Mailing Miniature projects - dollhouses, roomboxes and dioramas

For mail in miniature,see post offices . This page has hints for moving and packaging miniatures.

Also see shops

Do you have a mini business? want to send a parcel as a gift? see also displaying miniatures for ideas about selling at shows, and packaging. 

How would you go about mailing miniature items so they get there in one piece?

How would you ship a dollhouse or roombox?

Mailing Dollhouse Miniature Tips/Hints

General hints for sending dollhouse minis

• Have the post office weigh and in the case of some countries, measure size and thickness of the envelope you are sending, so you can be sure no additional charges will be incurred by the recipient!

• If your item is small and unbreakable (such as a mini book), it's usually sufficient to put it in a ziploc bag and tape it inside a folded piece of cardstock.
  However, if it can be crushed (such as a hat for example) or might damage the envelope in the handling process (such as a metal mini or beads), you might try a simple mailer made from foamcore.
  Cut a piece of foamcore just slightly smaller than your envelope. Cut a 'box' a little bigger than your mini through the upper layer and the foam. Peel back the card and hollow out the foam. Insert your mini (inside a ziploc bag) into the hollowed out area, tape down the flap, stick it in your envelope and mail. This keeps the mini safe yet keeps your package thin enough that it can be mailed for the letter rate.

• Other containers - film canisters, diabetic testing strip containers, plastic pill bottles, small plastic paint containers (the kind that come with paint by number kits), small bottle caps. Use recycled bottle caps to package plates of polymer food, and place those in mini Ziploc bags. Or tack a plate or bowl of polymer food to the inside of a lid such as the sauce container from a fast food joint. (do not use anything too strong or getting it off might make the buyer unhappy). When you get to the show and are setting up, place the open lid with its food on your display area. When an item is purchased, pop the bottom of the container over the dish of food and hand it to your customer. 

• For dolls, use a toilet paper roll, cut to size. For smaller dolls, wrap in tissue paper, then slip on the doll. Pay attention to delicate hands and feet.

• Hands:  for those fine fingered dolls, wrap the hands, I think bubble wrap would work best as the fingers can sort of fit the contours of the bubble.  Not a ton of wrap, you are just making 'mittens' for her.

• Arms:  If the arms are in a set position you want to preserve/protect, continue wrapping with strips of bubble wrap, filling in the spaces to support the arm.

• Legs:  If you have bare legs, esp bent ones, wrap the same way as the arms
  Skirts:  You can stuff the skirts with tissue/tissue paper to preserve the draping

• Wig:  One layer of light plastic to prevent friction, then a helmet of bubble wrap equal to the shoulders to support the neck.

• Once all the body parts are supported, a layer of tissue and bubble should be enough. 
  If you are putting a lot of dolls into a box, you can further protect from crushing by slipping them headfirst into a plastic drink cup-think 7-11 Big Gulp. (works great on Christmas Trees too)  
  Heaviest to lightest.

• With packing any miniature, Movement is the Enemy!  Remember to brace it from every angle, don't forget inside. Even if it's in a protective box, if it's not supported from inside, the weight of the piece itself and inertia can break it if dropped.

• Chair seat foam is also amazing.  You can cut out custom depressions to support odd shaped or very delicate minis. 

Shipping or Moving Dollhouses or Dollhouse Miniatures

• Individually wrap small things in toilet tissue, then pack in egg cartons. Place furniture in small boxes with padding as needed. Basically do the same things you would do for RL items, just smaller! Pack all items from same room in one LABELLED box.
• Shoe boxes can be used. Take a picture of the room/contents and attach to the box.
• Use strips of plastic wrap to secure drawers, protect legs, etc. 
• Caution: when unpacking, be sure to check each bit of paper or wrapping - tiny things can easily be lost or tossed by mistake!
• Use the Lasagna method. Layer bubble wrap on the bottom of the box, place a layer of minis, another layer of bubble wrap, and so on... Just make sure there is no room for movement when you close the box.
• Moving companies

Canadian facts:

• Stamps have a 15% tax, with an additional fuel surcharge in addition to the face value.
• Orders shipped from the US -  There should NOT be any duty charges as miniatures are duty free. Ask the vendor to write the tariff classification number on the package when they send it to Canada. This number lets the
  border people know that the contents are duty free. The correct number is 9503.00.90.39. If they write that and miniatures on the description, that ensures that no duty will be charged.
• The charges are for GST(on the converted Canadian equivalent of US cost charged to the customer) and then Canada Post's Handling Fee of $8.00 to collect the GST on the Border Agency's behalf.
• Apply for a Venture Card from Canada Post, with discounts for small business.
• Don't rely on the information on Canada Post’s website, too confusing. Package something up, no need to seal it, it is
  just a test, use a US postal code and ask your local post office to tell you what the cost would be for all options. Thank them and take that information home with you to decide on your shipping costs.
• Canada Post for letters

• You do need a customs declaration but it is just a simple description, value and signature.

