Unwanted Mail 101

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One of my clients asked, "Do you think if I take my mailbox down, the mail will stop coming?" The mail will come...rain/snow/sleet or hail (except for government holidays). However, you can simplify that too.

Someone once told me, "Clutter is a post-poned decision".  A credit card offer or a postcard about house cleaning services arrives at your home and you are tempted to keep it just in case. Remember the old saying "Ignorance is bliss". Consider what it would mean if you NEVER KNEW IT EXISTED. If the mail doesn't come into your house, then you don't have to make a decision about it. If 6 months from now you need a housekeeper, google it!

You can significantly reduce the mail with a little work on the front end, but I guarantee it will save you an enormous amount of time on the back-end.   Don't you also feel better about saving a tree? :)

You will see your mail significantly reduce in a matter of weeks if you do some/all of these.

1. Send a  letter to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel NY 15012-0643.  Request to "activate the preference service" and provide your complete name and address. This association suggests that by doing this 75% of national mailings will stop for 5 years.  Click here for the simple mail in form.  You must include $1.00 for the service.  You can avoid the fee and do it online here.
2. Dial 1-888-567-8688 to opt out of credit card offers for 5 years or forever, you choose.
3. For first class mail and some bulk mail of former residents of your home:  YOU can fill out a change of address FOR THEM at the Post Office.  When you sign this form, you must write: "form completed by current resident of the home, (your name), agent of the above."
4. Each time you get unwanted mail, call the company and ask to be removed from their list. If you can't do it on the spot, collect the junk mail in a bag and work through the bag while you are sitting at the car pool or waiting on soccer practice to end.