Wikipedia has an interesting history about Valentine’s Day. It might spark some unique Valentine ideas for your sweetheart. What’s your favorite? A store-bought greeting card? Homemade Valentine? Chocolate? Handcrafted item? Jewelry?

What if your sweetheart romance is long distance? If your budget is tight, think small and light weight so the item can be packed in a bubble mailer or small box. And ship early – at least five to six days ahead to most US locations. Stores like Pak Mail offer packing and shipping services for items big or small, fluffy or fragile. Professional shipping staff can help you choose the most cost-effective method to ensure your Valentine arrives safely and on time.

Quick tips for Valentine shipping:

• Keep all receipts for gifts purchased.
• Come prepared. Information includes:
  • Ship-to name, address, & phone number;
  • Contents of the package being shipped;
  • Which items are fragile;
  • Value of the item(s) being shipped; and
  • When you would like the package to arrive.
• Ship a week ahead of Valentine’s Day.
• Perfume, wine, and liquor cannot be shipped.
• International & APO shipments require an itemized contents list for customs.

Shipping guarantees can be interrupted by inclement weather, so ship as early as possible to allow for possible delays.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Pak Mail!

New Year’s morning my husband Jim and I trekked to Bon Ton’s Café in Old Colorado City. Perusing the menu – the centerfold of a small “newspaper” created and written by Artist Bill Crowley of Caricatures America – is as much a treat as the food! After ordering our favorite breakfast items, we started reading the tabloid filled with local small business advertising, fun stories, jokes, and tidbits. The article Bubble Wrap Wallpaper??? caught my eye.

Bubble Wrap® had its beginnings in 1957 when two young New Jersey engineers tried to invent textured wallpaper. The invention bombed as wallpaper. Sealed Air Corporation later branded bubble wrap as protective packaging, something Pak Mail uses daily for wrapping fragile items.

Pak Mail’s corporate office celebrated the New Year by donating 10 miles of bubble wrap for the Children’s Museum of Denver’s annual Noon Year’s Eve event.

The success and popularity of bubble wrap has gotten so large that the last Monday of every January is dubbed Bubble Wrap® Appreciation Day. Search “bubble wrap fun” on the Internet for some great ideas and stop by our store for a stress buster.

The holiday season is once again upon us. Pak Mail offers packing and shipping services. You do the shopping and gift wrapping… we’ll do the rest! We’ll choose the most cost-effective method to ensure your holiday treasures arrive safely and on time.

Quick tips for Christmas present shipping:

• Keep all receipts for gifts purchased.
• Come prepared. Information includes:
  • Ship-to name, address, & phone number;
  • Contents of the package being shipped;
  • Which items are fragile;
  • Value of the item(s) being shipped; and
  • When you would like the package to arrive.
• Ship early in the season.
• Perfume, wine, and liquor cannot be shipped.
• International & APO shipments require an itemized contents list for customs.
• Shipping guarantees can be interrupted by inclement weather, so ship as early as possible to allow for possible delays.
• There are no deliveries on Christmas Day.

We’ll help make the process simple and easy!

Let the games begin! Thanksgiving is this week along with Black Friday and lots of shoppers. Our shipping store is decorated and extended holiday hours are posted. Our winter holiday ducks are in a row!

We have holiday tips for packing and shipping gifts from Colorado Springs. We stock a variety of boxes and packing materials for the “do-it-yourselfer.” Or we can free up your time for some holiday baking and safely pack your gifts for you. The gifts will be on their way to loved ones and you can check something off your list.

Do you want Santa to put your long-distance gifts under the tree on December 24? Here is a simple guide for 2013 Holiday Shipping Deadlines for UPS, FedEx, and DHL:

Mexico / Canada (DHL, UPS, FedEx)
Remember to allow for customs clearance.
Monday, December 16, or earlier

Domestic US (UPS, FedEx)
Ship earlier in the month if possible to allow for bad weather delays.
Tuesday, December 17 – Ground (1- to 6-day transit time)
Thursday, December 19 – 3-Day Air
Friday, December 20 or Saturday, December 21 – 2-Day Air
Monday, December 23 – Next Day Air

As 2013 rapidly draws to a close I find myself thankful. For what? My family, our health, a spunky going-on-3-year-old grandson, friends, a thriving business, creativity, travel plans… the list is long.

My hubby Jim and our son Jesse recently managed Pak Mail 232 sans “the boss,” making it possible for me to join my siblings for a long weekend in North Carolina in celebration of our parents’ 65 years of marriage!

Jim’s and my decision in 1975 to leave the East Coast and move to Colorado (Dad called us pioneers) forced us with our two sons to create our own holiday traditions. Instead of traveling the miles during the holidays, we made or purchased gifts for long-distance family and friends. Of course, then we had to ship them. The decision in 2008 to purchase our Colorado Springs packing and shipping store now keeps us home for the holidays for a different reason – shipping holiday gifts for our customers to their loved ones. Little did we know!

2013 Minck Family Portrait

A simple message to our customers – thanks!

We witnessed the devastation of the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest Fires; several of our customers lost their homes. We have all been touched in some way by these tragic events.

Each year in September the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) pays tribute to US and Canadian fire fighters and paramedics who have given their lives in the line of duty. This ceremonial service is conducted at the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial and Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and includes the presentation of memorial flags to family members of the honorees.

A couple of days before this year’s ceremony we were asked by a local fire fighter to provide a collection point and subsequent packing and shipping of 137 memorial flags. What an honor… and humbling experience. Thank you.

August was a busy month at Pak Mail 232, especially the last two weeks. We conducted five pickups and shipped three pallets in one day, and prepped another two for departure after Labor Day. We shipped documents to India and other parts of the world, collectibles from an estate, furniture used in staging a home for sale, household goods across the US and also to Canada and Europe, and care packages to college students.

