Thanks to the rise in online shopping, having packages sent to your apartment directly is easier and more popular than ever. And it’s not only packages. From groceries to take-out food deliveries, almost anything can come right to your front door.
Everyone from private companies to national mail agencies like the U.S. Postal Service is part of this rapidly-growing, multi-billion dollar industry. Some companies, like Amazon, have even become specifically known for their efficient delivery system. Whether it’s for the holiday season or just having daily essentials delivered, the shift to having packages delivered directly to your apartment door is here to stay.
But that ease and convenience have led to another issue: package theft. Maybe you only have a standard-sized apartment mailbox that won’t accommodate large packages. So, your package is left against the front door, vulnerable. Since different apartment buildings have different package delivery options, it’s easy for thieves to quickly grab and go. This problem with packages sent to your apartment getting stolen is only getting worse, too. In a survey conducted by home security company SafeWise, they discovered that in 2021, thieves stole over 210 million packages.
For many, while it’s upsetting, package theft only amounts to lost goods and lost money. But for others, it could be a major safety or health risk if you’re getting valuable goods delivered. And it’s not only theft that’s a concern. Living in a building with people coming in and out all day leads to the possibility of a damaged package, as well.
So, what can you do to make sure my packages arrive safely to your front door? Luckily, there are plenty of steps you can take to make sure your future deliveries arrive safely.
Top tips for getting your packages delivered safely
Follow these helpful tips for safe apartment package delivery and you’ll significantly reduce or even eliminate the risk of your packages getting stolen or damaged.
1. Track your packages using a package delivery service
One of the easiest ways to keep packages sent to your apartment safe is to know where they are at all times. Nowadays, everyone from food delivery apps to mail and parcel carriers offers tracking options. Companies keep detailed tracking records, which you can easily access, in order to know when your package is coming.
Different parcel carriers have different options for this service. Sites like UPS let you register for notifications for packages coming to your address. You’ll get an email when a package is on its way and another when it’s delivered. Another option is FedEx Delivery Manager. By opening a FedEx Delivery Manager account, you can track package deliveries and get notifications about where they are in transit. If you always feel stressed about getting parcels delivered to your apartment, signing up for a service like this can help eliminate some of that anxiety.
Also, always monitor and keep track of how many packages you order. If you have a lot of excess mail, you may lose track of some shipments.
2. Stick with a preferred mail carrier
If you have a trusted mail carrier you’ve used in the past, use them again and again. The loyalty will result in carriers who are familiar with where you live, parcels delivered in a timely manner and other benefits. You can also cultivate a better relationship with your delivery person, further ensuring quality delivery and service.
3. Double-check that all your personal information for delivery is correct
It may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes packages sent to your apartment get lost simply because your information is wrong. It doesn’t matter if a carrier delivers to your apartment community all the time. They deliver to hundreds of apartment communities and houses per day. They don’t have your specific address memorized. Parcel carriers deliver packages according to what’s listed on the delivery address. So, double-check details like writing the apartment number correctly.
You can even double-check and verify your apartment address online. There are millions of rental units in the United States and each registers a specific way. Verifying that a mail carrier recognizes your address as one they can deliver to will get rid of delivery service mix-ups.
4. Give carriers specific delivery instructions
Many parcel carriers and delivery services offer the option to add delivery instructions or select delivery preferences. If your building has a mail room or secure parcel lockers, you can specify where you want your packages left.
If your apartment doesn’t have options like these, you can request packages be left in safe places by your front door. These could be lockboxes, hidden alcoves or a discreet location. For example, the delivery person could place a package behind a large hallway decoration like a plant or lamp to keep it out of sight.
5. Learn about your apartment community’s mail features
In order to give your parcel carrier custom delivery options, you first need to know what package holding options your apartment building has. These could be anything from a well-kept mailroom to parcel lockers. Some modern apartment complexes will even have computerized parcel lockers. These require passcodes or other digital verification methods to open instead of keys.
If your apartment only has a standard tenant mailbox and nowhere to safely leave packages, choose an apartment community that has other options or use other delivery options.
6. Be home to receive packages
If your apartment community doesn’t have a secure location where parcel carriers can leave packages sent to your apartment, be home to accept packages in person. Of course, considering factors like work, school and travel, this isn’t always feasible.
7. Don’t leave packages out too long
If you’re worried about packages sitting too long before you’re able to get home, you can require a signature for delivery. If you pick this option, a note left at your door tells you when they made the delivery attempt. The note may include when they’ll be back or give you instructions on how to schedule delivery.
If you’ll be away from home for a longer period of time, don’t forget to put a hold on your mail. Even taking a quick weekend vacation means mail can sit longer than you’d want. A simple hold ensures they don’t deliver until you’re back.
