Junk Mail Magic

Sort promotional mail at shared-office reception

Reception staff in shared offices handle promotional mail for tenants they may barely know. A written sorting policy and clear tenant instructions prevent both pileups and unauthorized handling.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated .

Building a sorting policy for reception

  1. At move-in, ask each tenant whether promotional mail should be held at reception, placed in their box, or returned, and record the answer in writing.
  2. Sort by addressee, and do not open or discard a promotional piece without written authorization from the person or company it is addressed to.
  3. For mail addressed to the shared space or to a company that has left, write "not at this address" and hand it back to the carrier.
  4. If a tenant wants help identifying a sender for removal, tell them to photograph and submit their own pieces.

Business mail and personal mail differ

In a shared office, some mail is addressed to a company and some to a person at that address. A company may have its own rules about who opens its mail, and mail addressed to an individual is more sensitive. Staff who handle mail without documented authority take on real risk. A short policy that tenants agree to when they sign a lease gives everyone the most protection.

Write the policy before the first mail run

Draft a one-page policy covering how promotional mail is sorted, who can authorize disposal, and what happens to mail for former tenants. Give a copy to every tenant and keep a signed one on file.

Instructions for the next step

Count unwanted building mail without collecting namesMake a resident resource sheet for paper-mail choicesApartment and building mailAll practical mail guides

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