Calling all work-from-home employees: Your checklist of the five home shipping essentials

Over the past decade, the number of remote workers has increased dramatically. Gallup research shows that 43% of U.S. employees were working remotely even before the crisis, and recently many more have joined their ranks. Simply put, more Americans are working from home than ever before, which means there are more employees and managers alike who need to ship and receive business items from their home offices.

So if you have any expectation that your day-to-day job will entail sending out vital business packages from your home address, here are the five essential tools you should always have at your disposal:

Shipping supplies

This one is a bit of a no-brainer – you’re not going to get far with shipping packages from home without the right supplies on hand. Envelopes, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, boxes and packing tape should cover just about anything you need to send out, and can all be acquired (some for free) from your local USPS^® Post Office. For those that do not want to visit a retail location, Pitney Bowes is currently offering a free Priority Mail starter kit. It includes tips, ways to save, and a variety of flat rate boxes and is delivered right to your doorstep.

Request your complimentary Priority Mail starter kit here.

Tape measure

When it comes to shipping or sending packages, bigger does not always mean better. The length, width and height of what you’re shipping will define the dimensions of the box you’re housing it in - which in turn defines how much it will cost to send that package out. Senders can save on costs by identifying the right-sized boxes or envelopes they need at any given time, but step one has to be to get an accurate measurement of your parcel’s dimensions.

A scale

Similarly, the weight of a package will define how much USPS, FedEx^® and UPS^® will charge to ship an item. Don’t just ballpark the estimate in your head; you could end up paying way more than is necessary, or undershoot the weight and be charged later for the difference. Always check your packages on a scale first so you can put an accurate weight on the shipping label and pay no more to send it out than you need to.

A printer

Your package isn’t going anywhere without postage and a shipping label. No home office is complete without a household printer. Not only is it an essential tool for quickly printing out shipping labels and postage for outgoing packages, but it’s far more convenient and cost-effective than making frequent trips to your local office retailer for printing.

Your computer and phone

Not that you wouldn’t have these with you anyway, but running even with physical packages, it’s a digital world. If you’ve already invested in an online sending application like PitneyShip^®, your computer provides an easy avenue for paying the correct amounts for shipping and postage, as well as producing the appropriate labels for an outgoing item. Not to mention, you’ll need it and/or your phone to actually schedule package pickups!

Looking for a way to simplify your mailing & sending process? Learn more about PitneyShip shipping software, which can help you track parcels online, calculate postage and print shipping labels, all from the comfort of your home office.