The Junk Mail Diet

Junk mail happens like this:

100,000,000 million mature trees get cut down

Every year

So paper can be produced

So stuff you're not interested in

(or could just as easily shop for online)

Can get printed on it

Before getting transported to our homes

Using fossil fuel

To immediately get tossed.

(Or clutter up our counters.)

But what if you just recycle it?

I mean, sure, but:

You will spend an estimated 8 months of your life sifting and sorting unwanted mail

For it to be picked up by a truck

Using fossil fuel

And get delivered to a facility

That sorts and mashes it

To make recycled paper

So stuff you're not interested in

(or could just as easily shop for online)

Can get printed on it

And then transported back to our homes

Using fossil fuel

To immediately get tossed.

(Or clutter up our counters.)

Y’all. Make it stop. Full stop.

There are several FREE services you can use to stop the insanity. (Why yes, that was a Susan Powter quote. Holla’!) I use https://www.catalogchoice.org/ simply because it’s the one I know. Some companies aren't in the its database, and getting off those lists takes a few extra clicks. Go directly to the company's website and click "contact us" and send an email requesting to be taken off the company's mailing list. I recommend including this language in your email: "Please remove me from your postal mailings list. I no longer wish to receive your mailings. Do not rent or sell my name or address to other organizations." (I learned this on the catalogchoice.org website.)

To stop the deluge of credit card and insurance offers, go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ and follow the prompts. This service blocks access to your credit history from the four major consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion. These are the guys who determine how likely you are to repay debt. Lenders then use this information to market credit card preapprovals or "firm offers" to you. FYI: OptOutPrescreen requires your social security number for identification purposes. The service is secure and approved for use by the FTC.

 So yeah. It's not enough to recycle junk mail. And we haven’t even talked about deforestation. We need mature trees for the air we breathe, and we rely on them for shade and fruit, beauty and calm. And also, rather critically, the absorption of carbon dioxide.

 At the risk of being a little preachy, I say this: the only way to stop global warming is to stop burning fossil fuels. The next best thing we can do is to plant trees – and we should – but it will take decades for trees we plant now to mature enough to mitigate or remove carbon effectively. The easiest thing we can do is opt out of receiving detritus in the mail. Because BOOM just like THAT we’ve saved 100,000,000 perfectly good, mature, carbon-devouring trees from becoming junk mail. So simple! So impactful! #TheMoreYouKnow

Why "SET"?

Hi! I’m Nikki, and this is my first time publishing a blog post. Can you see how sweaty I am? How my fingers are shaking? Just kidding: I’m actually pretty excited about this!

I get asked about my business name a lot, so as we make our introductions I’ll draw you a metaphorical thought bubble explaining why I’ve called my little venture “SET.”

SET means a lot of positive and inspiring things. When you’re SET you’re ready to go. A SET of something indicates completion. SET in stone means for sure. SETting something down offers relief. When you SET your mind to something, you’re dedicated.

There are so many more; Merriam Webster’s website offers 25 definitions of “set” as a transitive verb and another 11 definitions of it as an intransitive verb.

Right now, my personal favorite use of the word is SET in motion. That is my dream for you: I want to help you envision your best life as it relates to your space and your stuff and help you make it happen. 

I’ve been told the all-caps kind of makes it look like SET stands for something. It’s not an acronym as of the writing of this post, but I’m sure I can make something up. Stay tuned to find out what I come up with!

Example SET Method Project: Stephanie Sheldon of Indie Foundry

Who she is:  Graphic Designer and Founder of Indie Foundry & The Cleveland Flea

Style Diagnosis:  Modern & bold, emphasis on black and white, with pops of bright color. Preference is for open shelving and simple, architectural solutions.

What she was looking for:  Separation between her home office and her home life. A way to display all the beautiful items she's collected at The Cleveland Flea over the last year. A home office that would reflect her personal style but also be professional. A digital and financial organization plan, that would help her waste less time and money by being more efficient and streamlined about what services she uses to manage her business. Purging of items that she no longer needs. Reorganizing what is left into a space that feels polished, homey and inspiring.

What we did:  The SET Method. I employed my personalized program, the SET Method, to help Stephanie define her goals and set the path for achieving those goals. She knew what she wanted, but needed a friendly, knowledgeable expert to help her execute. The SET Method got us on the same page, so that I knew that at the end of our time together, her goals would be met and her space would be a reflection of her personal and business style.

What she has to say:

"My biggest challenge was managing all of my stuff in a beautiful, simple way that would reflect the fact that I live and work in the same space. My office and work had taken over my space in a way that I couldn't relax.  My live/work balance was extremely off, and that was reflected in my apartment. Nikki helped me "feng-shui" the loft, so that the flow of space from a client perspective and from a living perspective felt aligned. She created a very separate area for "home" where I now enjoy a daily ritual of coffee, writing and reading, thus improving my mood and even my productivity. She also helped me purge much of the stuff I was holding onto, hoping that one day I'd use. I think that we moved 5 large garbage bags of donations and recyclables out of my apartment in one day! From there, she also helped me tackle the growing digital clutter I had: email inbox, business apps, and even newsletters. I can focus on what matters because what doesn't matter isn't cluttering my mind anymore! I can't thank her enough!" - Stephanie Sheldon