us

What do these projects have in common? Camping. One is a van conversion kit from Wayfarer Vans; the other is family camping gear for a small move. Enjoy your summer!

Van conversion kit from Wayfarer Vans

Measuring camping gear for proper packing

Camping Gear Packed on Pallet and Ready for Strapping

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


College Student Shipping – End-of-Year Move

May 4th, 2017 by

Shipping a student from Colorado Springs

The college semester is almost over. Time to ship all your stuff home and get ready for finals.

Student shipping from Colorado College or UCCS  – home for summer break, to a new college for extended classes, or abroad for intensive studies – is easy with the right help. It’s a small move of the accumulated stuff after a year in a dorm room or small apartment.

college student shipment on a pallet

Colorado College Student Shipment on a Pallet

Make the necessary shipping arrangements before final exams and clear the plate for studying, final projects, and, of course, socializing. Start the process by organizing. Ask some questions.

  • What can be recycled? Organizations like Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado thrive on donations of gently used clothing, household goods, furniture, and electronics. Old cell phones can be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
  • What can be sold? Textbooks can be sold for cash at Pak Mail.
  • What can be discarded? Get rid of the items that are no longer useful and cannot be donated or re-purposed.
  • What is absolutely needed for the final few weeks at school? This is anything that can be safely packed in a suitcase. Everything else can be shipped ahead. Pak Mail can also pick up, pack, and store all of the non-essential items, and ship them when the final boxes are ready.
  • What items require special packing? It’s a definite no-no to pack electronics in the middle of clothing. Leave those items for the professionals.

There are several ways to ship a student… their stuff, that is. If there are three or four boxes, UPS or FedEx (DHL for international) is probably the best option. If there are more boxes and a myriad of sports equipment, shipping them all together on a pallet with an LTL truck carrier is more cost effective. US Air Force Academy foot lockers are best shipped on a pallet.

Get an estimate, arrange for pickup and shipping, and get on with studying.

 

 


College Student Shipping – Home or Abroad

March 30th, 2017 by
college student shipment on a pallet

Colorado College Student Shipping on a Pallet

Shipping a student from Colorado Springs

Student shipping from Colorado College or UCCS  – home for summer break, to a new college for extended classes, or abroad for intensive studies – is easy with the right help. It’s a small move of the accumulated stuff after a year in a dorm room or small apartment.

Make the necessary shipping arrangements before final exams and clear the plate for studying, final projects, and, of course, socializing. Start the process by organizing. Ask some questions.

  • What can be recycled? Organizations like Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado thrive on donations of gently used clothing, household goods, furniture, and electronics. Old cell phones can be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
  • What can be discarded? Get rid of the items that are no longer useful and cannot be donated or re-purposed.
  • What is absolutely needed for the final few weeks at school? This is anything that can be safely packed in a suitcase. Everything else can be shipped ahead. Pak Mail can also pick up, pack, and store all of the non-essential items, and ship them when the final boxes are ready.
  • What items require special packing? It’s a definite no-no to pack electronics in the middle of clothing. Leave those items for the professionals.

There are several ways to ship a student… their stuff, that is. If there are three or four boxes, UPS or FedEx (DHL for international) is probably the best option. If there are more boxes and a myriad of sports equipment, shipping them all together on a pallet with an LTL truck carrier is more cost effective. US Air Force Academy foot lockers are best shipped on a pallet.

Get an estimate, arrange for pickup and shipping, and get on with studying.


Pak Mail Welcomes 2017 With Gratitude for 2016

January 19th, 2017 by

Grateful for Packing and Shipping

Last year provided quite a ride and lots of reasons to be grateful.

  • My four siblings and I transitioned our elderly parents from their home to assisted living. Both Mom and Dad are still enjoying each other’s company after 64 years of marriage.
  • Senior downsizing done with love.

    The box truck we acquired in Spring 2015 blew its engine within the first month. Our mechanic replaced the engine and had it running like new in no time. The lift gate makes the large freight jobs easy!

  • New paint and furnishings freshened up the retail area of our store. Customers provide lots of fun comments and kudos.
  • Our Pak Mail franchise is now part of a larger franchise — Annex Brands.
  • Pak Mail 232 has been in the same location since 1996! We will celebrate nine years of ownership at the end of February 2017.

Thank you to our customers! Some customers have been with us “forever,” some joined us recently, and some are yet to require our services. Whether it’s a private mailbox and a safe place to receive packages, notary services, a small gift shipping to Aunt Millie, documents shipping overnight, a custom box with protective packaging, or a large shipment requiring a pallet, rely on Pak Mail.

Thank you!

Chris

Pak Mail offers shipping with FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS postal, and large freight carriers.

Lift gate is used for large freight and estate pickups.

Mailbox Rental

Pak Mail private mailbox offers safe and secure package receiving.

