Mail guides
A shared mailbox
Coordinate requests with the people who use the mailbox.
Keep different postal preferences as a couple
Compare the names on the labels and decide together which catalogs each person wants to keep. Ask the sender how it handles a joint label before requesting a change that could affect both of you.
Agree before photographing a family member's mail
Helping a family member means acting on their behalf, with their approval. Before you photograph mail addressed to someone else, ask them and make sure they understand what the photo shows and where it goes.
Make a household list of mail to keep
Deciding what to stop is easier once you know what to keep. A household keep list gives each person a say and protects the mail they expect before anyone submits a request.
Help a parent with catalog preferences
A parent may welcome help with a stack of catalogs, or may prefer to manage them alone. Ask first. Find out which ones they want to keep, then handle only what they have asked you to take on.
Prepare a mail cleanup handoff for a caregiver
A caregiver who helps with mail needs to know exactly what they may touch. Advertising mail is one category. Statements, notices, and legal documents are another and should stay out of this task.
Make a ten-minute mail cleanup routine
Choose one sender you want to hear less from and handle that piece first. Keep a short record of the request so your next session starts with a different sender.
Sort advertising left after a houseguest
A houseguest who stayed at your address may have had advertising mail sent there. After they leave, that mail is still addressed to them, and what you can do with it depends on their say-so.
Handle a catalog your roommate wants to keep
A catalog in a shared mailbox may belong to someone who asked for it. Before doing anything with a piece addressed to another person, find out whether they want it. Their preference decides.
Sort advertising for people with the same last name
People who share a last name often get advertising addressed in different ways: one by full name, one by initials, some with both names on one label. Those differences matter, so do not assume every piece is yours.
Agree on a shared-mailbox cleanup plan
A shared mailbox collects advertising addressed to several people. Agreeing in advance on who may act on whose mail keeps each person in charge of their own preferences and avoids arguments later.