For purchases and small doll parts, once a day, I tend to end up collecting it from the postal office anyway.
For large dolls once a day until it reaches my country, then its every 1-2 hours since its EMS and my postal people are ninjas! I'm not keen on lugging large boxes home.
I call them up around noonish to ask, as a way of letting them know someone is around to receive the package. And I will hound them by phone every 30mins if package does not show up after 5pm when said box is label to be 'with courier'
I'm horrid, I know. Who ask them to ninja on me when I was home waiting for a clothing parcel.