Clutter Control: Incoming Mail

Do you have a system in place for dealing with incoming mail? Many of us casually look through the mail and set it aside to deal with later when we have more time. The problem is, “more time” somehow never quite arrives – there’s dinner to prepare, dishes to wash or load into the dishwasher, kids to bathe and get ready for bed, a report or presentation to work on that’s due tomorrow – you get the picture. And before you know it, there’s a stack of mail 6” high piled on the table.

The key to keeping mail under control is to prioritize it. As you sort through your incoming mail, take 60 seconds to toss circulars, ads, and flyers that don’t appeal to you directly into the recycle bin or shredder. Place bills into a “to pay” basket on your desk or near your computer if you pay them online and put ads or flyers you want to look at later into another basket.

To reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial mail you receive for the next five years from many national companies, visit the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service at www.dmachoice.com. When you register with this service, your name will be put on a “delete” file and made available to direct-mail marketers and organizations. However, your registration will not stop mailings from organizations that do not use the DMA’s Mail Preference Service. To register with DMA’s Mail Preference Service, go to www.dmachoice.org, or mail your request with a $1 processing fee to:

DMAchoice
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512

Following these quick tips is the first step toward controlling paper clutter in your home.