It came as a shock when owners Randy and Nancy Bolen of the Peak Grill closed their doors after 15 years in the restaurant business. They’ve been good friends and business neighbors since I bought our store in 2008. In talking with them, they cited a significant downturn since the Waldo Canyon Fire and then the Black Forest Fire.

The Race family will miss the Bolens and their friendly service and business camaraderie… and the Peak Grill’s BLT with homemade potato chips! We wish them well in their next venture.

It’s that time of year… summer is waning and students are heading off to school. College freshman and upper classmen alike are wondering what they should take with them. The list includes bedding, books, computers, toys, and sports equipment, to name a few. If the college doesn’t provide a “to-do” list, there are plenty of resources online – College Packing List and Dorm Room Checklist are just two of them. A list like one of these can help simplify the process of gathering belongings needed for the school year        .

Once all the items are collected, the next question is how to pack and ship them. Some simple steps to follow are:

1. Make a complete list of all items including the value of each.
2. Separate the fragile items from the non-fragile ones.
   – Don’t pack glassware and computer equipment wrapped in clothing or bedding.
3. Pack similar non-fragile items together for easy unpacking in the dorm or apartment.
   – Don’t make the boxes too heavy; you might have to carry them up a few flights.
   – Pack books in smaller boxes no larger that 16”x16”x16”.
   – Pack bedding or clothing in boxes that are easy to carry 18”x18”x18” or 20”x20”x20”.
4. Pack fragile items allowing for at least 2″ of protective packaging materials around all dimensions.
5. Decide whether you’ll move the boxes with the family car or ship them.
6. Check with the college about receiving and storing a shipment until the student arrives.
7. Ship with a reliable carrier with tracking and declared value coverage.

If you decide to ship, choose a professional packing and shipping store. They can assist with the packing, especially the fragile items, and help determine the most cost-effective shipping method. If the load is small (two or three boxes), UPS or FedEx ground service will probably do. If the shipment is larger (all items needed for a dorm room or small apartment), LTL freight on a pallet will most likely be more economical.

College student shipping – their stuff, that is – can be simple and easy. Get that part of the “leaving home” process out of the way and enjoy some time together before the big day.

Customers walk through our front door and say, “I need a box.” Our first response is, “Are you moving or shipping?” What’s the difference? Standard moving boxes from big-box stores, moving and storage rental businesses, or packing and shipping stores are not as sturdy as shipping boxes. Some have pre-cut side handles, which work well for moving. A box shipped with UPS, FedEx, or DHL does not necessarily remain upright in its journey, so small items might escape through the holes. Moving boxes are great for packing and moving everyday items, but even packing a heavier item for moving requires a sturdier box, or possibly a crate.

How do you know the strength of a box simply by looking at it? The bottom flap will most likely contain one of two stamps indicating the strength test certification for that box. For single-wall corrugated boxes, the stamp indicates Edge Crush Test (ECT 32) or Bursting Test 200#. Lee Fredrickson, owner of the Cedar Rapids Pak Mail, co-authored a franchisee newsletter article a number of years ago about box quality. The difference between the two tests (ECT and Bursting Test) is the orientation of the testing equipment – up and down on a vertically oriented sample of the corrugated (edge crush) or from the sides (burst). The strength of an ECT 32-stamped box can vary depending on the weight of the facing paper, which is not part of the ECT process and subsequently not controlled. A 200-pound Bursting Test carton will have minimum rated facing weights totaling 100 pounds (half the Bursting Test), using at least 50-pound paper on each facing.

Some moving and storage businesses claim their boxes are approved for shipping with UPS and FedEx. That’s true, but the statement is typically based on the ECT 32 rating and the box would only be suitable for soft light-weight, non-fragile items. Even when using the small moving box for moving books, the pre-cut handles should be reinforced with tape.

Are you moving or shipping? Choosing the right box can make all the difference in getting your treasures to their new home safely.

Bursting Test 200# stamp

Bursting Test 200# stamp

Edge Crust Test 32 stamp

Ownership and continued growth of a packing and shipping business keep my creative juices flowing. In addition to daily operations, I often ask myself: Should I create new pages for our website? What form of online advertising should I use? Should I start a packing and shipping blog? What will I write about? Which meetings will I attend this month? What will I say in my 30- or 60-second speech? These are all legitimate questions. With the response to each comes a resourceful plan of action. Results? New faces appear in the store.

But what about my vision outside of my business? How do I find – or is that “make” – time for my artwork? How do I bring a similar creative focus to my yarn spinning, knitting, and weaving? It’s a constant battle… sometimes a battle cry. Some of my inspiration comes from Cass Mullane, a business coach and owner of Prosper Creatively. She has a passion for teaching business plans for right-brained people. She has an equal passion for her fiber artwork. And now she’s sharing studio space at Cottonwood Center for the Arts and is the owner of Planet Cass.

With Cass’ lessons in mind, on the July 4^th holiday Sunday I awoke with a plan for the day. Note I said “the day.” Baby steps are good. The plan? Exercise, eat breakfast, and wash the three small bags of Merino wool (some in my closet for a year). So I walked, enjoyed eggs and waffles with my husband, and spent the next five hours washing the wool. It worked! Now I’m prepping the wool further for spinning a fine lace-weight yarn.

My list – scan family photos and Dad’s WWII letters, spin yarn, create and knit sons’ sweaters, design small nature tapestries, reupholster chairs in our fifth wheel, finish needlepoint – can be overwhelming when placed on top of what I do for Pak Mail. Perhaps “alongside” with small planned steps is the way to go. I’m still learning.

How do you balance your business and personal creativity?