If you have family and friends scattered all over the country, you probably spend a lot of time at the post office. Do you find yourself looking all over for your mailing supplies on each occasion? How many times do you send off a package, then toss the mailing tape, tubes, indelible markers and the like into this drawer and that closet? Next month, you want to send a gift to your sister for her birthday. Now, where are those darn mailing supplies?

We all have so much to do. You don't need to spend an hour looking for the tape, boxes and wrapping paper, only to discover you're out of tape. Now you've got another errand to add to your list. Then there's still the trip to the post office. The solution? Always have a complete stash of mailing supplies on hand, in a designated place. You'll save time, money and frustration. 

When your mailing supplies are right on hand, the task is short and sweet. For those of you who aren't organization freaks, you'll be surprised at how this solution simplifies the daily grind. Here's what you'll need: an assortment of boxes, a roll of brown paper, mailing tape, mailing tubes and a couple of indelible markers. If you send gifts often, make a single trip and gather a variety of occasion papers, tissue, dime store clothing boxes and ribbons. You always know where your scissors are, right? Use a sturdy box to store your cache and put it in a closet or the garage. With these basic mailing supplies, you're prepared for any and all impromptu trips to the post office.

Bringing organization to any task invariably saves you time and money. Buying your mailing supplies ahead allows you to shop at the discount office supply, gathering your goods in one trip at a good price. Although these mailing supplies are not usually on sale, you're not wasting money buying them on the fly because you can't find the last roll of mailing tape you bought for a packaging task. 

Shopping for gift papers, tissue lining and ribbons in one trip produces a collection of wrappings that mix and match, with leftover supplies for another occasion. You can save even more by buying these supplies after holidays - you'll find Christmas, Valentine's and Easter papers at 75% off the day after the holiday.

You can see how easily your box of postal supplies can be assembled. Buying your gift is the fun part. Then you just wrap it and go. There's much to be said for organization, even for the most mundane of tasks.