• Originally published September 15, 2009 at midnight, updated September 16, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.

A few years ago, I read an article about reducing junk mail and followed the suggestions, removing my address from direct marketing companies' mailing lists.

Over time, my flow of junk mail slowed, and then virtually stopped, but I never really noticed until my sister Cari agreed to pick up our mail while Chad and I were on vacation. When we returned Cari handed us our mail and said "I can't believe how little mail you get. You don't have any junk mail"

So how does junk mail find you in the first place? According to www.privacyrights.org, when you buy something and give your name and address to the company, that information is very likely being added to a mailing list.

Once more, mailing lists are often rented to other businesses to solicit purchases from you as well. This is called direct marketing, named because the goal is to match you and your buying preferences with other items or services you might be likely to purchase.

Product registration cards, catalog purchases, charitable donations, sweepstakes entries, magazine subscriptions, credit card offers, and large purchases such as a house or car, can result in your name being added to the lists of direct marketing campaigns.

If you are bombarded with offers you do not want, you can take steps to reduce them. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has an extremely useful Web site that details each company you might be receiving mail from and how to contact them at www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm.

In order to have yourself removed from mailing lists, you must give each company your full name - including a middle initial- and current address. If you have moved recently, be sure to add your previous address as well.

Registering with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service will remove you from a number of national mailing lists in one easy step. Requests by mail cost $1 so you must include a check or money order along with your request to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, N.Y. 10512.

DMA also offers an online registration at www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action. In addition to being free, DMA points out that online registration will get your name removed more quickly than registering by mail.

Acxiom Corporation is another direct marketer and can be reached at 1-877-774-2094, optoutus@acxiom.com, or P.O. Box 8180, Little Rock, AR 72203-8180.

To stop receiving offers of insurance and credit cards, contact Opt-Out Prescreen via their Web site, www.optoutpresccreen.com, or call 1-888-567-8688. This will remove you from the lists of three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) as well as Innovis, a company that shares credit information with the real estate industry.

Abacus Direct allows catalog and publishing companies to share customers' information with each other. When you request a catalog from one company you might find yourself receiving other companies' catalogs too.

To opt out of the Abacus database, e-mail your request to abacusoptout@epsilon.com, call 1-888-780-3869, or mail the request to Epsilon Data Services, P.O. Box 1478, Broomfield, CO 80038.

You can also contact individual catalog companies at www.catalogchoice.org. This Web site allows you to search for each company and request to have your name removed from their list.

To stop receiving flyers and coupon envelopes addressed to "occupant" or "resident" contact ADVO, Inc. at 1-888-241-6760 or online at www.advo.com/consumersupport.html.

You can opt out of receiving blue envelopes containing Val-Pak Savings Coupons at their Web site, www.coxtarget.com/mailsuppression/s/DisplayMailSuppressionForm.

Anytime you enter a sweepstakes, you are providing your information to a host of companies that promote contests. Remove your name from the major nationwide sweepstakes mailers by getting in touch with Publishers Clearinghouse and Readers Digest.

Publishers Clearinghouse can be reached at privacychoices@pchmail.com, 1-800-645-9242, or by sending a request to Christopher L. Irving Sr. director, Consumer & Privacy Affairs, Publishers Clearinghouse, 382 Channel Drive, Port Washington, N.Y. 11050.

To reach Reader's Digest call 1-800-310-6261 or mail your request to Reader's Digest, P.O. Box 50005, Prescott, AZ 86301-5005.

Removing your information from these mailing lists will drastically reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, saving untold amounts of paper. If your junk mail is not being recycled, this will also cut down on the amount of trash taking up space in your cart and ultimately being sent to the landfill.

Many companies only update their mailing lists quarterly, so it might take a few months before you notice any change.

Some Web sites, such as the DMA Mail Preference Service, require re-registration every few years. Bookmark these Web sites so that you can re-register if you begin receiving unwanted mail in the future.

Meridith Byrd is a marine biologist and invites read ers to contact her at meridith.byrd@gmail.com.

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