I opened the mailbox the other day to find not one, not two, but THREE identical Crate and Barrel Catalogs. Tis the season, I guess. With the holidays fast approaching, you’re only going to see an increase in all that mailbox clutter and unwanted catalogs. Such a waste. But luckily, it doesn’t have to be.
My friend Jane recommended CatalogChoice Mail Preference Service. It’s this awesome free service that works a little something like this: you get junk mail, you report it to them, the handle all the opt out stuff and that mail is gone for good.
Sounds like a great tactic to give my mailbox a much needed breather!
Are you a junk mail lover or hater? Have you ever tried an opt-out service like this?
~Mavis
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Kathy says
I’ve never had a problem with catalogs, it’s the dozens of envelopes offering different insurances, medical supplies and AARP, each with their own postage paid return envelope. About 12 years ago, I read somewhere that if you returned it all in those postage paid envelopes, writing on the letter sent with each somewhere, “remove my name and/or address from any and/or all mailing lists and do not share and/or sell my name and/or address to anyone” that the junk would stop. Guess what? It worked! About the only junk I get is weekly grocery adds.
Teresa says
I have done what Kathy suggested and it does work. I mostly did it on the numerous credit card applications. I did not want those going into my recycle bin. I do shred a lot but don’t want to take the chance of missing anything. Th less junk I get, the better I like it.
Katie W says
OMG I will gladly write a letter and mail it back in each one of those envelopes if it means they’ll stop wasting paper by sending me things I will NEVER sign up for! Thank you for posting this!
Sue says
I have used Catalog Choice for years — they have helped me reduce junk mail so much! Both for myself and after my dad passed away — he was on every mailing list known to mankind and I was amazed at how quickly I was able to stop the flood of junk mail…
Cynthia L. Parido says
I kind of like looking those catalogs, I find things I like and shop the web for a better deal. I recently bought a beautiful stained glass piece of birds as a Christmas present for a friend. I never would have thought of this great gift if I hadn’t seen it in my Fresh Finds junk mail catalog. I only get a few select catalogs so I don’t mind my junk mail. I could live without the Red Plum weekly ads though. If I start getting too many I might try your friends site!
Betty D says
I dont mind the junk mail. My husband worked for the post office and it was business for them. Cut a lot out and jobs would be lost.
As for catalogs not used they can be used by kids for so many things..like for school /projects etc..cut out /paste etc…some learning for them at home and school.
As for the junk mail….I used to keep kids..and letting them pretend there a mail person delivery person or writing on those little cards in magazines and again pretending to mail them. It was hrs of fun for them.
One day towards the end of the wk..Id have a frig of left overs…so I let 2 of the girls be the waitress and had them pretend they were taken orders….they had on the list of all those left overs and each person got what they ordered. It was so much fun and they so enjoyed it…Each person had there own assigned seat/and glass each day so there would be no fussing as to whom got were /what…..so it worked out great .
erin says
I’m going to give this a try! Everyday (not kidding either) we get mail from Dish Network wanting us to sign up. I’ve called and still everyday I’m getting this. I don’t have cable nor do I care to ever have it again!
Cristie says
I use CatalogChoice and love it. It lets me choose which catalogs I opt out from and which ones I don’t mind receiving. I, of course, keep the seed and flower catalogs but opt out of clothing catalogs. It’s the best of both worlds.
Brianna says
We rent our house and we get so much junk mail for previous tenants. It is usually addressed to their name “or current resident”. It drives me nuts. Can you use this company with “current resident” as a name and get all of that eliminated. I go straight from the mailbox to the trash bin to sort it everyday because there is so much I don’t want to bring into my house. We left for a 3 week vacation and had our mail held at the Post Office, when we returned we had 3 of the large priority flat rate boxes that they had filled of mail for our address! After sorting it, I had 6 bills, 1 card, and 2 magazines that were my own. It is terrible to have a full mailbox everyday and it isn’t even my mail!
Candice C says
Love those catalogs. Great when internet is down out here or I just want the feel of pages between my fingers. Filled with ideas of what is available out there and many times I get good springboard ideas for gifts I can make myself..or in the case of pottery barn..pillows i can sew. Also, junk mail can be shredded and used for packing material to tuck around the treats I send off to my kiddos who live around the country now that they are grown.
Lisa Millar says
Its easier here (Australia) Junk mail is usually delivered by people contracted through companies and not so much the post office.
All people do is attach a sign on their letterbox saying “NO JUNK MAIL PLEASE” and that’s that!
We haven’t had to do that where we are, as we are out of town a bit so the ‘Walkers’ don’t come out our way!
Some still sneak in via the free local paper – I recycle it or use it as a weed mat. 🙂
Mavis says
I love that it is so simple for you to stop junk mail. I wish more things were that way–we over-complicate everything.
Lisa Millar says
Now I just have to figure out a way to stop the dodgy phone calls and I am all set! 😀
Rebecca says
I have been using Catalog Choice for a couple of years and love it. It makes it so easy to get your name off of mailing lists. Do know, however, that some companies require an extra step like calling instead of using this handy service. We have drastically reduced our junk mail and couldn’t be happier with this service.
Michelle says
Just what I need! We have started getting AARP and the likes mail for my MIL who has never lived with us, has never lived in the town we live in and has been married with another name for over 6 years. It’s driving me crazy!