A small move shipment ready for pickup by freight carrier.


How Do You Move a Student?

April 21st, 2015 by
Custom Pallets

Packed Boxes Ready for Pallet

This is not about “motivating” a student. That’s a separate topic. This is about how to move a student from Colorado College or UCCS home for summer break, a new college for extended classes, or abroad for intensive studies. It’s about shipping the accumulated stuff after a year in a dorm room or small apartment – a small move.

Students have a full plate at the end of a semester, particularly at the end of the school year. Making the necessary shipping arrangements to move a student before final exams checks one thing off the list and clears the plate for studying, final projects, and, of course, socializing.

Start the process by organizing. Ask some questions.

  • What can be recycled? Organizations like Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado thrive on donations of gently used clothing, household goods, furniture, and electronics. Old cell phones can be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
  • What can be sold? Books can be sold on Amazon or on campus. Savvy students sell electronics and other items online. Get a shipping estimate for larger items before posting them for sale.
  • What can be discarded? Get rid of the items that have outlived their usefulness and cannot be donated or repurposed.
  • What is absolutely needed for the final few weeks at school? This is anything that can be safely packed in a suitcase. Everything else can be shipped ahead. Pak Mail can also pick up, pack, and store all of the non-essential items, and ship them when the final boxes are ready.
  • What items require special packing? It’s a definite no-no to pack electronics in the middle of clothing. Leave those items for the professionals.

There are several ways to ship a student… their stuff, that is. If there are three or four boxes, UPS or FedEx (DHL for international) is probably the best option. If there are more boxes and a myriad of sports equipment, shipping them all together on a pallet with an LTL truck carrier is more cost effective. US Air Force Academy foot lockers are best shipped on a pallet.

Get an estimate, arrange for pickup and shipping, and get on with studying.


How Are Fragile Items Packed for a Small Move?

March 18th, 2015 by
packing fragile china cups

China Cups Packed for Small Move Shipping

fragile china packaging

Fragile China Packed for Small Move Shipping

Packing fragile items for small move freight carriers, as well as for UPS, FedEx, and DHL, is different from packing for moving companies. Moving companies typically pick up household items at one location and drive them to the destination without any unloading or reloading along the way. The recommended packing for moving fragile items is well documented by various moving companies like United Van Lines and Two Men And A Truck. This method incorporates sturdy corrugated boxes, packing tape, and lots of packing paper. Items are individually wrapped in the paper and cushioned tightly in the box with additional wadded up paper.

Standards for packing fragile items for small move shipping are set by the carriers and by declared value insurance companies. The shipped boxes are loaded and unloaded multiple times and may be stacked at the carrier facilities.

The packaging standards include a minimum of two inches of cushioning – bubble wrap and packing peanuts or Styrofoam, not paper – around all of the fragile item’s dimensions. For example, a fragile glass bowl measuring 8”x 8”x8” would require, at a minimum, a 12”x12”x12” box. If the item is valued under $200 and is easily replaced, that box with appropriate cushioning is sufficient. If the item is valued over $200 or is one of a kind and/or sentimental and not replaceable, it would be double-boxed in a 12”x12”x12” inner box and a 16”x16”x16” outer box, each with two inches of appropriate cushioning.

In the unlikely event of a damage claim with a shipping carrier, the outer box is examined for visible damage. If there is no damage to the outside of the box, the carrier representatives will examine the inner packaging to ensure standards have been met.

Pak Mail packs all small move fragile items securely for safe delivery.


How Is a Small Move Packed?

March 17th, 2015 by
packed boxes on pallets

Small Move Boxes on Pallets

estate distribution

Small Move Estate Distribution

Packing for small move shipping requires a little more preparation than packing for UPS, FedEx, and DHL small package shipping. First, the items are inventoried and separated into categories – furniture, linens, clothing, jewelry, china, glassware, tools, non-fragile, fragile, size, value (especially higher value items). Then the appropriate packing methods are chosen based on how the small move is being shipped.

  • Blanket wrap shipping requires the least amount of packaging. Furniture is wrapped in protective moving blankets and all fragile, high-value, and delicate items are packed according to carrier and insurance standards. High-value and extremely delicate pieces – artwork or grandfather clocks, for example – are often crated.
  • Air freight, LTL truck, and ocean freight shipping require that all items be packed in boxes based on fragility and value. The boxes are then arranged on a pallet(s), shrink wrapped, and tied to the pallet(s) with metal banding. High-value and extremely delicate pieces are packed in Styrofoam-lined wooden crates.
  • International shipments that are not crated are containerized with a corrugated tray on a pallet and a corrugated wrap and lid. The container is then banded to the pallet.
  • All wood used in pallets and crates for international shipping must be heat treated and stamped with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15) mark, also known as the “bug stamp” or “wheat stamp.”
  • Insurance coverage is only provided for appropriately packaged shipments. Customer-packed boxes are not covered unless inspection prior to shipping indicates proper packaging.

