Living Everyday Ultimately Organized - Opt Out to Declutter Your Inbox

I'm opting out this summer... not opting out OF summer... but I've decided to unsubscribe (opt-out) from any unnecessary email lists I've managed to join over the years.  It finally hit me when I opened my inbox the other morning to find 20 emails waiting for my attention.  Not one of them was work related or a message from family or friends.  They weren't "spam" either.  These were emails from companies I have ordered from online or signed up to receive coupons... and it's gotten out of control!  As you might expect, my inbox is pretty organized, so it's not that I can't keep up with the deluge.  I have just decided that I no longer want to give my time to the task of purging these soliciations.  Plus, I have a feeling I might just save a little money too without the temptation of 10% off or "one day only" sales bombarding me throughout the day.  I know my friends in the marketing world are cringing right now.  After all, that is the point of all of this email marketing... to get us to buy something. 

The number of marketing emails sent by U.S. retailers and wholesalers this year will hit 158 billion and grow 63% to 258 billion in 2013. - Forrester's US Email Marketing Volume Forecast (2008)


I do appreciate all of the coupons and great deals over the years, but if you are struggling to keep up with your inbox, or like me have just decided your time is better spent doing something else, the first step is to start opting out.  Look for the "unsubscribe" link, which is usually at the end of each email (usually in teeny-tiny print with a hyperlink to an opt-out website).  If you are concerned you will miss out on the sale of the century, then see if the company offers the option to send emails less frequently.  Many companies don't want to see you go, so they offer to only send emails once a month or only on certain offers.  One company list I left even sent me a follow up email to be sure I really meant to unsubscribe.  They were concerned I forwarded the email to a friend who may have unknowingly unsubscribed me.  Sorry to see you go too, but it's time to spring (or summer or any time of year) clean my inbox.  Use this tip to declutter your inbox and you will soon be on your way to Living Everyday Ultimately Organized.