How to Set Up a Package Room in 4 Easy Steps

For property managers and leasing staff, managing resident packages manually can quickly become time-consuming, expensive, and difficult to scale. That’s why many multifamily properties are investing in package management solutions that improve delivery organization, reduce staff workload, and enhance the resident experience.

While package lockers are a common solution, they often come with limitations. Large deliveries may not fit, locker capacity can fill up quickly, and delivery drivers must place packages into individual compartments one at a time. In contrast, package rooms offer a more flexible and efficient way to manage apartment deliveries. They can accommodate packages of nearly any size, simplify drop-offs for couriers, and give residents convenient access to their deliveries.

Fortunately, any unused space in a building can be converted into a secure package room. And with the right setup, including access control, shelving, and security cameras, property managers can create a package management system designed for both convenience and long-term scalability.

This post covers:

• How to improve your existing package room
• How to set up a package room

How to improve your existing package room

If you already have a package room, you’re well on your way to simplifying deliveries at your building. Of course, there’s always room for improvement.

Here are three ways to improve your existing package room:

• Install an automatic door closing mechanism on the package room door. It’ll help keep your residents’ packages secure at all times.
• Invest in motion-sensor lighting or motion-sensing bulbs. The motion sensor will turn on the lights when it senses activity inside the room. As a result, couriers and residents won’t have to enter a dark room and search for a light switch.
• Add video surveillance and signage. More often than not, the idea that someone is watching is enough to deter a would-be thief from stealing a package that doesn’t belong to them.

How to set up a new package room

If you don’t already have a package room in your apartment building, it’s time to invest in this simple delivery management solution. The best part: It’s easy to set up a package room.

Here are the four steps to setting up a new package room:

1. Choose the right location
2. Ensure power and internet access
3. Add shelving
4. Install video surveillance and signage

1. Choose the right location

Package rooms are a great delivery management solution because they use existing space. That said, you still want to choose your location carefully.

Make sure your package room location meets these recommendations:

• At a minimum, designate a 10′ x 15′ room for an average 300-unit property. (Ideally, select the largest room available to account for future package volume growth).
• Look for a space to install shelving to keep packages organized.
• The room should be easily accessible to both residents and delivery carriers, but shouldn’t be publicly accessible.
• If you plan to install ButterflyMX’s package room solution for added security and efficiency, ensure you have the necessary wiring in place. Try to select a location in which you can install the intercom against the wall, preferably on the door strike side to avoid additional wiring.

Watch how ButterflyMX’s package room works:

2. Ensure power & internet access

Make sure that whatever room you choose has access to power and the internet.

Many products and services you’ll want to add — such as electronic door locks, cameras, and intercoms — require it. If you have a light switch and an ethernet cord available in the room, you should be good to go. If not, your electrician should be able to get you set up.

3. Add shelving

Shelving helps keep packages organized, tidy, and — most importantly — easy for your residents to find. Choose adjustable wire or metal shelving because they allow for changes in the future. In terms of placement and sizing, here’s what we recommend:

Height recommendations:

• 1st shelf – the bottom should be 30″ from the ground.
• 2nd shelf – the bottom should be 46″ from the ground.
• 3rd shelf – the bottom should be 60″ from the ground.
• 4th shelf – (optional) should be 72″ from the ground.

Depth recommendations:

• Shelves should be between 18-24″ deep, depending on the room’s depth.

Width recommendations:

• Use fewer columns to support the shelves, as they can limit the acceptable width of packages placed on them.

Go further and organize your shelves to help residents find their packages quickly. Create signs to organize the shelves alphabetically by name or numerically by unit number. That way, a resident can go to the shelf with the corresponding letter or number to find their packages.

4. Install video surveillance and signage

If you want to add another layer of security to your package room, install simple video surveillance and signage.

Many companies sell easy-to-install cameras that require little to no wiring. For example, Amazon’s Blink Cam and Google’s Nest Cam offer free video and audio recording.

For added security, combine your camera with a sign inside the package room that states, “This room is under video surveillance.” That’s usually enough to scare any would-be package thief from taking a package that doesn’t belong to them.

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