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• Steps
• Advice
• Things you need:

Whichever shipping service you choose, the cost of shipping will depend on the length, width and height of your package. As such, it is very important to know the size of the package you want to deliver.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Measure the length and girth of a regular container (rectangle)

1. 

   Measure the longest side of the package. Determine the longest side of the package, then measure its length by dragging the ruler from one end to the other.
   • Round off the measurement to the nearest number in inches (about 2.5 cm).
   • This measure is length of the package.

2. 

   
   
   Determine the width of the package.Width of the barrel is the shorter side of the bottom or top (open side) of the barrel. Measure the length of this side by pulling the ruler from one end to the other.
   • Round off the measurement to the nearest number in inches (2.5 cm).
   • Even if you confuse height and width, the end result won't matter. The only edge you have to correctly define is the length.

3. 

   
   
   Measure the height of the barrel. Use a ruler to measure the tank's vertical height from end to end. This is the measurement of the height of the container.
   • The height will be the only side you have not measured so far.
   • Round out your height measurements in inches (2.5 cm).

4. 

   
   
   Double your width and height measurements. Multiply the width by two. And the height is also multiplied by two.
   • These two calculations work separately, but you will need them to calculate the final perimeter.
   • Don't double the length.
   • For example, if your cart is 12 inches (30.5 cm) long, 4 inches (10 cm) wide, and 6 inches (15.25 cm) tall, you just need to double the width. and height:
     • Twice width: 4 * 2 = 8 inch (20cm)
     • Twice height: 6 * 2 = 12 inches (30.5 cm)

5. 

   Add together twice your width and height measurements. Take twice the height plus twice the width. The value obtained is perimeter of the cargo box.
   • The circumference of the box is essentially the total length surrounding the thickest part of the box.
   • In the previous example, twice the width is 8 inches (20 cm) and twice the height is 12 inches (30.5 cm). Thus, the perimeter will be found by adding these two numbers together:
     • Circumference: 8 + 12 = 20 inches (50.5 cm)

6. 

   Calculate the total measured length and circumference. When shipping a box, you may need to know size overall cargo box. This size can be found by taking length plus circumference measurements.
   • In the previous example, the circumference of the container is 20 inches (50.5 cm) and the length measurements are 12 inches (30.5 cm). To calculate the overall dimensions of your case, you need to add these two numbers together:
     • Size: 20 + 12 = 32 inches (80.5 cm).

7. 

   Record your last measurement. You must have all the measurements required to ship your package at this point. Record each measurement separately so you can provide accurate shipping information.
   • You may be asked to:
     • Measure length, width and height separately (L, W; H)
     • Length and circumference measurements (L, 2W + 2H)
     • Total box size (L + 2W + 2H)
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Method 2 of 3: Measure a non-compliant container

1. 

   Measure the longest part of the package. Determine which side of the box is the longest. This measure will be used as the measure length.
   • Measure the longest distance from end to end with the tape measure. Measure along the outer edge only if the outer edge is the longest. If the longest distance is between the outer edges of the box, measure there as well.
   • Round length measurements in inches (2.5 cm).

2. 

   Measure the widest part of the container width. Place the cart down so that the length runs parallel to the table or floor. The other (shorter) parallel surface is width.
   • Determine the longest distance along this width. The longest distance may be on one of the outer edges of the container, but can also be between the outer edges.
   • Measure the widest part of the container width with the ruler. Round measurements in inches (2.5 cm).

3. 

   Measure the deepest part of the container height. Determine which edge has not been measured. This edge will be perpendicular to the floor or table top. This is it height of the barrel.
   • Find the highest score. Measure from this point to the floor or table top where the bottom of the box is. Do not measure along the outer edge of the height unless the outer edge is the highest.
   • Measure with a ruler and round up to inches (2.5 cm).

4. 

   Think of this container as a rectangular box for calculation. To calculate the circumference or overall dimensions of the barrel, you need to apply the same calculation as the measurement of the correct rectangular barrel above.
   • When asked to measure length, width, and height separately, you must provide each measurement you just took.
   • When asked to measure your length and girth, you must provide the length measurement you just took. For the circumference, you only need to take twice your width measurements plus twice your height measurements.
     • Example: Package length = 6 inches (15 cm); Width = 2 inches (5 cm); Height = 4 inches (10cm)
     • Circumference = (2 * 2 inch) + (2 * 4 inch) = 4 inch (10cm) + 8 inch (20 cm) = 12 inch (30cm)
   • When asked about the total measurements of your boxes, you take the perimeter plus the length.
     • Example: Circumference = 12 inches (30 cm); Length = 6 inch (15 cm)
     • Total size = 12 inch (30cm) + 6 inch (15cm) = 18 inch (45 cm)
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Method 3 of 3: Measure weight converted by volume

1. 

   Measure length, width and height. Use a ruler to measure all three sides of a package. Round measurements in inches.
   • When calculating weight, you will not need to distinguish which dimension is length, which dimension is width, and which dimension is height. You just need to make sure that all three sides are measured correctly.
   • For each side, use a ruler to measure from side to side. Write down each side separately and round the measurement in inches.
   • Note that this weight calculation can only be used with measurements in inches, not meters. (To use this in meters, you must change 166 to 5000 for this calculation).

2. 

   Calculate the quantity. Calculate the weight of the container by multiplying the length by the width and the height.
   • For example, if you want to ship a parcel 12 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 4 inches tall, you would calculate the volume by multiplying all three of these measurements together:
     • Volume = 12 inch * 8 inch * 4 inch = 384 inch block

3. 

   Divide the mass by 166. For shipping in the US or Puerto Rico, you will need to divide the mass of this shelf by 166. For international shipping, divide the mass by 139.
   • For containers with a volume of 384 cubic inches
     • Weight in the US = 384 cubic inches / 166 = 2.31
     • International weight = 384 cubic inches / 139 = 2.76

4. 

   Get the actual weight. Use a postal scale to weigh the actual weight of your package.
   • If you do not have a postal scale, you will need to weigh the weight of your package at the shipping office.

5. 

   Compare the volumetric weight with the actual weight. If the converted weight is greater than the actual weight, the shipping service may incur an amount greater than the base rate set for your package size.
   • The converted weight is only an estimate, not an exact measurement.
   • When the package is fairly light or just slightly heavy, the shipping cost will usually be based on weight, length, width and volume. Unusually heavy packages will need to be priced based on actual weight.
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Advice

• Each shipping service has its own restrictions on size and weight. Check with the shipping service you plan to use to determine which shipping method you can use and what the shipping will be.

Things you need:

• Ruler (ruler, yat ruler, tape measure)
• Postage scale (optional)