Let’s face it. Magazines are fun! The provide information, relaxation and keep you current. Magazines have a way of piling up and can quickly become an ‘issue’ though. We get busy, interests change, or it’s just too much information sometimes.
How many of these are true for you?
- You are saving them because you haven’t read them all (yet)
- You feel guilty if you haven’t read the entire magazine
- There are piles of magazines lying around
- Your housemates/kids/colleagues complain about them
- The kids can use the pictures
- You feel obligated to read them to stay current
- You paid for them so you should get your money’s worth
- You are concerned you will miss articles
- Surely someone can use the old ones
There are many reasons we have too many magazines. Here are some tips for handling magazine ‘issues’.
1. Have a system
Set boundaries such as throwing away the last issue when you get the new issue or throwing them away when the container is full.
2. Online
Chances are the recipe or the article you clipped out to read later are online. Try an online magazine subscription. It’s a different experience!
3. Old News
Who wants to read old news? Halloween is over, everyone knows the old celebrity gossip, the company has moved on. Magazines recycle topics. The top ten companies, the best places to go, the seasonal recipes, etc. will be back again. Once the month is over, get rid of it!
4. Unsubscribe
Magazines are easy and inexpensive to get. If you have unread magazines when the new ones show up, consider unsubscribing. It doesn’t matter if you have been a ‘loyal customer’ for 20 years or if the fabulous renewal offer is about to expire.
Take the Magazine Challenge
If you answered yes to one of the bulleted items, take the challenge! Unsubscribe to all but 1 to 3 of your favorite magazines.
Wait at least three months and see if you miss them.
Let me know how it goes!
