Day 3 Mail

It’s Day 3 of the 10 Day Challenge and today we are tackling the mail and incoming papers.

If you haven’t already, sign up to grab your free guide to walk you through the 10 day organizing challenge.

And as you dive into your mail, check out episode Day 3 right here.

This area is a little more open-ended, and so your 10 minute organizing session really depends on your current system for handling mail.

In this post, I’ll walk through four “starting places” for your mail organization:

Do you have a pile of mail to process? Start there.
Do you need a system for your do-to items that come in the form of paper? – Keep reading to see how I use my action files.
Have you been meaning to set up a few bills on autopay? – You can work on that during this 10 minutes.
Have you opted out of junk mail yet? – Keep reading for tips on how to do that too.

No matter what part of your mail system you’d like to conquer today, our goal is to spend 10 minutes simplifying our paper process.

If you’re spending this 10 minute session setting up a system for your to-do items that come in the form of paper, consider making action files:

I think we can all agree, the follow through/action needed on mail is the most important part and sorting is only the 1st step. So a good mail system has to be:

simple and uncomplicated to use
trusted so you will be able to quickly find a paper when you need it
spurs you to take action and follow through on the needed tasks

A system is no good if you don’t use it! No matter how elaborate or well intended a filing system is, if you don’t use it, it won’t help you stay on top of your paper!

Even if you think you don’t have a system for mail, you probably already do, it might just be a disorganized system. The most common system for mail I have seen is that the mail is sorted into categories, usually on a counter or table.

Then sadly, the system stops there. The most important task items in your mail might be completed but eventually, the sorted mail piles are stacked all together and then, the once sorted mail piles, disappear into a massive mess.

Then the sorting cycle repeats again before any action is ever taken to work through the paper. We can do better than this!

Action files have really been my go to mail system for years. If you watched the video above, you can see how it takes the guesswork out of where paper goes, and means I don’t spend time hunting for papers that require action.

When it’s time to pay bills, I know all the bills that have come in are in my “to pay” file. Setting up my menu? My grocery list, coupons that have come in, and current recipes are all in my action file for menu planning.

As you are sorting through your mail or any incoming paper, record the to-do categories as you sort. Post-its work great for this!

Ask yourself, “What is the next action I need to take for this item?”

Some example categories are- Read, File, Data Entry, Coupons, Current Project, Bills. You might also have a file for different groups you are apart of so all coordinating papers can be stored in one area.

Action Files, also called Working Files, are simply files that are current and need action taken on them weekly or biweekly.

They differ from reference files typically housed in filing cabinets, which contain more permanent records (bills already paid, pay-stubs, insurance info, other archives, etc).

Action Files will reflect your own personal needs, but here is a snapshot of my categories and what I use them for. I use 7 Action Files, along with the trash and recycling bin of course, right where I sort any incoming papers.

To File:

reference papers to file the long-term filing box. These are items that do not need action but instead are papers I need to keep for archival purposes. I file these every other month or so.

Pay:

Any bill to be paid or really anything with a firm deadline goes in here. Most bills are automated however there are still a few that trickle in. After the bills are paid they immediately get moved to the “To File” folder to be stored in our reference files if necessary.

Pending:

For any paper I need to reference in the short-term or that might need a follow-up. If you are familiar with the book Getting Things Done, it could also be called an Incubation file. This file is temporary storage.

Examples are an event I am thinking about attending, a form that I need to gather more information to fill out or an issue waiting for someone’s response on. It is also used for any miscellaneous paperwork regarding my to-do list, like a prescription to drop off or a dry cleaning slip.

Having a permanent spot for these items makes it easy to delegate errands. If my husband is going to pick up the dry cleaning he knows right where to look and doesn’t have to wait until I get home to get the slip out of my purse.

In order for this file not to become a vortex of unfinished tasks, I record pending file tasks in my planner. I schedule time to take care of lingering papers every Wednesday. This is NOT a miscellaneous file. Every paper in there has a clear next action. Before you put a paper in this file, you know what the action required is for that piece of paper.

