Updated

If you have been using the same email address for a significant period of time, it's likely that you receive hundreds of messages every day that you just don't need or care about. Whether it's discounts and promotions from stores you shopped at for your friend that one birthday, or even potentially dangerous spam that's trying to sell your personal information, the time and energy it takes for you to sift through all that junk just isn't necessary. 

That's why we're giving you some simple steps to regain control of your inbox. 

Unsubscribe from advertising and promotional email lists 

When you're shopping online, most retail companies will require you to enter your email before purchasing in order to keep you in the loop of how soon your order will get to you. Makes sense, right? 

But what they don't tell you is that now that they have your email address, they will be sending you multiple emails a day with their latest promotional discounts and deals in the hopes that you will keep shopping with them. 

Woman sends email concept photo

A good idea for increased privacy is a burner email address. (iStock)

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How do I unsubscribe? 

  • Log into your email account 
  • Click on one of the promotional emails in your inbox 
  • Scroll all the way to the bottom and look for an unsubscribe link 
  • Click the link and follow the steps that the retail company provides for unsubscribing 

Report unwanted emails as spam 

Every email account automatically comes with a Spam folder. Sometimes your email provider will recognize spam mail before it can reach your main inbox and automatically put it into that Spam folder so that you won't even have to see it. But it's important to know when an email that reaches your inbox looks fishy in case your provider misses something. 

How do I get rid of spam in my main inbox? 

  • Always check the subject line of the email before clicking on it. If it looks suspicious or like something you don't recognize, it's probably spam 
  • If you feel that the email could be spam mail, right-click on the email without opening it 
email inbox

Take control of your inbox by weeding out all the junk mail  (CyberGuy.com)

  • A dropdown menu should appear when you right-click. Select the option Report Spam, Mark as Spam, or Mark as Junk
email inbox

Take control of your inbox by weeding out all the junk mail  (CyberGuy.com)

Create an alias email address 

Yes, we know the thought of creating a whole new email sounds like a lot of work. But we can assure you that it is way simpler than you think, and it will keep your main email address inbox cleaner and more clutter-free than ever before. 

What is an alias email address? 

An alias email address is a forwarding email address that you can keep separate from your main email inbox, but still have access to all those emails. You can create tons of different alias email addresses depending on what you want that specific alias to be used for. Some examples include: 

  • Promotional or discount alias for all the stores you shop at 
  • Work-related alias for all your business emails 
  • School alias for keeping track of all your assignments
email inbox

Take control of your inbox by weeding out all the junk mail  (CyberGuy.com)

Which alias email service should I use? 

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Our #1 pick for alias email addresses is StartMail, a secure email platform that allows you to keep your inbox safe and free from junk. Some benefits to subscribing to StarMail include: 

  • Unlimited anonymous aliases can be created to protect your information from being sold 
  • Automatic email encryption so that only you and the receiver can see your messages 
  • StartMail is usable on any device 
  • See entire links in your email before clicking them so you're less likely to fall for malware or a phishing scam 

For more of my review, visit CyberGuy.com/Mail. 

email inbox

Take control of your inbox by weeding out all the junk mail  (CyberGuy.com)

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