We can divide junk mail into two main categories, each with three subcategories. The first main category is addressed junk mail. To find out how to stop a particular piece of addressed junk mail we need to look at who the addressee is. Addressed junk mail may be addressed:

1. to you personally;
2. to someone else; or
3. to a generic addressee (usually 'To the Occupier').

The second main category is unaddressed junk mail. The subtypes for unaddressed mail relate to the distributor of the mail item. Unaddressed junk mail may be distributed by:

1. Royal Mail;
2. distribution companies that are members of the Direct Marketing Association; or
3. others.

Next, we can mark by which 'opt-out regime' the junk mail is covered. Again, there are three options:

1. Informal options. These are often the most effective solutions. In particular 'No Junk Mail' signs are a 'must have' for anyone not interested in junk mail; this is because the two existing opt-out schemes for unaddressed junk mail cover only about half of all such junk mail.
2. Self-regulatory options. The junk mail industry runs a number of opt-out schemes covering specific types of junk mail:
   1. The Mailing Preference Service will prevent addressed junk mail from organisations that are members or the Direct Marketing Association and with whom you've never had any dealings.
   2. The Door-to-Door Opt-Out stops all unaddressed mail items distributed by Royal Mail.
   3. The Your Choice Preference Scheme claims to stop all unaddressed mail items distributed by junk mail distribution companies that are members of the Direct Marketing Association.
3. Legislation. The junk mail industry isn't completely self-regulating; the Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right not to receive personally addressed junk mail.

All these variables can be displayed in a rather ugly table:

The Wishing Tree does more than just finding out where in the above grid the piece of junk mail you want to stop sits. It checks, for instance, if you are receiving personally addressed junk mail because you've failed to tick an opt-out box somewhere, and gives advice accordingly. Similarly, the Wishing Tree can tell you what to do if you're receiving unaddressed junk mail from the postman despite being registered with the Door-to-Door Opt-Out. And, the Wishing Tree can also tell you how to get rid off paper directories or what to do if you're receiving scam mail.

The Wishing Tree has been consulted 3265 times and has given the following advice: