You dropped your 18-year-old off at college and it was hard. The drive away from campus was just plain weird. It was emotional, heart wrenching, exciting, or all of the emotions at once. One thing is for sure. You want to let your college student know they are in your thoughts with a College Care Package!
There are loads of awesome Care Package ideas on Pinterest but you want to keep it simple. You want to send a College Care Package the SMART way!
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College Care Package Supplies
- Printer – I just purchased this one and it is ah-mazing!
- Card Stock
- College Care Package Printable – found below
- Scissors or Paper Cutter
- Priority Mail Regional Rate Box – B1
- Click-N-Ship Single Labels
- Scale
- Snacks and Goodies for your College Student!
How To Send A College Care Package The Smart Way
1) Order Priority Mail Regional Rate B1 Boxes from USPS.
They’re FREE! Click the link above and order a set of 10 or 25 to be delivered to your door. Sweet!
Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes are a low-cost alternative for customers who purchase and print shipping labels online.
The Priority Mail Regional Rate Box – B1 is top loading and the dimensions are: 12-1/4″ x 10-1/2″ x 5-1/2″. The maximum weight allowed is 20 lbs.
I have found this to be a great size for College Care Packages, however, there are three other Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes you may want to check out, when you order your boxes.
For us, it was a huge money saver to use the Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes over regular Priority Mail.
Hey, if you plan to put together a College Care Package every month, those savings add up!
Wow! It sounds like I work for the Post Office, doesn’t it? Nope! I just like to save money on shipping!
2) Order Click-N-Ship Single Labels OR simply print your postage label on regular paper and adhere with package tape.
3) Order a scale.
You have to weigh your package at home in order to save money! A scale will save you a lot of money, in the long run.
4) Print the College Care Package Printable (found below) on card stock and cut.
This College Care Package Printable is designed to fit on the inside flap of the Priority Mail Regional Rate Box – B1.
Find College Care Package Printables for every occasion here!
5) Gather snacks and goodies you know your college student will love.
6) Pack all those goodies into the Priority Mail Regional Rate Box – B1.
7) Adhere the College Care Package Printable pieces to the inside flaps of the box.
8) Go to USPS Click-N-Ship and enter your information.
9) Pay for and print your label.
You need to print your label at home. If you take your Regional Rate Box to the post office, an additional fee will be added to the cost of shipping.
10) Adhere your label to box.
11) Schedule Package Pick Up
Here’s more awesome news! You can order your package to be picked up from your doorstep. Yay! You can also drop your package off at the post office.
12) Start gathering goodies for your next College Care Package!
If you don’t want to sit around and cry over your empty nest, DO SOMETHING! Gather the supplies you need to create an awesome College Care Package. You know you will want to do more than one. That’ll keep you busy and excited for your student!
More College Resources
How To Make Your College Transition Easier For Your Mom
The ideas for College Care Packages are amazing. Some even wrap the inside of the box. Totally cool!