I hate the Post Office. Not the actual organization. I should be more specific. I hate going to the Post Office. It's not that the clerks are often unnecessarily unfriendly. It's not that I wish I could just email the contents of the heavy box I'm holding and save the paper. It's that the people who visit the post office often... suck.

And so, to avoid being the target of not just my ire, but the ire of all those in line behind you, here are a few helpful tips for when email just won't work.

Plan Ahead
Say, dutiful maid of honor that you are, you're sending out eighty invitations to your friend's bridal shower. These invitations are so full of maps, registry information, and other special instructions, that just one stamp simply won't be enough, and you know it. But instead of bringing all eighty invitations with you to the post office and paying postage on each one while the line behind you grows to an almost unmanageable length, just bring one. Ask the person behind the desk if s/he could weigh it and tell you how much it would cost to mail just one piece. Then multiply that number by eighty and buy stamps accordingly. Go home, have a stamp-licking party, and drop the pre-stamped mail off at the post office when you're done.

Don't Be Picky
Every single kind of stamp you can possibly buy is online. So when you know you're going to buy stamps, decide on what kind ahead of time, or take the default stamps that they give you. Unless there's absolutely nobody in line behind you, don't ask to see every single available kind of stamp, then take your time deciding between Disney Magic and American Scientists. The fact of the matter is, very few people who receive your mail will care what your stamp looks like—so why should you?

It's All in the Timing
Post offices, like restaurants, trains, and hair salons, have peak times when they're especially busy: before work, around lunchtime, and right before the end of the day. That's all well and good if you're only there to buy a nondescript book of stamps or mail a box to your sister in Ohio. But if you're doing anything complicated (multiple pieces of mail all weighing different amounts, international mailings requiring customs forms, etc.), try to do it during off-hours. Sure, it may mean taking your lunch at a weird time, but it means you'll both spend less time in line and annoy far fewer people when you get to the front.

Image Credit: Flickr user brighterworlds