Given we have been focusing on our theme this week of Writing Outside the Box it seemed noteworthy to mention proactively to be aware of postage rates for non-standard sized mail – in the examples today – smaller envelopes and square envelopes.   

Postage Due

It continues to be a joy to receive real ‘snail-mail’ from family and friends.   A dear friend wrote me a Congratulations note and whisked it off in the mail to me on the occasion of my blog milestone of having passed the 30 day mark with blogging daily here at AnchoredScraps.com!   You know how when you mail something you can’t wait to have the other person recognize it on the phone and say “Hey, thank you so much for a fantastic note you sent”!    Well after the customary expected few days and me not mentioning a peep of said note having been received my friend inquired, “Did you ever receive my note I sent you”.   After a week longer it became the search-du-jour topic for us.   Finally it arrived and with it a ‘Postage Due’ was stamped on the envelope from the Post Office.

Smaller sized and Standard sized envelopes

It was news to find out that this smaller size envelope measuring 5 1/2 ” Length  x 3  1/4″ Height is NOT standard sized mail – it barely missed the minimum size requirement.    To the Post Office’s credit they did deliver it with a rubber band around it and a larger envelope around it with a note to please put 21 cents into the envelope and place into the outgoing mail and it would get collected. According to the U.S.P.S. to be eligible for mailing at the price for letters, a piece must be:

• Rectangular
• At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick.
• No more than 6-1/8 inches high x 11-1/2 inches long x 1/4 inch thick.

Square envelopes

You will also want to pay  attention for square envelopes –  when out buying a square card you may notice that they come with a rectangular envelope that do not require additional postage.  It is not because they did not want to make a square envelope – it is because they are trying to help you not pay more postage.  Here is a link to the U.S.P.S. Nonmachinable surcharge criteria.

There is an added bonus to this story – the note and envelope now have a fun story in addition to the Congratulations sentiment and will get the memory of all this shared in my scrapbook.    Please continue to be creative!  Just be aware of size guidelines with your mail so you (and your recipient) aren’t caught by surprise and have a longer delivery time as a result.

Join me tomorrow as we conclude our theme this week of Writing Outside the Box!

Anchors Aweigh,  

Helen