Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes: Call their Customer Service at 1-800-645-9242 (8:30 am to 8:30 EST), fax to 1-800-453-0272, mail to 101 Channel Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050, or you can email to pch@ant.net. PCH will remove any number of names from a specific address, but you have to list each name exactly.

American Family Sweepstakes: Call them at 1-800-237-2400.

AOL (America On-Line): Stop the free discs! Call 1-800-605-4297

ADVO (Postcards with pictures of missing children): Call 1-800-860-285-6100. Doesn't work? Send a postcard to "ADVO Consumer Assistance, PO Box 249, Windsor, CT 06095-4176".

Val-Pak Coupons: Go to www.valpak.com, then to 'Contact Us', then select: "If you no longer wish to receive Val-Pak mailings ...". Note: While filling out this form, be sure not to give them your email address!

Carol Wright: Call 1-800-67-TARGET to get off the list.

Your local newspaper & supermarket: Look for a phone number on the mailing. Call and ask to be removed from their mailing list.

Overall Approach: Send a notice to: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643. Include your complete name, address, zip code, and a request to "activate the preference service". For up to five years, this will stop mail from all member organizations that you have not specifically ordered products from.

Bombarded by mail from previous residents? For first class and some bulk mail: If the former residents neglected to fill out a Post Office change of address card, or it expired, you can fill one out for them. You must fill out one card for each unique last name. Write "Moved, Left No Forwarding Address" as the new address. Sign your own name and write "Form filed in by current resident of the house, [Your Name], agent for the above". You must write "agent for the above" Hand this form directly to your carrier, if possible, since your carrier must approve the form and see that it gets entered into the National Change of Address (NCOA) database.