Many people have a love/hate relationship with mail. As children, who didn't love to get a birthday card from a relative – especially when it included a few dollars. As time went by the mad dash to the mailbox changed to a slow, dreadful walk. We know what's lurking in there – bills and junk mail (and maybe a package from Amazon, but that's a topic for another day).
Did you know that the average American gets more than 49,000 pieces of mail in a lifetime? One third of it junk mail! Many people have difficulty managing all that mail so it piles up wherever there is a flat surface.
So first let's save some trees and lighten the load of your recycle bin. Begin by opting out of what you no longer want to receive. You can do this various ways including:
PaperKarma app (minimal fee)
What about legitimate mail, you ask? Go green with e-bills and paperless options available from most companies.
Next, let's process the mail – because it's always easier to keep up rather than catch up.
Anything not worth your time goes immediately into the recycle bin. Keep a small bin near the spot where you review mail.
Designate an area for unopened mail. This could be as simple as a basket on the kitchen counter, an Inbox on your office desk or a hanging magazine rack on the wall.
Actually open the mail. If daily doesn't work for you, make sure to open mail at least once a week. And really open it, don't just look at the return address.
Determine its value and sort into Keep, Recycle, and Shred.
The keepers will fall into three categories – Action, Reference and Archive. Now act on each of those.
Want to know more about managing mail and other incoming papers (including kids' schoolwork, event memorabilia, warranties, job materials and more)? How about setting up a Family Command Center? Contact me at (608) 345-1836 or melanie@resetorganizing.com for a free phone consultation today!
And one more thing, you've probably heard the Only Touch It Once rule. It's a myth! No need to put so much pressure on yourself. Just have a plan to deal with paperwork and stick with it.