What Making Modern Mailboxes Taught Us About Secure Package Delivery Boxes

When we started Post & Porch, designing a secure package delivery box wasn't exactly part of the business plan – we were focused on creating a modern mailbox that looked good outside someone's home, held up to Mother Nature, and worked the way people needed it to. That focus eventually gave us The Malone, our original modern mailbox, and taught us quite a bit about what goes into making something people rely on every single day of the year (and even more so during the holidays, am I right?).

After years of working with galvanized steel, experimenting with finishes, listening to homeowners, and figuring out what makes a post-mount mailbox genuinely useful, we started thinking about another familiar part of daily life. You know, all those cardboard boxes showing up on our doorsteps, piled high like the Great Pyramid of Giza. Some are tucked behind planter pots by well-meaning delivery drivers, others are left to fend for themselves in the rain, and a few have been sitting there long enough to make us wonder what we ordered in the first place.

We'd spent years thinking about how people actually receive their mail, so naturally, we started wondering how we could make receiving packages a little easier, too. That curiosity, along with everything we'd learned from making modern mailboxes, eventually helped shape our Safe Harbor package delivery box. Here’s how the story goes:

One of the biggest lessons we've learned from making modern mailboxes is that even the smallest design decisions can make a noticeable difference in someone's daily routine. 

Some homeowners need more room for their mail, while others prioritize security, easy access, or finding something that looks right alongside their home. After years of hearing what people love about their mailboxes and what they wish worked a little differently, we've learned to pay attention to the details that might otherwise get overlooked. Package deliveries brought a whole new set of challenges to think through, especially when you consider how many hands a package passes through before it reaches your front door.

A delivery driver needs somewhere obvious and accessible to leave a package, preferably without having to figure out a complicated locking mechanism. Homeowners need a convenient way to retrieve their orders without leaving them exposed on the porch all afternoon for porch pirates to snag. And the opening needs to be large enough to accommodate everyday deliveries without making the entire box unnecessarily bulky. Those were the kinds of practical details we wanted to get right with the Safe Harbor.

Its delivery opening allows eligible packages to be deposited without requiring a key, while a separate, key-locking rear door gives homeowners a secure place to retrieve them. It's a relatively simple arrangement, but one informed by years of designing mailboxes and understanding how much easier everyday tasks become when access, placement, and security are considered together.

We also knew that a package delivery box couldn't solve every delivery headache – packages still need to fit inside, drivers need to be able to find and access the post box, and each carrier has its own delivery procedures. That's why we think understanding how these boxes work is just as important as choosing one. If you're considering one for your home, we've put together a helpful guide explaining whether USPS, UPS, and FedEx will use a package delivery box, including what to expect from each carrier and how to make your setup more delivery-friendly.

If there's one thing years of making modern mailboxes have taught us, it's that outdoor products have a pretty demanding job – they spend their days baking in the summer sun, getting soaked during thunderstorms, collecting snow, and occasionally taking whatever else Mother Nature decides to throw their way. And unlike the furniture inside your home, there's no bringing them indoors when the forecast looks questionable.

That's why we've always paid close attention to the materials we use, how our products are constructed, and how they'll hold up long after they've left our Utah workshop. 

Working with galvanized steel and powder-coated finishes has given us firsthand experience with the importance of durability, and we wanted to bring that same understanding to the Safe Harbor. Of course, designing a secure package delivery box introduced another challenge; while a traditional mailbox needs to protect letters and everyday mail, a package delivery box also needs to discourage someone from walking away with the contents.

The Safe Harbor weighs approximately 57 pounds and features a key-locking rear door, along with a base designed to be anchored directly into concrete. We wanted homeowners to have something substantial that could become a permanent part of their property, rather than another container sitting loose beside the front door. The lock helps restrict access to delivered packages, while proper anchoring adds another important layer of security. But something else we've learned over the years is that durability and security mean very little if a product doesn't actually work for the homeowner.

Take package capacity, for example. 

The Safe Harbor's interior measures approximately 7.87 × 8.66 × 9.85 inches, making it a practical option for the majority of online orders. The delivery opening also needs to accommodate the package, so we always encourage homeowners to think about the sizes of the boxes they receive most often before choosing a delivery solution. After all, we'd hate for someone to invest in a beautiful new package box only to discover that their weekly deliveries are better suited for the front porch. 

And while sturdy steel, a locking door, and secure installation can help protect deliveries, no outdoor package box can guarantee complete protection against theft or extreme weather. We think being upfront about those limitations is part of making a good product, too. 

We'd much rather help someone figure out whether the Safe Harbor makes sense for their home before they order than leave them guessing afterward. For anyone considering one, we've also put together a more detailed guide covering what to know before ordering a Safe Harbor package delivery box, including installation, capacity, placement, and the practical details worth checking ahead of time.

There's something a little funny about spending hours choosing the perfect front door color, arranging your landscaping, picking out exterior lighting, and finding just the right house numbers, only to have a big, awkward delivery container become the first thing someone notices from the street. We know most people aren't shopping for a package box because they want to make an architectural statement, but we also don't think protecting your deliveries should mean compromising the look of your home.

One thing we've learned from making modern mailboxes is that the smaller details around a home often have a bigger visual impact than people expect. A post-mount mailbox might be one of the last things someone thinks about during an exterior renovation, but it's also one of the first things visitors see when they pull into the driveway. Package delivery boxes deserve some of that same consideration, especially when they're going to become a permanent part of your curb appeal.

When we designed the Safe Harbor, we wanted it to feel like a natural extension of the Post & Porch collection. The clean lines, simple silhouette, and optional magnetic address numbers reflect the same design approach we've used with The Malone and our other modern mailboxes. That consistency makes it easier to incorporate a package delivery box alongside brick, stone, siding, and a variety of architectural styles without making the space feel crowded or mismatched.

Of course, even the nicest-looking package delivery box needs to be installed somewhere that makes sense. We've seen how much placement matters with mailboxes, and package boxes come with a few additional considerations because delivery drivers and homeowners need access to different parts of the product.

Before deciding where to install a secure package delivery box, here are a few things we'd encourage homeowners to think about:

• Delivery access: Can USPS, UPS, and FedEx drivers easily spot and reach the package delivery box without navigating landscaping, gates, or obstacles?
• Retrieval access: Is there enough clearance behind the Safe Harbor to open its rear door comfortably and remove packages?
• Installation: Is there an appropriate concrete surface where the package box can be securely anchored?
• Curb appeal: Will the package delivery box feel like a natural part of the front entrance, walkway, or landscaping rather than something placed wherever there happened to be room?

You don't need an enormous front yard or an expensive landscaping project to make a package box look intentional – sometimes a little planning is all it takes, whether that means positioning it near an existing walkway, coordinating the finish with your mailbox, or giving it a dedicated spot alongside your other exterior features.

We've always enjoyed seeing how homeowners find ways to make the outside of their homes feel more personal, and that interest goes well beyond the products we make ourselves. It's part of why we love sharing ideas from other makers and small businesses, too, including the creative exterior upgrades featured in our small-business curb appeal gift guide.

At the end of the day, we want the Safe Harbor to feel like it belongs outside your home, even on the days when nobody's expecting a delivery.