Pak Mail makes custom boxes, pallets, containers, and crates for any size or shape small move shipment.


How Is a Small Move Shipped?

March 16th, 2015 by
Ocean Freight to Hawaii

Business Office Small Move to Hawaii – Ocean Freight

A small move can be shipped in a variety of ways. The shipping method is based on the size of the shipment, distance to destination, delivery timing, value, and budget. All methods require the carrier to set an appointment with the recipient for delivery.

  • Air freight is the fastest method and is used for domestic and international small moves when delivery timing is critical. High-value shipments are often sent by air freight.
  • Ocean freight is the slowest international option and is most cost effective going from our store to the destination port (door-to-port). The recipient makes separate arrangements for delivery from the port to the final destination.
  • Ocean freight is also an option for small move shipping to Hawaii. Small move shipments are transported by LTL truck to US west coast ports and then by ocean freight to the final destination. Since Hawaii is a domestic destination, the shipment can be delivered to a residence or business (door-to-door).
  • LTL truck shipping for small moves within the continental US and some parts of Canada is based on 1- to 2-day guaranteed (fastest) and standard 3- to 7-day delivery.
  • Small move shipments to Alaska are conveyed by LTL truck to Seattle, WA, and then by ocean freight or barge to the final destination. Since Alaska is a domestic destination, the shipment can be delivered to a residence or business (door-to-door).
  • Blanket wrap shipping is ideal and economical for a larger small move (multiple pieces of furniture or extremely delicate furniture or artwork), that is under 2000 pounds. This is the slowest small move shipping method; delivery typically takes 30 to 60 days.

Pak Mail makes small move shipping easy and affordable.


What Is a Small Move?

March 15th, 2015 by
Small Move of Furniture

Small Move of Furniture

Moving possessions from one place to another is a common life experience for many. It might be an executive’s promotion and the moving of an entire household cross country. Hiring a large moving company to move an entire 3- to 4-bedroom household may be the most cost-effective method; it would meet most moving company’s minimum weight requirements, usually 2000 pounds.

It could be a small move – a first job after college or a student deciding to take a year off from studies and move back home. Maybe it’s a career or life change involving all the trappings of a small apartment or business office, or the passing of a loved one necessitating an estate distribution. Perhaps the move entails selling all the furniture and moving only the sentimental collections. It could even be an out-of-state purchase of antique furniture from an auction house.

Whatever the situation, there’s a solution.

  • Doing it yourself may seem like the most budget friendly option. During a self-move, you are responsible for not only the cost of the rental moving truck, but for gas, tolls, lodging, food and libations for friends, other expenses – and time.
  • Shipping a small move (under 2000 pounds) is easy on the wallet, and can be tailored to the individual or family’s schedule.

At Pak Mail, small move shipping is one of our specialties. We conveniently pick up items from a business, home, or storage and safely transport them back to the store for secure packing and shipping.


Packing Fragile Items for Shipping vs. Moving

April 27th, 2014 by

Packing items for UPS, FedEx, DHL and freight carriers is different from packing for moving companies. Moving companies typically pick up household items at one location and drive them to the destination without any unloading or reloading along the way. The recommended packing for moving fragile items is well documented by various moving companies like United Van Lines and Two Men And A Truck. This method incorporates sturdy corrugated boxes, packing tape, and lots of packing paper. Items are individually wrapped in the paper and cushioned in the box with additional wadded up paper. 

Domestic standards for packing fragile items for shipping are set by the carriers – UPS and FedEx. The shipped boxes are loaded and unloaded multiple times and ride on conveyor belts at the carrier facilities. The packaging standards include a minimum of two inches of cushioning – bubble wrap and packing peanuts or Styrofoam, not paper – around all of the fragile item’s dimensions. For example, a fragile glass bowl measuring 8”x 8”x8” would require, at a minimum, a 12”x12”x12” box. If the item is valued under $200 and is easily replaced, that box with appropriate cushioning is sufficient. If the item carries a higher value or is one of a kind and not replaceable and/or sentimental, it would be double-boxed in a 12”x12”x12” inner box and a 16”x16”x16” outer box, each with two inches of appropriate cushioning.

In the event of a damage claim with a shipping carrier, the outer box is examined for visible damage. If there is no damage to the outside of the box, the carrier representatives will examine the inner package to ensure standards have been met. Any questions? Visit the professionals at your local packing and shipping store.




Why Choose Pak Mail

Pak Mail Colorado Springs is a full service shipping store located in Colorado Springs that specilaizes in custom packing, custom crating, and specialty freight shipping. Request a Free Online Estimate or call us at 719-593-1212.

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