How can I organize my Mail better?
Question:Whenever I get mail I just throw it in a random place, and then lose it or never open it. How can I organize this mess?
Answers:
Baskets.
One for stuff that has to be paid.
One for stuff you need to keep, file, or look at later, but isn't time sensitive (bank statements, etc.)
One for catalogs/magazines that you want to look at.
The garbage can. File junk mail straight into it. Or, if you have a PO Box, toss it in the garbage can at the post office (that's what I do with junk mail on the business account - it never even comes into the office).
Once a week, sit down with the bills to be paid basket and pay bills.
Once a month, sit down with the to be filed basket and file away.
Catalogs/magazines - pull that one out when you get bored or have some free time. After you've looked at it, toss it, pass it on to someone else, or file it. I toss catalogs unless there is something I want to buy (then it goes into the pay bills basket and I make the purchase when I'm sitting at the computer paying bills). For magazines, I keep them for a year and then bundle up a year's worth and sell them. Oddly you can almost get your money back on most of them. The ones I can't sell get donated to a daycare for the kids to cut up and make collages with.
Ah, thought you were talking about Answers mail, which doesn't seem to be capable of organization (What a mess, you can't find a posting you read yesterday, you don't get stuff in order, can't have a lisyt of fav categories and throw away the rest!)
Anyway, I have same problem. will watch the answers, I think is just will, but let's see what others say...
I would put it in the same place every day (you might want to buy a file holder with a couple of different slots for different types of mail). I'd immediately go through it and toss any junk, then put bills in one pile, and fun mail/magazines/catalogs in another. Then pick one time every week where you'll have a half an hour to sit down and go though the important mail and pay bills.
Use a letter file or three baskets labeled "bills to pay", "follow up required" like invitations, letters to write, etc, and "file" for bank statements, etc. The rest goes into the trash. It takes a little while to get used to using a new organization system, good luck!
Addition: Remember, if it is out of sight, it is usually out of mind. Keep this new system on your desk so you can see it!
if you set everything up in outlook you can view email using the preview pane, then decide what is important enough to read now, file for later or just delete. you can also create folders in outlook that let you organize based on sender, subject or anything you want. there are features that help you organize your calendar and contact list as well. good luck.
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