YOUR MAIL

One of the worst clutter sources is delivered to your door each day.  Your mail.  Surely you live in the 21st century and that mail does not contain your bills or letters from your friends.  Just think, it wasn't that long ago that your bank statements came with every check you had written for the month and, you didn't have a debt card then.  This could explain why people were once buried in paper.  Today there is no excuse for this.

*Oh sure, you still get plenty of stuff in the mail.  The cute little return address labels that you didn't ask for from various charities that you keep because you feel guilty about the expense the organization incurred by sending them.  Either get over the guilt or send a donation but, throw the labels away.  The only mass mailings you do these days are either Christmas cards or invitations to weddings or showers.  When you go to the trouble to address a holiday card are you really going to put a return address label that has a July 4th theme?

*You still get catalogues from every company you've ever ordered anything from and those they gave your name to.   I must admit, I like a good Pottery Barn catalogue but, I can go on line and see a much larger selection.  Same goes for every other one you get.  Scan through them and if one grabs you, check their website and recycle the paper.  If you order something you more than likely go on line to do it.

*You may get a lovely wedding invitation, shower invitation or a party one from family, friends and people you don't know that well.  Post them on fridge until the big day or, put them in a file.  When the event is over, throw them away.  No harm in keeping one from immediate family and dearest friends.  But, do you really want to think that when your family is cleaning up after you, when you've gone to the great beyond, will be looking at a saved one and have no idea who they are?

*I love to send and receive Christmas cards and, this one kills me, I throw them out with the gift wrap.   The pictures and letters are wonderful but, do you really need to keep those from people you hardly know?  Great scrap booking opportunity for those in to it, to showcase your Friends and Family's Christmas card pictures through the years.

*The bills you still receive often are full of useless paper.  You only need the front page that itemizes the charges with the little cover thing to put in the enclosed envelope.  Open them immediately, throw away the surplus and put them somewhere to make sure they are paid.  Then throw the rest away unless you need them for taxes.

*From someone who loves them......do you really need magazines?  These days you can go on line and see just about anything one has to offer.  Sadly, the same goes for newspapers.  If you can honestly say that you won't let them accumulate and recycle in a timely manner.  Go for it!  If you have twenty four issues of "Good Housekeeping" saved because there might be a recipe you'll use......time to join the 21st century.

We've heard all our lives to cut down on paper and save a tree.  The time is here!