To have put up a sign for delivery drivers

[sirlee66]

After reading a thread over the weekend about another poster who has a similar situation to me regarding delivery drivers knocking to drop round parcels for neighbours, I've taken the advice from that thread and stuck a sign up in big letters white paper, dark green door as not to be missed saying:

Baby sleeping &
barking dog!

Do not knock.
Do not ring doorbell.

Please leave packages on doorstep
unless a signature is required
for this address only.

Delivery driver knocked today, I've answered to him a few times so he knows I'm good for dropping parcels off to I assume, totally ignored the sign and rung the bell, I answered and said 'Sorry, I can't take XX's parcel' and pointed to the big A4 sign. Shut the door with him looking really annoyed.

As not to drip feed: DS is 11 weeks old and I'm exhausted! We've always taken in parcels for neighbours, as they have for us, and always very appreciative but since being at home on maternity, it feels like I've become the local sorting office. The last week or so I've been having about two deliveries a day for neighbours, which sets the dog off, wakes the baby – He starts screaming, dog's going nuts, having to stop breastfeeding (whole other thread needed about the delivery man who started banging on the window because I didn't answer straight away as was feeding, and he got a full show of my boobs! front room window + sofa next to front door – net curtains did nothing! ) and then later when its all settled down it goes mad again with the neighbours knocking to collect their parcels.

I have PND so just wondering if my judgment is being clouded as I cant relax, and feel like I cant rest if we have a parcel because I know the door could go at any minute. Also worried about peeing off the neighbours...

Arh, apologies for the long, rambling post!! Clearly the lack of adult interaction has made me go on a bit!

YANBU. Keep the sign up and enjoy your peace :)

Yanbu, you're not being mean, it's simply not convenient for you to accept anyone's parcels atm. Notice is polite and to the point.
Similar situation here, we are ground floor apartment in block of 10. Me and DH work opposite shifits so one of us normally home but can be sleeping if been on nights. Didn't used to mind taking the odd parcel but now the couriers don't even bother buzzing the right flat as it's easy to dump at mine and not walk up the stairs. Plus some parcels can be HUGE and then neighbours knocking at 10pm to collect them waking up DS. You do a nice thing, people take the piss, so you stop.

I remember those days well, and in my case I would sometimes let baby sleep on me, or alternatively I would sleep when he slept. Definitely YANBU - you do what you need to do to ensure a moment's peace.

I often take my neighbours parcels in and it doesn't bother me at all but then I don't have an 11 week old baby or a barking dog!

Given your situation it is very reasonable to put the sign up and just hope the delivery people read it! Not their fault you have a barky dog but then not your fault your neighbours are out!

If I was your neighbour and you'd taken in a parcel for me, I'd feel really bad if it had caused the baby to be woken or interrupted feeding so I don't think any of your neighbours will take issue with it unless they are knobs.

Congrats on your baby!

YANBU your neighbours can sort out their own packages.

No that would annoy me too, my delivery drivers/postmen open the door sometimes and leave the parcel in the hall (we are in s flat) I don’t mind that though as it’s only parcels for me.

YANBU, in a similar situation to you.

Baby's due soon and was on bedrest for first two trimesters. Had to put up with everyone buzzing and/or knocking on our door - couriers, postman, cleaning company, visitors who don't seem to remember where their f*ing friends live and press random buttons on intercom until someone let's them in Told them all one by one to not buzz or knock on our door. Postman was fine and will only knock on door if he has a parcel for us. Cleaners were CF and continued buzzing us, I knew when they were due and just didn't bother answering. They have since learned to ask someone else to be let in. But still get the odd courier who tries to dump their parcels with me and gets cheeky if I refuse - we have two neighbours that travel for work a lot and get lots of parcels delivered, had enough of our hallway looking like a postal depot for weeks on end - DH took some parcels in on weekends - not to mention the trip hazard when pregnant, and I just refuse anything for them. And if a courier is cheeky to me, which they have been, they can be prepared to be met with the same attitude.

Planning on puting up a sign on our door similar to yours when baby arrives, and sticking something downstairs on the intercom on the lines of "do not disturb" - our intercom doesn't have a privacy option, or would just use that. If anyone knocks on door or buzzes despite politely asking them not to, they will have to deal with a sleep deprived mother at their own peril.

Crikey. If I knew one of my neighbours had recently had a baby I would definitely NOT get parcels delivered there.
Maybe have a word with the neighbours themselves?

It's not always the neighbours themselves, my parcels sometimes get delivered next door even though I've been in because the courier knows they're nearly always there so would rather try them first to shave a few seconds off their delivery time. I've also had a parcel dumped straight in my wheelie bin despite being me in, again to save time. Luckily they did put a card through the door or I'd have put it out for the bin men!

Only problem with leaving it on the door step is theft no delevery driver should risk that as they often do come out of the wages of the delvery driver or the company has to take the hit if you dont want people to knock keep the sign up but for the love of god organize your delevies to go somehwere else. As small companies cannot afford to keep paying out of lost delervies and alot of delevery companies now take any thefts out of the drivers wages....