Make a Notation of this Mailing Station

To put a wrap on Home Office month, I thought I would do a quicky post on sorting mail.  Yippee skippy right?  But really, honestly, and shamelessly, how many of you out there, dread getting the mail, and have pileups of papers around the house?  And how many of you heart how those pileups, keep piling up, and spreading, and become more attractive as they grow? (sarcasm is key here!)

It's a fact Jack!  Or Jill.  Mail pileup is a very common household problem, and I have a quick and easy solution (yes, down to just 4 easy peasy steps) to keep it under control.

Step 1:

Acquire a letter opener.  It saves your fingers from paper cuts.  Which are painful, and make you not want to go after very many envelopes.  I found ours (shown below), at either Target or Walmart for a few pennies.  Completely worth it!

Open your mail, RIGHT AWAY!  Don't grab your mail out of the mail box when you are driving away, it will most likely end up under a seat and get forgotten!  Only bring in your mail when you have two seconds to give it a peak.  

Step 2:

Recycle!  Recycle all envelopes and inserts, along with any "junk" mail and catalogs.  Only keep any correspondence and bills that require filing, paying, etc...  I find that these plastic Sterilite baskets are the perfect size for recycling paper, and easy to tuck away in different rooms throughout the homestead.

(If you are getting overwhelmed with the junk mail you are receiving, here is a great website with a lot of ways to cut it down and go green!)

Step 3:

Most likely you don't keep your filing cabinet/tote/etc... right where you are sorting your mail.  If you are lucky enough to have your filing system completely handy and accessible, then skip this step.  However, if you are like most of us and sort your mail in the hub of your home, create an "In" box for all opened mail.  You can now be done for the day.  Really, that's all you HAVE to do when you bring in the mail.  If you open your mail by your filing system, you may choose to just file it away instantly.  If not, you can even create an "In" box to revisit later as well.  It's all personal preference.

I am totally digging these "In" baskets found at Pottery Barn.  Not only do I use them for our mail, but they are great for housing current kid schoolwork/projects/etc...

Step 4:

About once a week, when I have a little more time to devote, I go through our "In" box.  I place any invitations in my planner and mark down dates and times.  I write out any bills (that I can't pay online), and place them in our "Out" box.  We just use this cute little tin basket to hold our outgoing mail.

 

I then use my filing tote (which is super portable so I can do this task anywhere I please) to file away all remaining paperwork.  I only keep what is necessary to refer back to.  Everything else gets recycled.  

Totally do-able right?  How many of you can do it in less steps than that, and if so, spill your secret beans because I would love to know how!  I am always up for simplifying life so I have more time for the ones IHeart!