USA tips:

The Post office, and all other shipping companies, do have the policy that if there is space in the box, it can be damaged more easily than if there is no space. (They often try to deny claims, but if you can show how it was packed, and it is reasonable for the contents, they will almost always back down.) That said, most boxes hold up very well with some space inside but the item should not be able to move around. If it rattles, repack it. Here is what most people do not realize: Heavy things hit your parcels all the time. People don't hand move parcels most of the time, machines do! There are dumping machines, roller belts, sorting machines, etc, some are two stories high in the distribution centers. There are airline handlers that throw mail bags, like they throw suitcases, out of the planes. The list is long but the point is there is no way to carefully handle packages one by one these days. It doesn't matter how many Fragile stickers you put on something. If it is not packed to withstand dropping and some crushing, it may not get delivered in good condition.
However, having said that, most packages arrive just fine, even when not packed well. And some packed in the best way possible still can get damaged if a truck runs over it (ask me how I know..we also ship artwork for local galleries).
Here are what packing companies such as ours, the Post Office, UPS, Fed EX and others generally suggest:

1. A sturdy box with room around the edges for packing material.
2. Bubble wrap around an item to protect from bumping against other items.
3. Packing peanuts are generally the best box filler as it can be worked into all spaces. If a box is slightly "over filled" with packing peanuts and all spaces are filled with them, then little or no shifting or crushing can occur. This does not mean plunking an item in a box and dropping peanuts on top. You need to make sure the peanuts get down to the bottom and around the items. Small packing peanuts work best for small items, larger ones are great for larger items. You can pick up bags of packing peanuts at most gift shops, drugstores, etc...they are usually glad to give the stuff away. Some UPS places get tons of it brought in by customers and will give you some also. Instead of packing peanuts, use plastic grocery bags
4. Shredded paper is NOT a good packing material for any box over about 12" square. It settles as it travels and while you might think you have the box stuffed full, it will arrive half full with the items floating on the top. (Again, ask me how I know!) The larger the box, the worse shredded paper will work. It also adds a lot of weight compared to packing peanuts and bubble wrap. And weight means more postage. Crumpled newspaper is also not particularly good as most people assume it won't crumple even more....it will...leaving space in the box. Cotton balls, tissue paper, quilting batting all make good individual packing material around an item. So do film canisters, Snoose tobacco tins, breath mint tins, printer ink boxes, and most other small boxes. These can then be placed into a larger box with appropriate packing material.Padded bags are NOT a good way to send anything that is breakable unless it is in a film canister or other very sturdy container. Padded bags are good for flat unbreakable items, or items in boxes. Books travel very well in padded bags.
5. Scotch tape is NOT acceptable tape for packages...not for holding the box closed and not for holding on the mailing label. It is simply not strong enough. Use clear heavy packing tape for most boxes and strapping tape for most boxes over 15#. As for sending dioramas, room boxes, or anything of that kind, it is risky as best unless things are glued down VERY well. Anything that gets loose in a box can cause damage to other parts of the roombox.

UPS handles packages the same way as the Post Office, by machines. All big shipping companies do. So who you choose to ship with will not hand carry your package. Freight is the only way to get that kind of treatment.
UPS rates are not all that different from other shippers. All shippers are raising rates as we speak because they are in big financial trouble. I don't use UPS for packages under 2-3# as the Post Office can beat any shipper rates up to that weight. UPS and Fed EX Rates depend on where you live and where you are sending the box. UPS and Fed Ex charge more to ship to a little town out in the hinterlands than if you ship to a big city. USPS rates are standard across the country.
And lastly, Paypal now has tracking information on it's pages. Sellers can add UPS, USPS, Fed EX and more shipper's tracking information to Paypal pages, including customs numbers for international packages. Customs numbers are now traceable.
I send out over a 100 packages a week, both through USPS and UPS, about 1/3 internationally. We use mostly recycled boxes from local stores that are more than happy to give them to us so they don't have to spend employee time breaking them down. We seldom have to buy boxes but do buy some in certain sizes. We have very little breakage even with very fragile items. Beside miniatures, we ship real life china, artwork, electronics, and anything else someone brings into us to ship. We have had one USPS insurance claim in the last 8 years and 3 UPS claims....all settled quickly and in our favor.
Be aware that bad things do happen to parcels. Keep that in mind as you pack and your items will be more likely to get there unscathed.

• Place the item in a sturdy box, with cushioning inside the box so that the item cannot move around.  If it moves, it will bump into the sides of the box and could be damaged, or he box has air space and can collapse)
• Place this box inside another sturdy box, with several inches of foam peanuts on all sides of the first box. Rule of thumb: at least 2" for small items and increasingly more for larger items. Pack the box tightly, so nothing inside moves when you shake the box.
• Tape the dickens out of the exterior box. Put tape on the side seams as well.
• Put Fragile labels on the box. They may be disregarded, but may be of help if you have to make a claim. You warned them!
• Ship by the fastest affordable method. I usually use Priority Mail.Express Mail is even better, if money is no object.
• Insure the package. If you do have to make a claim, and you have packaged it as outlined above, they will be hard pressed to deny your claim.
• Note: If you are shipping a room box or diorama, find a way fasten down any parts that swing (like chandeliers) or could come loose. If you can put some packing material inside it will help prevent damage if a small piece comes loose and starts banging around inside.The result of all this will be higher shipping cost, but isn't that better than having a precious, handmade miniature arrive in a zillion pieces?

For what it's worth, based on personal experience, the post office is more reliable than UPS or Fed Ex.

• Unless you send something as insured, return receipt requested with signature, then you have little hope of protecting your package. Usually, the cost of sending this way is prohibitive, especially when the items being sent are hard to place a value on. To us they are priceless. To the world at large, they are toys and of little to no value. If you paid $5.00 for an item it would be insane to ship it where it costs three times as much. Take your chances. If it is an irreplaceable item, no matter the cost, send it insured, return receipt requested. Doesn't matter if you send UPS, FEDEX OR USPS.

US Alternatives to Post Office:

Stamps  - print Postage including international, mailing labels, return address labels, insurance, do delivery confirmation and then just set out for postal person to pick up with daily mail. There is a charge per month, but considering gas and time, is very reasonable. A feature is an address book that maintains all of your addresses.  They supply free of charge an electronic postal scale that connects to your computer.  Once you download the software then you can begin printing all your needs including stamps. 

Click'n Ship - UPS version

UK Info

• HM Revenue and Customs

Customs Form

• describe as Dollhouse miniature. Because of increased regulations and competition, the word "Toy" may trigger Customs to investigate and delay the package.

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