A single inch can decide a football game. (Measuring chain shows a football just short of a first down.)

A single ounce can make the perfect cake. (Shows baking powder being weighed on a digital kitchen scale.)
 
And measuring every inch and ounce precisely can help ensure you get the optimal price for your parcel deliveries with USPS. (Door closes on back of a Postal vehicle filled with packages.)

So, before you ship, follow these tips on how to measure your package. (Shows a variety of brown boxes, the last being measured with a tape measure under title, "How to Measure a Package.")

Measuring a package is all about the dimensions and weight. 

Dimension consists of length, width, and height.  

Length is the longest dimension. 

Width is the horizontal measure side-to-side, perpendicular to the length.
 
And height is the vertical dimension, measured top-to-bottom. 

For rectangular parcels, record the exterior dimensions for length, width, and height in inches -- using sewing or measuring tape.

Multiply each of these dimensions together to find the volume of your package in cubic inches. (Shows an example package's measurements: 16" long x 6" wide x 12" high = 1,152 cubic inches.)

For non-rectangular parcels, apply the same formula of length times width times height. 

And then multiply this result by 0.785 to determine your volume. (Shows a triangular box that's 25.5" long x 6" wide x 5.25" high x 0.795 = 630.5 cubic inches.)

For tubes, use the diameter of the circular base as your width and height, and the longest side for length. (Shows a circular tube with a diameter of 4" and length of 12" and the formula 12" long x 4" wide x 4" high x 0.785 = 150.7 cubic inches.)

Weight, measured in pounds and ounces, requires a scale. 

We offer them in our Post Office locations(TM), including at our self-service kiosks. 

Dimensional weight, or dim weight, is a pricing concept that considers both the weight of a parcel and its size.

Because it might cost more to ship a large box of feathers than a small box of rocks, dim weight is compared against the actual weight of a parcel, and the greater value is used for shipping cost adjustments.

Anything larger than one cubic foot -- or 1,728 cubic inches -- will require a dim weight calculation. (Shows a variety of boxes, each with at least one measurement greater than 12 inches, that are larger than 1 cubic foot.)

To find dimensional weight, or dim weight, measured in pounds, take your volume (length times width times height) and divide by 166. 

With your measurements, use the postage price calculator on the USPS.com website to estimate the cost of your shipment.

Now that you know how to measure your package, we hope these tips will take your shipping skills to new dimensions. (Shows a person measuring a package with a tape measure.)

Thanks for watching!