USPS Urges Minnesotans: Check Your Mailbox Now

The U.S. Postal Service is reminding Minnesotans to take a few minutes to take a closer look at their mailboxes. Here's what’s behind the timely request.

While they get used just about every day-- except Sundays, that is--  but if you're like me, you probably don't often think too much about your mailbox. And I'm just going to guess that you didn't know there's an entire week devoted to mailboxes, too, right?

I didn't, either, until I saw this note from the U.S. Postal Service regional office in Minneapolis. And, as it turns out, that week is THIS week, May 18 through May 24, 2025-- something the Postal Service refers to as 'Mailbox Improvement Week.'

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According to the release, Mailbox Improvement Week, which is always the third week of May, exists "...to encourage customers to examine and, where necessary, improve the appearance of their mailboxes. Neat, sturdy, and attractive mailboxes make a significant contribution to the appearance of the streets and homes," the release noted.

So, how's YOUR mailbox looking these days? Did our last Minnesota winter, even though it was once again fairly mild, take a toll on your mailbox? The mailbox on the street outside our house is in OK shape, but I've had experience with some that weren't.

Back when I lived over in Wisconsin, somebody went careening down my street too fast and crashed into my mailbox, snapping the post right off. It was in the middle of winter when the ground was frozen, so I had to wait until spring to install a new box and post.

Of course, before I could install a new mailbox, I got a note from my mail carrier that said the current box I was using (which I had temporarily stuck in the snowbank) wasn't up to code.

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The USPS says that Mailbox Awareness Week helps call attention to the wear and tear that occurs to mailboxes throughout the year. Some of the typical activities homeowners  in Minnesota may need to do to their mailbox includes:

• Replacing loose hinges on a mailbox door.
• Repainting a mailbox that may have rusted or has started to peel.
• Remounting a loosened mailbox post.
• Replacing or adding house numbers

If your mailbox needs a little work, the Postal Service offers the following tips on what your mailbox should do. Mailboxes in Minnesota should be:

• Approved by the Postmaster General.
• Fully operational.
• Designed to protect the mail from the weather.
• Safe to use.
• Conveniently located.
• Neat in appearance.
• Large enough within allowable size limits to support the customer’s daily mail and package volume.

If your mailbox is so old, it looks like it's been there since the 70s (And, you can click HERE for more information on replacing your mailbox, btw), keep scrolling to check out this far-out house in Minnesota that literally HASN'T changed since it was first built over 50 years ago!

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