Junk and Junk Mail

I have been reading two books simultaneously (as you do) and between them they have prompted me to action.
The first is 

I was interested to learn that US Route 411 becomes a giant 250 mile long junk-a-palooza known as the Highway 411 Yard Sale, for 4 days every Fall (Autumn).
What fun that must be! And on the other side of the coin, a great way to have a clear out. 
Both Derek and I appear to be collectors, not hoarders (much), but we're going to have to work on sorting it.
The second book is rather tongue-in-cheek...

In which I found this quote that I rather liked...

"If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?"
                                             - Albert Einstein

These two books have been directly responsible for my sorting the spare bedroom ("Oh there is a bed in there" says Derek), my potting area and the studio.

Of course, having everything left out around you promotes creativity. The neatness will only last so long I'm afraid.

Junk Mail has been on my mind since we had a fill-in postie a few weeks back and I found this pile in our letterbox. 

We had put a halt to junk mail a long time ago.  Most people get this amount several times a week, which set me thinking... Several years ago I joined a campaign to reduce junk mail in my suburb, by taking these stickers around, but I was supposed to canvas people before giving them out. Well my parents became ill at that stage and I didn't get far, so still have the little pile of stickers. 

I have decided to just deliver them to letterboxes in my daughter's street, then monitor how many actually go onto those letterboxes. Ironic really, as I will be adding to the junk mail, but I'm only going to do a little bit and then see if it is worth it. 
I think junk mail should be something people should have to opt in to, rather than opt out of, as many people just let it keep coming by not doing anything, and it promotes needless consumerism and waste. Rant over.