How to Efficiently Deal with MAIL (and not let it clutter up your life)

This morning I emailed a friend some of my “tips” for how to handle MAIL so that you don’t end up with piles everywhere, or miss paying an important bill or scheduling an important meeting. I thought that some of you might enjoy my little “system” too, so I’ll copy it below.

BTW—I’d love to hear how YOU deal with your mail if you care to share any organizing/efficiency tips too.

Happy Friday!
— Tara B.

Main thing? Most helpful? TOUCH IT ONCE:

– Bring the mail inside and go immediately to a GARBAGE CAN (or recycle bin).

– Throw away everything extraneous (catalogs, requests for money, flyers, advertisements)—they absolutely do NOT earn the right to take your time or space. Get rid of ‘em.

– (If it’s a catalog you’d like to glance through sometime, fine. But on a regular basis, GLANCE and TOSS.)

– For magazines you actually want to read? Great. Rip out the inside postcards and throw them away. Put magazine in your CURRENT PERIODICAL AREA (purge/donate/throw away/recycle on a regular basis; if the magazine is six months old, your real life is such that you’re NOT GOING TO READ IT—so get rid of it; without guilt; no matter how GREAT it is—your current duties and delights are not lining up with its contents).

For REAL MAIL …

– Open the envelope and throw it away.

– Is it a nice thank you note? Personal note? Great! Enjoy it. Show your hubby if you think it would bless him. Maybe leave it out for a tiny bit of time if you REALLY like the person or you REALLY like the card. It might earn a week or so of your space and time (or longer if it’s a ‘keep forever/best friend’ kind of card) because it’s so lovely that it GIVES YOU ENERGY AND JOY. Otherwise? Toss toss toss. Glance, enjoy, and toss.

– A bill that you have on automatic bill pay that you don’t need the record of for tax purposes? OOPS. This should’ve been THROWN AWAY WITHOUT EVEN OPENING. (Shred if necessary). You’ll get that information right into Quicken through your account or see it online. Doesn’t deserve your time—surely doesn’t deserve your space.

– Document to be filed (insurance form / medical / financial)? Great. Leave it out fro the day if your hubby likes to see that kind of thing; otherwise—FILE IT AWAY.

– ACTIONABLE TASK TO-DO thing (bill to pay / graduation card to send / appointment to make)? If it takes less than a minute and you have the time—DO IT. If not, SCHEDULE IT (note the personal correspondence need in your ongoing ‘when I have time personal correspondence’ Microsoft Outlook Tasklist To-do Task; or the gift need on your ongoing ‘BUY’ task list to-do task; or put the bill (just the return part of the bill and the envelope) in your current ‘must pay bill area’).

Then sit back. Enjoy the moment. You’ve cleared the decks. You’ve taken dominion. Nothing will be dropped. No tasks will be forgotten or lost. Important documents are findable. You’ve captured any information or reminder you’ve needed and there is NOTHING extraneous or energy-sapping left it your world (only manageable, scheduled tasks and lovely, beautiful personal correspondence that feeds your soul and reminds you that you’re not alone in this world—and that’s a good thing).

(Oh, and the MOST MOST MOSTEST efficient thing to do is, of course, STAY OFF OF MAILING LISTS and GET OFF OF MAILING LISTS that you’re already on. Then you don’t have to deal with ANY of this. 🙂 )