Week 10 already! Are you up to date or do you need to go back and catch up a week or two? In case you are needing to catch up, and to give the die-hard organizers a break, we are going to keep it simple this week. Here are some quick tips to organize your “snail” mail flow into and out of your home:
1. Gather all the piles of mail you’ve placed throughout your home and take them to a large kitchen or dining room table. On the table, place 3 shallow boxes (like your “in” box a t work…) Label the boxes: “Bills”, “File”, “Forward”
2. First, take everything out of it’s envelope (1 by 1) and throw the envelope and any unwanted inserts away. There is so much junk INSIDE junk mail! Try to handle each piece only once during this sort. Toss the envelope and any inserts; but SHRED anything with your name and address or other identifying personal information. If you need to keep the article of mail, SORT it into one of the 3 boxes. If it is a bill or to be filed later, place it in that box. The “Forward” box is to hold those things which need the input of someone else. In the “Forward” box you’ll put anything your mate needs to see or handle, mail for other family members, etc. Do this until all mail is sorted!
3. We will stop here today and cover efficient bill-paying and filing at a later time. But there is one more thing to do: control the mail on the way INTO the house and never search for an important paper again! Buy an inexpensive 3 pocket mail sorter to hang on the wall near your entry or exit (close to the door you bring mail into your home is ideal.) When you bring the mail in, immediately place the bills in a slot labeled “Bills”. Place mail for other family members in a slot labeled “Family”. Label the 3rd slot “Outgoing” and place your letters to be returned to the mailbox in this slot. Obvious junk mail goes immediately in (say it with me) FILE 13!!
Watch future posts for organizing bill paying and filing within your home! Click on the subscribe button to the right to get this blog in your email, and tell your friends! See you next week!
