How to manage mail gets trickier every year as more and more companies pay to access our person information.
Here are a few tips to stop junk mail:
- Always Uncheck the Mailing List Box: The next time you sign up for something--a service, a subscription, etc--make sure you specify what you're signing up to receive. Many times companies will package in subscriptions to free newsletter and coupon deals. Make sure to note you only want the subscription you specified and uncheck any boxes for subscriptions you do not want to receive.
- Don't Enter Yourself into Contests. Or at least, follow some guidelines to protect your privacy. Signing up for a contest says to the company "I want to hear from you in the future." If you must, mark your entry "please do not subscribe me to any mailing lists." Here are some guidelines on how to protect your privacy.
- 1-888-5 OPT OUT: Call 1-888-5 OPT OUT (or 1-888-567-8688) and have your name removed from the credit agencies' lists.
- Call Catalogs: Set aside time each month to call the companies whose catalogs you receive and ask them to take you off their mailing list. NOTE: In my experience, this may not work for long, I'm convinced that if I am ever kidnapped and spirited out of the country, J. Crew, Anthropologie, and Bloomingdales will be able to track my whereabouts down.
Mail & Paper 101
- Getting Started with Paper Management
- How to Stop Junk Mail
- How to Manage Paper Clutter on a Weekly Basis
- What to Shred Checklist
- How to Organize Magazine Clutter
- How Long to Keep Documents
- How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
- How to Manage Mail
- How I Manage My Personal Mail
- How to Choose a Shredder
