Does anyone know an easy way to make an alert flag for the mailbox?

When we put letters in our mailbox, we put our flag up on the mailbox to alert the mail carrier there are letters in it.....then our mail carrier puts it down to show that he has been there....it isn't automatic.

My box is several houses down and is like Pat's. Like your idea though.

Thanks for your answers but what I'm trying to find is a simple way to put some type of something that drops down when the box door has been opened. I've seen some that are spring loaded that sit on top of the box. When the carrier opens the door the character "stands" up. Then when you look out your window and see the box from fifty yards away you can easily tell if the mail has run yet!

Good Afternoon Cyn Brown, This is what I have found on Google:

This one has TWO drop flag points but there are no instructions on how to make it except that you have to have a fast finger to pause the video at different points to study how this person put this contraption together (it IS cool though .. there's no doubting whether or not the box has been open) >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA2qRVwTWIs

With this one perhaps someone (or you) can make a longer metallic flag like signal rather than a small white arrow, and attach it the same way this guy attached his arrow, and using a magnet glued (gorilla glue or E6000 glue) to the side of the door to hold the flag upright until the box is opened (you'll better better when you see the video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PPIpqxmF4I

OR maybe there is some way you can attach the tennis ball line to the red flag so when the mailman opens the box the red flad raises up (again, you will see what I mean when you watch the video): >>>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSm-sSbA6Og

Perhaps someone else has a better idea, an easier way, to do this, but I can't seem to find one and my brain isn't coming up with anything better.

Good Luck :) and thanks for using HOMETALK for ideas. :)

They sell one on Amazon!!!

What is your question?

Have the mail man leave the flag in an upright position, as if you had outgoing mail.

We bought a black plastic mailbox that has a bright yellow flag on it that raises whenever someone opens the mailbox. Got it at Lowe's and it was around $25. This way we can tell when the mailman has been here since we live across the street from our box. The mailbox has lasted over 15 years.

Our new mailman is an idiot. He goes back and forth, up and down the street several times, because he misses some of the mail, of the boxes he missed. He never comes at the same time every day. If I get a neighbors mail that's close by, I walk it over, or I put it in my box with the flag up, so even though I might not have mail, he stops to pick up the wrong mail.

Hey Cyn,

I felt compelled to let you know what we did because everyone seem to be missing what you were asking. I believe what you are asking for is one of the first projects my husband and I did once we moved to a new place. I call it a reverse mailbox flag. :)

We cut down a bicycle flag from one of the grandkids bike they no longer wanted. We took a small conduit strap and screwed it to the side if the mailbox lid for a resting place for the flag. Pivotal point for flag was on the same side as the conduit strap at the bottom near the back of mailbox. We used the adapter the bicycle flag came with (metal that attached flag to bicycle) as weight. Trial and error is how we determined where exactly it needed to be. Also, we later attached a string to the bottom of flag to the conduit strap, so the flag could easily be replaced once mail is retrieved.

Note: A driveway reflector will not work because it requires too much weight to make it stand up. Or if using it as the weight the reflector part is too bulky at the lid and will catch on the strap not allowing lid to open properly.

Hopeyou already have it figured out!