Receipts:

Big purchases or items I might return are kept in this file. All food receipts head to the trash after I do a quick scan for accuracy. Important receipts that I need to keep for the long term (health, auto, home repairs) are put in the “to file” hanging file.

I use to use this file more when I am working on my budget. I keep my budget online, but sometimes I still need this file to help me reconcile purchases.

Since I run a small business, I keep a separate file for any receipts that are only business expenses. I also keep a file for Christmas receipts since I like to quickly reference those to make sure I’m staying on budget.

Coupons:

This contains coupons and various flyers that come in the mail. If we have any takeout menu these are stored in there also.

To Read:

This is technically a basket that I have by the couch. If there are any catalogs/magazines I want to spend longer than 2 minutes skimming over I throw it in my to read basket.

But be honest with yourself, are you really going to read it? Or would you just like to read it but know that you will never really make time for it?

The action files are touched and used every single day. If a paper enters our home, I have a spot for it and I can quickly reference it when I need it. That is the main goal of any filing system.

A few other action file tips:

Open mail and unfold it flat so it is ready to file and store. Get rid of envelopes and those unwanted solicitations included with your bills. If you stuff mail back into the envelope, you are making more work for yourself since you will have to start the process all over again when you come back to the envelope.
Keep in mind how much info is available on-line. If you have a ‘to read’ basket or file be selective about what makes the cut. Empty the basket often. Stagnant piles will soon become clutter.

If you’re spending this 10 minute session setting up a few bills on autopay:

Why did I wait so long to put bills on autopay? Seriously, it is so simple.

Some of the bills I put on autopay are my cell phone, car insurance, and my utilities. I get an email when the bill has arrived and an alert that it has been paid.

It’s simple to hop online and look at the current bill or reference past bills. You’ll need your account number and the website of the company, and your banking information.

Spend 10 minutes today setting up one bill on auto-pay. You might love it so much that you set them all up on auto pay!

If you’re spending this 10 minute session opting out of junk mail, keep reading for tips on how to do that too:

A few other ways to spend this 10 minutes of organizing:

Go to optoutprescreen.com to opt out of credit card offers. You can opt out online and it will expire in 5 years or you can mail-in your request for a lifetime removal of your name and information.

You can also opt out of coupon mailers on Retail Me Not, formerly Red Plum.

Another website, that I have not personally tried, is DMAchoice.org, which promises to opt you out of credit offers, catalogs, magazine offers and other mail offers like donation request. There is $2 fee which is good for 10 years.

DMC Choice is also a good option for name removal of deceased individuals, Deceased Do Not Contact list, and for caregivers to register name removal, Do Not Contact list for Caregivers.

If you aren’t unsubscribing through DMA Choice listed above, you can use the non-profit, CatalogChoice.org, to opt out of catalogs. I have used it for years and I love that I don’t have to commit and can change my status for things I have previously unsubscribed if I ever want to.

You can also unsubscribe directly of course. Most catalogs have a link or phone number to call on the back cover to change your mailing preferences.

I would recommend collecting your catalogs for a couple months and unsubscribe all at once. Unless you already have a pile of old catalogs lying around, then this is the one time that not decluttering really paid off!

We did it!

No matter where you are in the process of finding a mail system that works, we hope this 10 minutes has been productive! We want to celebrate Day 3 of the challenge with you today, so check in with us!

Let us know how it went! We welcome all updates, before and after pics, or even questions that came up for you as you started the project.

Tag us on Instagram @AtoB podcast or Facebook. Or send us an email Hello @ AtoBpodcast.com.

Did you miss a day?

Here is Day 1 and Day 2 of the 10 Day Challenge.

A few other episodes you might find helpful is Ep 35 Clear your Paper Pile in 5 Steps and Ep 28 Stopping Paper Clutter: Mail.

Also, it is not too late to invite a friend! We made this handy, dandy image to make it easy to share far and wide! We’ll see you tomorrow!