What’s Your System For…?
by Leigh Anne & Sherra on May 3, 2010
in Inspiration, Question of the Week
We get the feeling we could all use a little more help getting organized so we’re dedicating the month of May to sharing organizing ideas in different areas of our lives!
What is your system for organizing mail?
Photo courtesy of TheeErin creations
Don’t forget, we want to hear your ideas! Whether you have a great idea or you need a great idea–leave a comment below and we’ll all help each other!
I don’t remember if I learned the system or just figured it out on my own…..
I immediately open everything and put all the “junk” in the recycle bag. My husband’s mail goes in his Inbox cubby. Then I put the bill stubs in my little bill cubby for pay day. I file my catalogs alphabetically in magazine holders and replace the old ones. I put the magazines in magazine holders. I file bill statements. Any remaining action To Dos go in my Inbox on my desk.
Now that I’m typing it, it sounds like a lot, but it goes really fast. Then I make time “later” for clipping coupons or reading newsletters or reconciling the checking account.
Step #1 – Sign up for electronic delivery whenever possible. All of my bills come electronically. Recently my bank offered e-mail delivery of my checkbook statements. I subscribe to magazines that I can get digitally. The only bills I get hard copy are my water bill and tax bill – both from the city.
Step #2 – Since I have to walk past the dumpster from my mail box to the house any mail I don’t want goes right into dumpster (after ripping up the mailing label.
Step #3 – I sign up for swaps in my quilt and fiber groups. That way once in a while it’s fun to open the mail box.
I have a basket right by the door so my husband can just drop the mail in it. He gets home first and doesn’t like opening mail. When I go through the mail, all junk goes in recylce, anything that needs to be shred goes on top of the shredder, my husband’s mail goes on his desk and any bills go on mine to be taken care of when I do the bills, anything that needs to be filed goes into my file box. I also signed up for as many on-line bills as possible so my mail has been reduced greatly. Most of it is junk mail.