Cutting the mail clutter

What do you do with all of the “gifts” — trinkets, etc. — that you receive in the mail every day? It seems at least I receive something every day that the mail is delivered. Do you seem to have return address labels to last you for the rest of your life? The time comes when there is no more room in the drawer for them and it’s time to get rid of them.

Have you noticed that once you send a few dollars to whoever has sent you something even if it wasn’t the amount they have requested you are then stuck? By the next week’s mail you will receive either more labels or something for you to send more money. I sometimes wonder if it’s because you have paid something for whatever you received if they think now they have someone who either doesn’t remember when they sent a contribution and you send something more in your forgetful mind (they hope) or if they believe you have more money you can be generous with.

Labels aren’t so bad to rid yourself of; it’s the gifts that come and guilt your conscience if you are at all soft. If you send them back to the people who send them I’m told (at least one time) by the post office that they don’t return some things like greeting cards... they are thrown in the “out basket” among the waste paper bin. They think probably I believe them.

I have to mention many, many of the articles that I have received in the past months or years and you compare mine with what you have had come to you. It’s quite a long list so bear with me: pads for jotting notes, greeting cards, patriotic symbols, the verses of many songs, window stickers, necklaces, especially greeting cards that have been hand painted by persons with disabilities who paint with brushes held in their teeth or toes.

Pretty designed shopping or tote bags that are waterproof that will become handy if the ban on plastic bags becomes effective, name tags, necklaces both ornamental and religious, rosary beads, religious medals, yearly appointment memo pads, and new this past month was a pen that has lights, two for when you write and one for reading what you are writing.

When grocery stores, insurance offices and other businesses discontinued handing out calendars a few years back as a token of appreciation for your business, many people had to really scramble to have a calendar for their home. It came down to having to purchase one in order to keep track of the days of the week and month. Well, as of this date I have an accumulation of at least 5- 6 calendars sent to me from various organizations. I need not worry about 2018.

Last year in November I started making a list of all the places and the amount I was sending from all the requests for the holidays. The other day I ran across the list in preparation for my gift giving so that I could check to see what I was doing and not be making mistakes in sending money to someone a second time. I was amazed to find out the total when I added it up. I have some relatives who tell me to just throw away these mailers, but you just can’t when you see those dear little faces of dogs, bunnies, kittens, etc. or those children from St. Jude’s Hospital.

My friends tell me I’m too soft hearted. Not all the time, I hope. The gift might not be much but at least it’s something.

I have some relatives who tell me to just throwaway thesemailers, but you just can’twhen you see those dear little faces of dogs, bunnies, kittens, etc. or those children fromSt. Jude’s Hospital.