Stop the Junk Mail; Secrets of Simplicity

Junk mail filling your mail box? Unsolicited phone calls chasing you down at dinner ? Both pull physically and emotionally from your precious reserves of time and space. As we continue implementing ways to de-clutter life on a variety of levels, mail and unwanted phone calls can be tackled in a few easy steps.

• Americans receive more than two million tons of junk mail each year, half of which is never opened.
• For the half that is opened, we spend an average of 3-4 days each year just opening it- not to mention reading, handling, shredding and taking out the trash when you are done.
• The average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year.
• 44% goes to the landfill unopened. On average, we receive 16 pieces of junk mail a week.
• The majority of disposable household garbage consists of junk mail.
• 100 million trees are leveled each year to provide paper for junk mail.
• 4.3 million tons out of 5.6 million tons of mailings generated each year are thrown in the trash.
• 340,000 garbage trucks are needed to haul away all the junk mail that is not recycled

If you never felt the need to fight back against this unwanted intrusion into your life perhaps these cheerful stats are enough to bring you front and center, ready to report for duty!

Are you ready to tackle junk mail and unwanted phone calls in your life ?

• Register  your telephone numbers (and those belonging to all whom you love) with the National Do Not Call Registry Once you register your phone number, telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call Registry have up to 31 days from the date you register to stop calling
• Register your cell phone to this data base as well. You are able to place your cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry to notify marketers you don’t want to get unsolicited telemarketing calls.
• Register your name and your immediate family members names to the Do Not Solicit Registry and stop unsolicited credit offers. If you decide that you don’t want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.

To opt out permanently: You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com.To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request.

To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies

If after taking these actions, you continue to receive phone calls or junk mail you may need to take a few more steps.

• Unwanted phone calls– speak clearly, loudly but kindly  “take me off your list. I am on the do not call list”  please do not slam the phone, remember the person on the other end of the line is only doing their job.
• Unwanted junk mail from banks or insurance companies;  tear off the credit offer, write in large letters- “TAKE ME OFF YOUR LIST. I AM ON THE DO NOT SOLICIT”  and nicely stuff the paperwork back into the envelope with the postage paid return stamp already on it. Seal it and send it back.   My family had received several dozen credit offers from one particular bank. After receiving more than 10 in less than seven days I decided to do what had been recommended to me by a business acquaintance. Tear, write, stuff and mail. Tear, write, stuff and mail. I repeated for every one I received for the next two weeks. Thankfully, it appears they now understand and I have not heard from them since! 
• If you still need help with unwanted junk mail  you MAY wish to try another option – (disclaimer, I am not responsible in any way for any push back you receive if you choose this particular path!)

Today’s Challenge- Schedule yourself 30 minutes to register yourself on the Do Not Solicit and Do Not Call List.  Trees around the world will thank you for it. 

Please share in the comments if you have other ideas and thoughts to simplify your snail mail world and calls that come from people you don’t know and would rather not spend your dinner hour chatting with! We learn from each other on this our quest to our best life with less stuff!

If you are enjoying this journey please invite your friends, family and random acquaintances to join in- the world will be a better place because of it ! Share the love and bring them along to enjoy more of a life you love!  You will find a place to sign up on the top right of the screen!

Someone will receive a special gift at the end of our journey!  Comments give you additional entries in our drawing!

Blessings my friends!