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Becoming Minimalist

Own less. Live more. Finding minimalism in a world of consumerism.

minimalize your junk mail

Written by joshua becker · 22 Comments

one step to not allowing junk mail to clutter your home is to throw it in the recycle bin immediately after you bring it through your door. however, the better solution is to not receive it at all.

removing your name from mailing lists is not as time-consuming as you might think. and it shouldn’t cost you a penny. you can reduce your junk mail 75-85% by following these three easy steps:

  1. register your name with the direct marketing association’s mail preference service and be added to their “do not mail” database.
  2. opt-out of pre-approved credit card, mortgage, and insurance offers by using the online form at optoutprescreen.com.
  3. for individual catalogs that you receive, call the company and ask them to remove you from their mailing list.

these changes may take up to 90 days to begin working, but you will certainly notice the difference when they do!

the preceding is an excerpt from simplify: 7 guiding principles to help anyone declutter their home and life.

what other steps would you recommend to minimalize junk mail?

Comments

  1. Brad says

    December 10, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    Anyone have suggestions for how to stop mail to your house thats addressed to a previous owner. Especially a previous owner where it also says – or current resident?

    Reply
    • Jane says

      April 19, 2021 at 5:37 AM

      Past resident mail…USA

      There are two types of mail first class & non-first class – each handled differently!

      First class (presorted first class, priority, special endorsed)

      Visit the USPS with examples in hand and ask for form 3575Z to be filled out for each individual/each name variation (Thomas vs Tom).

      Continue to write “RTS – NOT at this address” on each first class mailer. Place these RTS mailers in YOUR mailbox for YOUR mail carrier to see. If able to hand deliver – even better! This will trigger them to fill out paperwork for this individual.

      Non-first class mail (presorted STD, marketing/junk, “or current resident”, EDDM/ECRWSS/ECRWSH, nonprofit)

      You are receiving this type of mail because it is NOT forwarded via an USPS COA (change of address).

      Contact each sender and request removal of the name/address.

      If the mailer is “or current resident” – guess what – you ARE the current resident – remove from mailing list.

      I use informed delivery via USPS to email a removal request to any unwanted mailer (including past resident mail) – attach the mailers image as reference.

      Reply
  2. S says

    September 22, 2013 at 7:03 AM

    Thank you for this. I just spent 15 minutes going through my junk mail and opting out of things. I never knew how to get rid of it, but the junk that piles up waiting for paper recycling every two weeks gets so ridiculous. Here’s hoping this cuts down a bit. I’m going to keep the sites bookmarked so I can add things to my list as the junk mail comes in.

    The real unfortunate part is the ones that it doesn’t recognize – probably because they’re less common industry-related mailings, rather than the usual commerical ones.

    Reply
  3. di says

    August 27, 2013 at 3:38 PM

    I keep any remaining old mail for scrap paper.

    I make lists of errands, groceries, the budget, etc.

    If I have several papers to take on an errand, I tuck them inside an old envelope. I also use old envelopes to organize my budget, leave notes or pay the paperboy.

    Everything gets used quite frequently and saves a lot of money in the long run.

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:39 PM

      It’s convenient.

      Reply
  4. Mary Maude says

    April 26, 2012 at 8:37 PM

    My sister swears she has never had a carpet cleaning company call her back after she asks them, “can you come right away!” and “can you get blood out!”

    Reply
  5. dave peters says

    June 14, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    thank you, thank you, thank you….
    d

    Reply
  6. Teri says

    February 12, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Is it bad that I write “deceased” on junk mail and send it back. it seems to work pretty well.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      November 30, 2011 at 4:14 AM

      *just laughs*
      And here I thought I was the only one odd enough to do this.

      I usually call the Bestelltelefon (ordering telephone, I live in Switzerland) and ask them to quit. Occasionally I get the, “We do our mailings through a separate company and I can’t do anything here, wah-wah,” but a request to talk to the manager usually changes that.

      Reply
    • Jane says

      April 19, 2021 at 5:40 AM

      Your mail carrier is just throwing it away and trying to remember what items you don’t want.

      You could get them in trouble!

      Just contact each unwanted sender directly and remove the name/address from the senders mailing list.

      Reply
  7. Bruce says

    October 29, 2010 at 12:09 PM

    Thanks for the links.
    Hopefully I’ll start seeing results soon!

    Reply
  8. EB says

    October 18, 2010 at 10:14 PM

    My favorite thing to do, and it’s QUITE effective, is “return to sender”. Just write it on and throw it in the blue mailbox. The mail from them stops coming.

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:40 PM

      “Return to Sender” is costly for the post office.

      Reply
  9. jforest says

    September 18, 2010 at 8:47 PM

    Great information, Thanks for the impetus to get this done! I meant to do it years ago, and somehow never got around to it!

    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:41 PM

      Make a New Year’s resolution…

      Reply
  10. Rachel says

    April 20, 2010 at 12:33 PM

    I just did the optoutprescreen.com thing. Thank you! Those offers probably comprise 50% of my junk mail.

    I live in a building of condo units. One of them kindly keeps the recycle bin OUTSIDE the door, and most of my junk mail goes in there without ever coming in the house. Highly recommended. Sometimes I even flip through catalogs I might or might not like, so that if I don’t they can go in the bin.

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:42 PM

      Our post office does the same. We pick up flyers to start the fire in our wood stove.

      Reply
  11. Mara says

    March 7, 2010 at 7:37 PM

    thank you so much for this post. i have utilized it and it is already showing results.

    Reply
  12. Chris B. says

    February 16, 2010 at 7:09 PM

    In Britain, I reduced my junk mail by phoning the order line of companies who had sent me unsolicited catalogues and asking (1) asking to be taken off their database – they were always happy to oblige – and (2) asking where they had got my details from in the first place. Most, but not all, order lines could tell me that too. Eventually, one gave me a single number to call for a central clearing service and that killed off most of my remaining junk mail in one go.

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:28 PM

      Most companies list a toll-free number within their junk mail.

      Reply
  13. Amy G. says

    February 15, 2010 at 10:49 AM

    One more step: http://www.catalogchoice.org. Find the unwanted catalog you’re receiving in their database, input the customer number and your address from the mailing label, and they will put in the request to have the catalog stopped. I have stopped dozens of catalogs successfully this way, and only receive from companies I actually use. It works!

    Reply
    • di says

      August 27, 2013 at 3:26 PM

      Rather than receive any at all, most companies are online.

      Reply

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