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.
How to set up the plan
- Gather everyone in the household and list the names that appear on advertising mail, so each person can claim their own pieces.
- Have each person write down the catalogs and mailers they want to keep, so nobody else submits those for removal.
- Assign handling by name: each person submits removal requests only for mail addressed to them.
- Put the agreed rules in a shared note or on a card near the mailbox, and revisit them when new mail starts arriving.
Where plans break down
The usual mistake is deciding a piece is unwanted because you do not recognize the sender. A catalog addressed to someone else may be one they enjoy, a donor acknowledgment, or a piece of mail they are expecting. Acting on it without asking takes away their choice. A written keep list that everyone has agreed to is the simplest safeguard.
A useful next step
Once the rules are set, each person can photograph their own unwanted advertising, review the details, and submit their own requests. Read the photo guide before the first photo so the label shows what is needed.
Instructions for the next step
Have an unwanted advertisement ready?
Photograph one piece you are authorized to handle, with the sender and full mailing label visible. Review the details before submitting. The first request is free; the sender controls the response.
Try one request free