Homemade Parcel Post: How To Prepare A Parcel Properly?

Sending a postal package for Christmas, Easter or a birthday is a good way to keep in touch with your relatives who live in another part of France or abroad. For this shipment, you can of course buy a ready to mail package. But it is sometimes cheaper to make the package yourself. Here are 5 tips to prepare a home-made package.

1- Choose your box carefully

The first step to making a homemade package is finding the right box.

Whatever the shape of the item you want to send, even if it is long, soft or rounded, strive to find a rectangular or square shaped cardboard box.

It is highly recommended that the box be a classic shape so that the post office can transport and deliver it in the best condition.

You can recycle the box from a package you received, as long as it is intact and clean. Remember to be sure to remove all stickers and barcodes from a previous shipment.

To note: if you can't find a box with the right shape for the item you want to send, be aware that the Post Office offers a range of postage packaging, including models that can ship one or more bottles.

2- Respect the maximum dimensions and weight

For your homemade package to be delivered by La Poste, it is not enough that its box is rectangular... It is also necessary that your package respects the standards of dimensions and weight imposed by the French Post Office.

As far as dimensions are concerned, remember that the sum of the three dimensions of your package (i.e. height + width + length) must not exceed 2 meters.

Regarding the maximum weight, the weight of a unit package must not exceed 30 kg, including packaging.

To be noted: as the cost of the shipment (in Colissimo for example) depends on the weight of the parcel, it is in your best interest to check how much your box weighs once filled, before going to the post office to stamp it and send it.

3- Don't forget to protect the contents of the package

Once you've found a box with the right shape and size, all you have to do is put the item(s) you want to send inside.

During this step, don't forget to cushion the items inside the box.

Indeed, even if you have chosen a strong enough box, the objects can move inside the package during its transport and break.

That's why you should also provide protective and cushioning materials such as newspaper, bubble wrap, kraft paper, foam paper or Styrofoam.

Whatever materials you choose, make sure that the items you send move as little as possible during the transport of the package.

This is essential if you want the contents of your homemade package to arrive in perfect condition.

4- Respect the packaging standards of the Post Office

When closing your homemade package, be careful not to make any mistakes that would make your shipment impossible!

Indeed, La Poste imposes certain packaging standards and a specific rule: nothing must protrude from your package.

This means that the box must have no handles or string around it.

Do not use string to close the box flaps, only tape! As for tape, use it sparingly!

If you cover the entire box with tape, the Post Office might refuse it because it will be difficult to stick the shipping forms (the paper with the sender and recipient address and the forms for customs).

For the same reasons, do not wrap the parcel in gift wrap, which could complicate the task of the letter carriers!

If you want to add gift wrap, do so only around the items you place inside the package.

5- Don't forget to fill out the customs form

If you plan to send your homemade package overseas, don't forget to fill out the customs declaration!

This form, which accurately states the contents of the package (i.e., the nature of the items, their number, weight, and value), used to be a paper form that you could fill out at the post office.

Now, this declaration must be required to be completed online (see link below).

So you should remember to complete this formality at home and print the form you completed before going to the post office.

If you do not have a printer at home, you can also fill out this form on the interactive terminals of the Post Office.

In any case, remember to provide yourself with all the necessary information, especially the recipient's exact address and phone number.

For a shipment abroad, all the paperwork must be properly completed for the transport of your package to go smoothly.