[njbchbum]

We have done it all - from forwarding, temp address change, neighbors - and found that the USPS Premium Forwarding Service [also a temp address change] is the most reliable way to redirect mail!

The service starts on a Wednesday and forwards every Wednesday thereafter until the end date - usually arrives on Saturday - billed weekly - expensive but reliable. EVERYTHING including the magazines, catalogs and junk mail is sent. No need to make a daily trip to your local box unless you want to or are expecting something sent direct or a package.

We start it on the Wed prior to our arrival so that it will not get there until we arrive. I process a Hold Mail for any days between our home departure and the Wed start date - that makes sure that there is mail to forward as of the start date.

On our return I stop the mail forwarding from home on the Wed prior to our TV departure - process a Hold Mail on the mail at home until our return there - process a mail forward from TV to home.

So basically it's a Hold Mail at home until the start of the PFS the Wed after we leave and an end date the Wed before we leave TV with a TV forwarding start the Monday of the week of our departure from TV with a Hold Mail/delivery restart date for our home delivery.

I also get the name of the person at our home P.O. who processes the Premium Forwarding Service so that I have someone to call directly in case there is any change to our travel plans and they can make any modification necessary for me. Most important - it allows me to send a FL fruit gift basket back to the P.O. while we are away as a thank you for their attention to our use of PFS!

As mentioned, it has been the most reliable way to insure delivery of our mail...and it relieves any family member/neighbor from any anxiety of forgetting to help us out. The one CAUTION I do have is a substitute mail carrier forgetting/not realizing that we have subscribed to PFS - so I have the chap who comes by to make sure the driveway/sidewalks have been plowed and who periodically starts our sitting cars check our mailbox for misdelivered mail - I leave pre-adressed Priority Mail envelopes with him when we give him the car keys.

Hope that helps you.