How do you forward mail in the US?

How quick does it take for the USPS to forward your incoming mail when you move?

• I made a slight mistake, I purchased products and had them I shipped through the US mail system to my home address....all the while I was aware that by Saturday I am going to be 100 percent moved out of the current address I am at. To make things slightly more complicated, I am working on a custom guitar project and I literally have 20 or 30+ miscellaneous parts coming to me. Some are coming UPS in which I paid extra to try and get them here by Saturday. Most that are coming through the mail and I am hoping and praying will most of what I ordered will show up before Friday or the end of Saturday. However, I know there are some things that are completely out of my hands. One of these items is a custom-made guitar body and neck that is being shipped from a manufacturer in China through EMS. I contacted the shipper, and he told me in about 3 days time the items will be ready to be shipped out, and that this is going to require a signature. I know about 30 percent of what I ordered online through the mail is going to show up after I leave and I don't want the new residents either sending back all the stuff I ordered, or frustrate myself even further by submitting a forward mail address once I move in and possibly the delivery of my items get totally screwed up for delayed because of the forwarding process. I also feel very embarrassed because I know very little about the family that purchased the townhouse where I live as the landlord went bankrupt and short-sold the house I am living in (hence why I am having to move). I know the day I move out, these people that bought the place I am in now are going to be starting to move in the day after. I feel like a stalker going back to my old address and knocking on the door for a week straight until all my stuff shows up and say to complete strangers "Hey did anything come for me??" or even worse, keeping the mailbox key and going through now someone-else's mailbox. I'm willing to forward my mail once I move in on Saturday, the only thing that concerns me is I don't receive keys to the mailbox at this new house or even keys to the door until the morning I decide to move in. If I forward my address, I need it to happen like ASAP so packages at my old address don't get put return to sender and what is coming to me via EMS or mail doesn't get slowed way down as far as delivery because the forward of address has to kick in. That is my main worry. P.S. if in the event that UPS packages don't show up before I leave and they are in transit, is there a way to have them rerouted in transit to another address before they arrive at the delivery point??? Advice needed! Thanks

• Answer:

  it is one week.