• Assign a place for your mail to land. At home, this should be just inside the door you use. At work, an inbox is a must!
• Open mail daily.
• Get rid of as much paper as you can right away. Immediately discard or recycle junk mail, envelopes and all of the unnecessary marketing papers that are stuffed in with your mail.
• A.R.T. Hard as this is to believe, there are really only 3 types of paperwork. Action: Any paper that requires action from you, Reference or Read: Any paper that doesn’t require action, but needs to be kept as reference. Things that you would like to read also fall into this category. Toss: Any paper that does not serve a purpose for you.
• Action. These papers should be sorted by the action needed. Such as calls to make, bills to pay, depositions to file, etc.
• Reference. These papers will eventually be filed. Designate a place for them to land until you have time to file.
• Read. It’s important to keep all of the things you want to read together. This will give you a realistic idea of whether or not you’ll be able to read everything that you want to read.
• Toss. Any paper that does not serve a purpose for you should be tossed or recycled as quickly as possible.
• Make decisions. One decision can affect many pieces of paper. Such as the decision to keep, or not keep, copies of the bills you pay online.

• Fill out a change of address with the post office.

• Contact utilities to schedule service terminations. Keep a list of who you talked to and the date you’ve schedule the services to end for reference. Be sure to provide them with your new mailing address.

• Begin packing room by room, keeping like items with like items.

• Label each box in big bold letters with the room that you want the box to land in at the new house. In smaller letters put a brief description of what’s in the box.

• As each box is packed and properly labeled, move them out to the garage or another holding area.

• Create a donation area and schedule a pick up by your local charity a few days before your move. Anything that you are giving to others, make plans for them to come and pick them up right away.

• If you don’t feel like cleaning or don’t have the time, you can schedule a cleaning person to come in and make sure things are nice and clean for the new owner.

One of the services we provide is to help before or after a move. We can help you pack, declutter and prepare for an organized move, we can unpack and set up your home in an organized manner or we can do both.

General Areas

• Was it a purchase mistake? If so, it does not make it better to keep it?
• Does it take more time and effort to manage than it is worth?
• Does it make others unhappy to see it?
• Am I putting things before people and relationships?
• Do you need it? Is it redundant? Do I really need 3 measuring spoon sets?
• Do I love it? Does it make me happy or unhappy to see it?
• If you were moving, would you pay to have it packed and moved?
• Would you buy it again?
• Is it broken? If so, are you ever really going to fix it?
• Are you really going to finish this project (book, quilt, etc.)?
• Can you borrow or purchase another one, if needed, without spending a fortune or having trouble finding it?
• When’s the last time you used it? Assuming you knew it was there.
• If you knew that someone else would really benefit from having this (if you found a great place to donate it), would that make it easier for you to let it go?
• Is this adding value to your home or business?
• Is this item getting in the way of your ability to find what you need, when you need it?
• Will this help me make or save money?
• How much space does it require? The more it takes, the more critical you should be in your decision to keep it.
• If you keep it, will you remember you have it? If you remember you have it, will you be able to find it?
• Convince yourself that you need to keep it.

Paper

• Am I legally required to keep it (i.e. vital & tax records)? and if so, for how long?
• Will I actually use it/refer to it/need it?
• Is the information still current?
• Can it easily be duplicated or created if needed again (i.e. found on the web)?
• What’s the worst that can happen if you toss it? Is it a duplicate?

Clothes

• Is the item in good condition? Does it have stains, tears or is it too worn?
• Is the item still in style?
• Do you love the item, or even like it? Does it make you feel great to wear it?
• When was the last time I used this item? Would I use it again now that I remember that I have it?
• How many do I currently own of this type of item? Maybe 20 pairs of black pants are too many.
• Does it fit? If not, is it within a reasonable number of size ranges of my current size range to keep it?

Memorabilia

• Do you have anything else that reminds you of this event, person or time?
• If we took a picture of it, would that make it easier for you to let it go?
• Am I keeping it because someone gave it to me and I’ll feel guilty if I get rid of it?
• Does the sentimental value exceed the practical value? If so, by all means, keep it!

Get off as many national mailing lists as possible

Contact the Direct Marketing Associations (DMA) Mail Preference Service. You must re-register after five years, and there is a $1 fee. You can also print the online form and mail it with $1 charge to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512.

You can register deceased loved ones (also for $1) with their Deceased Do Not contact list.

For “resident” or “occupant” mailers, you may have to notify them more than once to ensure that you have been removed. Once removed you are likely to have to remind your postal carrier not to deliver the advertising flyers. If you run into any problems visit privacyrights.org

ADVO

Call 888-241-6760 or visit www.advo.com/consumersupport.html

Mail request: ADVO, Customer Assistance, PO Box 249, Windsor, CT 06095

Penny Savers

Call 800-422-4116
Mail request: Circulation, c/o Pennysaver, 2830 Orbiter St, Brea, CA 92821

The Flyer

Call 813-626-SELL
Mail request: Circulation, c/o Flyer, 201 Kelsey Ln, Tampa, FL 33619

Val-Pak Savings Coupons

They maintain regional lists, not a central one. Send your request to the address printed on the envelope you receive. If you receive the blue envelope, you can use their online form to remove your address.

Catalog and Publishing Companies

They share their information about their customers, as well as sell it through Abacus Alliance. You can be removed from their list by providing your name (including middle initial), your current address, and if you’ve recently moved, your previous address by email (optout@abacus-us.com) or by regular mail: Abacus, Inc. PO Box 1478, Broomfield, CO 80038

Even the credit bureaus provide information to marketers

Though not your specific information, they compile lists based on consumer characteristics. For example, they might create a list of people with annual incomes over $40,000 who use credit cards and pay their bills on time. Call 888-5OP-TOUT (888-567-8688). With this number you can opt out of the four major credit bureaus; Innovix, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Be aware of warranty or product registration cards

They have less to do with warranties than they do with mailing lists. These cards often ask you about your hobbies, the number of people in your household, your income, and other information the company obviously does not need to guarantee the product. Registration cards are usually not mailed to the company that manufactured the product, but to a PO Box in Denver, CO. This company compiles buyer profiles and sells the information to other companies for marketing purposes. When you buy a product, don’t fill out the product registration card. In most cases, your receipt ensures that you are covered by the warranty.