Just say no to junk mail.
Paper clutter is universal. Even those who have pared down to a capsule wardrobe and jettisoned the freebie water bottles, coffee mugs and tote bags still have too much paper. And some of us have boxes of the stuff tucked into closets and under the bed.
Here are five steps you can take to reduce the amount of paper that’s sneaking into your house and driving you nuts.
Get off marketing mailing lists
DMA Choice is the most comprehensive get-off-the-lists registry. This non-profit works with direct mail marketers to help them understand your preferences. There is a small fee: currently $4 for a 10 year registration.
One terrific feature of DMA Choice is that you can register the deceased. If you’ve owned the forward-to address when a loved one has passed, you know that it can take years to stop the flow of mail to that person.
Unsubscribe from catalogs
This can be a bit of a pain, but well worth the effort. Look at the back of the catalog — there will be a number of some sort in a box near your name — sometimes it’s called a Customer Number, sometimes it has another name. Call the toll-free number provided and give them that number. Boom! Done.
You can let Catalog Choice do the work for you, by searching their database for the catalogs you’d like to opt out of. Whether that’s any easier than doing it yourself depends on your tolerance for making phone calls.
Opt out of Valpak coupons
You may live in one of the millions of households that receives a big blue envelope of Valpak coupons every week. According to a study commissioned by Valpak, 90% of recipients do open that envelope in order to find deals. If, however, you’re tossing them in to the recycling bin instead, you can opt out by registering here.
Just say no to credit card offers
One of the more ubiquitous types of junk mail, the credit card offer feels almost inevitable. Fortunately the major credit reporting companies have created an opt-out. You can register to keep the offers at bay for a five year period, or choose to keep them out of your mailbox forever.
Note: this opt-out form does ask for your Social Security number. According to the Federal Trade Commission, this information will be kept confidential. If you’re still uneasy about sharing personal information, or if you need to opt out for your minor child, you can write directly to each of the credit reporting companies.
Stop letting people hand you paper!
Receipts, ads, brochures, business cards — out there in the real world, people are always trying to give you paper. You do not have to accept it. If it feels interesting or important, try taking a picture of the thing they want to give you — you’re less likely to lose a photo anyway.
Unfortunately you can’t opt out of snail mail altogether, but with a little effort you can reduce the amount that’s flowing in.