8. Check with your on-site management office
If you live in a building or complex with an on-site management office, verify their policy on receiving packages on your behalf. Property managers will sometimes accept and hold package deliveries for you if you’re not home at the time of delivery. Just be sure to pick them up in a timely manner.
You may also want to notify the office when you’re expecting something. Don’t forget to double-check that they have good contact information for you to let you know when there’s mail waiting.
This is not always the case, though. Delivery policies vary depending on the leasing office or property manager. They do have the right to refuse package delivery, instead, directing the carrier to deliver packages to your specific apartment number. So, it’s important that you confirm the exact policy of your leasing office before considering this as an option.
9. Live in a building with a doorman or concierge
This isn’t an option for everyone. But living in a building with a doorman or concierge has quite a few perks, including having an on-site person to watch out for your deliveries. A typical part of their service, doormen will accept delivery of your packages sent to your apartment and hold them until you’re able to pick them up.
10. Get to know your neighbors
Getting to know your neighbors not only gives you the added security of being more aware of who will be coming in and out of your building. It can also introduce you to someone who’s home more frequently.
Asking a neighbor who works from home to grab any packages left at your door until you’re able to get home from work or school could save you from worrying about them. Just make sure you’re gracious that they’re doing this favor. Ask if there’s anything you do to reciprocate their generosity.
11. Enhance security
While not all apartment buildings allow you to improve security on your own, it never hurts to ask. Installing a camera at your door or a doorbell with a camera included allows you to see who’s knocking. Similarly, you can see and record any porch pirates stealing your packages sent to your apartment.
If a camera isn’t an option in your apartment building, consider getting a secure lockbox you can attach to your door or another hard-to-move item. These boxes won’t fit all packages, but they lock with a padlock and keep your items secure. You simply leave the padlock in the box for the delivery person to use once your package is safely inside. You may want to notify your landlord that you’ve installed the box so they don’t accidentally remove it.
12. Test out new technologies
At-home security is a big business, and this includes protecting your deliveries. Companies like Amazon are working to make package delivery more reliable through Amazon Key.
This service lets a delivery person gain access to your home to drop a package just inside the front door. Access could be granted to get inside your apartment or just past the secure entrance to your apartment building.
There’s even an alarm system for packages. A frisbee-sized disc sits outside your apartment and activates when someone puts a package on it. You’re then notified there’s a package waiting. To remove the package, you have to disarm the alarm from your mobile device. If you don’t disarm it, a loud alarm goes off. If someone tries to grab your package without your knowledge, they’re in for a noisy surprise.
13. Deliver them elsewhere
It does defeat the purpose of getting packages delivered directly to your apartment. But you may live somewhere where you just don’t feel confident or comfortable with that option. If that’s the case, you’ll need to have them delivered elsewhere like the following choices.
14. Get a P.O. box
Not comfortable with direct deliveries to the front door of your apartment? Go to your local post office and set up a P.O. box. Standing for post office boxes, these handy boxes are at post offices around the country. You can pick a variety of size options and all your packages are safely held in your box until you can pick them up. Even if your package is too big for your P.O. box, post office employees will hold it in the back for you.
15. Have your package delivered to the local carrier’s offices or facility
If you don’t want a chosen parcel carrier to have your package automatically delivered to your apartment address, you can choose to ship packages to the carrier’s local facilities or office. They’ll safely hold them there for you for a certain amount of time. You sometimes don’t even need to go to the post office. If there’s a UPS Access Point location closer to you, like a grocery store or mall, you can get packages sent there.
16. Use approved parcel lockers
Some buildings or areas may have approved parcel lockers, where each resident has their own private box. Some are inside a building in a common area or lobby, others could be in an outdoor mail area for the whole neighborhood to access. These are generally pretty secure, but make sure they’re USPS-approved parcel lockers. One downside of these, though, is the size can vary. So, sometimes the locker can only accommodate small packages sent to your apartment.
17. Use Amazon Lockers
If you’re not comfortable with a service like Amazon Key, instead, you can deliver parcels to a nearby Amazon Locker. These are found in participating stores or shops.
18. Send packages to your office
Some employers will allow you to have personal packages shipped to your work. But be sure to check with office management or your boss before doing this.
19. Have packages delivered to stores
If you’re ordering something from a specific store, you can check if shopping centers in your area have a brick-and-mortar location nearby. If they do, you can order something directly off their site and have it sent to the local store branch to pick up.
20. Get insurance
Regardless of how you ship packages and where they’re delivered, if you’ve purchased something expensive, it’s a good rule of thumb to insure the package. Not everything always gets to its final destination, and replacing a big-ticket item can cost a lot. Insurance is usually not that expensive and it helps give you peace of mind.
Make sure your parcels arrive safely into the right hands
By protecting your deliveries using these tips, you can feel confident that what you buy online arrives safely at your apartment.