I hate to say this, but sometimes being a small woman can benefit you on this job. They look at me and often offer to take the large box stuff right from my hands. When asked to take inside, I always politely say "I'm sorry, it's against company rules to step over the threshold". But, it's sort of hard to do that when they are elderly.
Christmas decorations over apartment/home numbers should be ripped off immediately. Stupid bows and wreaths - bah!