Junk-mail free

Many of us have joined the paperless movement, both in an effort to de-clutter our lives and be good to the planet. But as the bills have started coming regularly to our e-mail rather than our mailboxes, the fliers, unsolicited mailers and applications seem all the more apparent. Why not get rid of those, too, so the only things the mail carrier has to worry about are truly important? Here are some tips to further reduce mailbox clutter, courtesy of globalstewards.org.

1. Supermarket fliers. If you look closely, there should be an address postcard that comes along with the bundle. Mail the card to its return address and ask to be removed from the list. Then tape a “no bulk mail” sign inside your mailbox to notify the mail carrier.

2. Unsolicited credit card applications. To stop receiving such mailers, call the credit reporting industry at (888)-567-8688 with your social security number and addresses for the past two years. (The last option is to remove yourself from the list permanently.)

3. Mass marketing fliers. Log onto the Direct Marketing Association’s Web site at www.dmachoice.org/MPS/proto1.php to find out how to delete yourself from mailing lists.

Unwanted coupons. Call Val-Pak Coupons at (800) 676-6878, America Online Discs at (800) 827-6364 and Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes at (800) 645-9242 to get off their lists.

5. Other mailers. Don’t give out your address unless necessary and, if applicable, request it not be sold.