We've all found our name on a junk mailing list at one time or another. It's frustrating to continuously receive unsolicited and unwanted mail that only ends up becoming landfill. If you're not interested in receiving piles of catalogs and solicitations in your daily mail, you'll be happy to know that this is easily remedied.

One way to remove your name from a mailing list is to go directly to the source. Contact the business or individual and request your name be deleted from their files. You can do this over the phone, but it will probably better to do this in writing since it's a good idea to have a paper trail.

You might also be able to go to the businesses? web site and request removal. Request confirmation that this has been done. If a business continues to send you mail after several requests, you might be able to file harassment charges, so it pays to keep good records.

There are also organizations in which you can register to have your name removed from multiple mailing lists. The Direct Marketing Association is one of those organizations. Since it handles mailing lists from hundreds of different companies, you can go to their website and request removal. This will keep your name off of their junk mailing lists for five years at which time you can put in another request. If you submit the form online it will cost $5.00. To submit your request for free, you can send it the old fashioned way to the P.O. Box listed on the DMA's website. If you'd like to be removed from junk or spam email mailing lists, you can also do this at the DMA's website.

No one wants their mailbox clogged with unwanted catalogs and solicitations from banks, credit cards companies and others. If this is happening to you, you can take steps to prevent this from happening. Not only will you save your home from clutter; you'll protect the environment as well.