PACIFIC COUNTY – Of all of the things you should try to remember before you go on vacation, one of the most important is taking care of your mail. It can be as simple as having a neighbor look after it, having your post office hold it, or having it forwarded to your vacation spot.

If your vacation is less than 30 days, it will probably make sense to have the post office hold your mail until you return. Plan early. It’s a good idea to submit your vacation hold at least one week in advance.

You can submit your hold mail or redelivery request through (www.usps.com) or by calling (800) ASK-USPS (800 275-8777). Or you can just stop by your local post office or ask your letter carrier for a vacation hold form. Be sure to fill in all appropriate boxes, including the start and ending dates. Print in easy-to-read block letters.

All of your mail will be held until your return and delivery will resume on the day indicated. If you normally get a lot of mail, you might want to stop by the post office on your return to pickup your mail, as it may be too much to fit in your mailbox in one delivery.

If you plan an extended vacation, or your destination would allow for mail delivery, you might consider a temporary forward. Temporary forwards cannot exceed 12 months. Many retired people who spend their winters in the south use this method to stay in touch through their mail.

When you submit a temporary forward, again submit it early and make sure the information is legible. Allow about five working days for the Postal Service to add this forward to its computerized forwarding system. First-class mail, priority mail and express mail are forwarded free. Periodicals are forwarded free for 60 days. Parcels may require additional postage. Mailer-applied endorsements on individual pieces of mail such as “Address Service Requested” mail, or “Return Service Requested,” may make that mail non-forwardable.

So take your vacation free of worry. Wherever you go, your mail can follow. Or it can wait patiently until your return. The choice is yours.