[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Catalina36

I believe you can only get mail forwarding for a max of 30 days.

Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months. You can get extensions of this up to 18 additional months. But since we are talking 6 months each way standard will work.

Standard Forward Mail | USPS

[WingedFoot78]

We went paperless in 2008 when we started RVing. It has worked out well since. A bonus is saving on postage.

[Notsocrates]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

I do the same, 6 and 6. Mail is no problem. You can fill USPS form on its website. Journals and anything not 1st class will not be forwarded.

[bern916]

Originally Posted by stevecmo

Will you have a "house watcher" at both locations? We use a service in TV that checks our mail once a week and lets us know if there is anything important. Our daughter does the same at our house up north.

Can you give me more info on the "service" in TV that checks your mail once a week? Like who do you contact and what's the cost?

[MrFlorida]

They will forward first class mail, but not the junk mail, you will need somebody to empty your box on occasion. Also, it takes a week for the forwarding to take effect.

[mkjelenbaas]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

What did they tell you when you went there to get info??

[wamley]

Get the phone number of someone in the local Post Office that handles your forwarded mail. Sign up at least a month ahead and schedule your forwarding to start 3-4 days before your arrival in TV. It seems to take several days for this transition. If you see no mail after a week call that number and speak to your contact at the PO. Also, have a neighbor or close friend to check your mail box to collect mail that might have been delivered. They can forward it to you by Fedex.

[Berwin]

Another option is one full-time RVers use. You have your mail sent to a forwarding service. Some will open your mail, scan it, and send it to you by email. Here's one I investigated: Virtual Mailbox & Mail Forwarding | Traveling Mailbox

[PennyAnn]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

If you are planning to do forwarding, make it at least 10-14 days early, coming and going. That way, mail won't slip through after you've already left.
We do 6 and 6 months from Canada and just leave our mail as is and have our house checker also pick up the mail and call us each time.
Good luck and enjoy the Villages. There's nothing like it!

[Decadeofdave]

Usps premium forwarding service, $20 per week, put a credit card on file, all done on line

[GaryKoca]

The post office will not forward mail for short periods of time, like two months, for example. So have an arrangement with a neighbor to forward your mail. In the winter we will be here for 4+ months, so the post office said no problem. But have them start forwarding your mail 7-10 days before you leave at each end, because it takes about 7-10 days for them to start forwarding. I was surprised to see that they would not forward my mail for 6-8 weeks, but that is their system.

[admiral72]

we found the forwarding unreliable. Important item were retuned to sender creating many problems. We went to a P.O. box up North and once a week someone picks up the mail and overnights it to us.

[dtennent]

Originally Posted by GaryKoca

The post office will not forward mail for short periods of time, like two months, for example. So have an arrangement with a neighbor to forward your mail. In the winter we will be here for 4+ months, so the post office said no problem. But have them start forwarding your mail 7-10 days before you leave at each end, because it takes about 7-10 days for them to start forwarding. I was surprised to see that they would not forward my mail for 6-8 weeks, but that is their system.

We have had mail forwarded up north during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays for several years now. Is your experience within the past year?

[Ritagoyer]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Hi - Buying in TV this month - will split my time with my home in Colorado (six months straight in each location). question- how should I manage my mail be forwarded Between these two locations? Will a forwarding request be accepted for a full six months? I’m concerned about my mail falling through the cracks somehow at either location. I’m sure others have this all figured out, and would appreciate your responses? Looking forward to meeting all my new TV friends and neighbors in a few weeks! 😀

We have been doing this for years there is about a 2 week lag in getting the forwarded mail to the next address. We always forward about 1 week before we leave to get to TV and 2 weeks before we return north. That gets everyone time to get the process started. The one thing that you will not get is 3ed class mail aka junk mail that will not be forwarded. Since we live in a small town up north we have our mail held at the post office ( they will hold for one month) that lets us take a slow drive back to Wisconsin

[Ritagoyer]

Originally Posted by SIRE1

We are snowbirds as well. Using the "Forwarding" function from the USPS works for almost everything but there are a few factors that you should consider. First, forwarded mail is usually delayed by 7 - 10 days so any bills that are not on autopay may arrive late and be past due. The second, is that some mail (like new credit cards or income tax statements) will not be forwarded even if you have submitted an address change. For that reason, for my credit cards, bank, and financial accounts I logon to the companies web site and change the mailing address to the new address. That way, the mail is sent directly to my new address. I do this 2 weeks before I leave for Florida and again 2 weeks before I head back north. Two weeks gives anything that is already in the mail pipeline to arrive while I am still at the old address and send anything new to the new address. I also do this for magazine subscriptions because the post office will only forward magazines for 2 months. All other mail is forwarded using the US Mail website to request an address change and I also use the 2 week time frame for that as well. I use the US Mail website to request the address change so that I can make sure the address is correct. When I first started coming to The Villages, I used the free card at the Post Office and they must have incorrectly typed in the address and my forwarded mail wasn't delivered until I went to the Post Office and found that the forwarding address was not correct.

We have also used UPS and setup a temporary PO box there and forwarded mail to them then leave instructions and a credit card on file for them to forward all mail in box to our address here in TV. This will also work if you are traveling to different places.