Over 2 billion people do most of their shopping online.
What does that mean for you and your apartment complex? It means you need to have a mailbox system that can support these types of packages.
However, these mailboxes don’t have to detract from the design of your property. In fact, the right mailboxes can turn your beautiful apartments into even bigger charmers.
How?
We’ve put together this guide to help you learn how to choose the right commercial mailboxes for your property and how to make them stand out from what your competitors are doing down the street. So let’s get started!
How to Choose the Right Mailbox Design
There’s a lot to think about when choosing mailboxes for your apartment complex. If you get something too big, you’re wasting money. If you get something too small, your residents won’t appreciate having to deal with smashes mail and damaged items.
And that just scratches the surface of the decisions you have to make. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to pick a mailbox design that compliments the natural beauty of your property.
Add up the Numbers
First thing’s first: figure out how many individual apartments you have on your property. You need to ensure whatever type of commercial mailbox you buy has enough space for all your residents.
This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to install one commercial mailbox and think you have everything covered. Depending on the size of your apartment complex, you may need two or three (or even more) mailboxes. You may end up with a few receptacles in your mailbox that no one uses, that’s okay.
It’s better to have extra space than not enough.
Pick the Features
Commercial mailboxes come in all different sizes and styles, so spend some time thinking about the features you want.
For example, you can get a cluster mailbox system that has one or two parcel lockers for large packages. If one of your residents orders something from, let’s say, Amazon, the postal service will place the item in the parcel locker and leave the key in the individual’s mail slot.
However, these parcel lockers won’t be able to hold everyone’s mail.
If you have a lot of residents who order a lot of packages, you might want to install a parcel locker mailbox instead. This will give each of your residents their own parcel locker, which will keep packages much more secure than they would be waiting outside their front door.
You should also ask yourself how much mail your residents will be sending. You may want to have several outgoing mail slots to prevent them from overfilling.
Finally, make sure all the mail slots or parcel lockers have a secure lock. Otherwise, your resident’s sensitive mail won’t be safe on your property.
Compare Indoor Mailboxes…
Once you know how many mail receptacles you need and what features you want, you need to decide where to install your commercial mailbox.
Many residents will appreciate an indoor option. This will allow them to check their mail without having to brave cold weather, strong winds, or troublesome rain. A building also gives them more privacy when receiving personal information, and it adds an extra layer of security.
If you don’t like how traditional mailbox designs look, you can install the mailbox inside a wall. This will give your mailbox a much cleaner and nicer appearance (and it won’t take away from the functionality).
… To Outdoor Mailboxes
If you don’t have space for an indoor mailbox, setting up your mailbox system outside doesn’t make the mail unsecure. In fact, this type of installation will often be cheaper and easier.
But remember, you have to maintain the mailboxes so they stay in good condition. This means you may have to trim back any plants around the mailboxes so they’re completely accessible, repair them after storms, repaint them after bad weather, etc.
However, an outdoor mailbox system can look just as nice as an indoor option.
Get the Proper Approval
Don’t purchase or install anything without getting it approved by the USPS (United States Postal Service) first. Otherwise, it may not meet the required laws, and you may have to spend extra money removing and replacing it.
Don’t Settle for the Traditional, Industrial Look
Don’t like the look of industrial, commercial mailboxes?
You aren’t stuck with it.
One of the best ways to make your apartment complex stand out (and to incorporate your mailboxes into the overall style of your apartments) is to decorate them mailboxes.
You can paint them a bright, vibrant color. You can stencil creative and interesting designs on the surface. You can paper them. In some cases, you may even be able to change the font of the letters and numbers. This can turn an otherwise boring feature into a beautiful design element.
Most of the time, the USPS won’t have much to say about this type of decorating. However, you should always double-check with them first to ensure you aren’t compromising the accessibility.
Creating Beautiful Apartments With the Right Commercial Mailboxes
Beautiful apartments attract more interested renters (and can even make you more money). There are a lot of ways you can make your apartment property pleasing to the eye, but you shouldn’t overlook your mailboxes.
Not sure where to look for these types of mailbox designs?
We’ve got you covered. Don’t hesitate to take a look at some of our options today!
