Creating a Mail Center
November 19, 2007 by Julie Bonner
Filed under Home & Living
I’ve talk about creating a mail center a couple of times, but this time it’s a little more thorough and…I have more pictures.
I hope these steps to creating a mail center will help you reign in all that paper clutter that collects on the tables, counters and any available flat surface.
The kitchen counter is a hot spot where everything seems to get buried. Here are the most common items that take up that precious counter space:
1. Junk mail
2. Kids’ school papers
3. Invitations
4. Books
5. Important papers with no home
6. Bills
7. Landing spot for kids’ stuff
8. Landing spot for parents’ stuff
Basically, the kitchen counter becomes a hot spot and before you know it, this area is out of control. Junk mail starts to pile up, bills get lost and important papers get destroyed.
By creating a mail center, you can reign in the counter clutter. Here is a system you can implement that will allow you to find what you need in just a few seconds.
(Side note: If you do not have an available kitchen counter to set up a mail center, you can follow these same steps for setting one up at a desk or other area.)
Step one: Sort through all the items on the counter.
You can use the “How to Sort Through Clutter” technique and clear the counter completely of anything.
More steps and pictures below the cut!
Step two: Purchase a filing container and files.
I recommend using a file crate or file box. It is portable and it doesn’t take up too much space.
Step three: Label the files.
These will be different for everyone. You know what items come into your mailbox and get thrown on the kitchen counter on a daily basis. Look at the items in the keep box that you have sorted through and see what is there. Here are some examples of files you could create:
Bills to Pay – Within this file, depending on how many bills you have, you could have two manilla folders labeled 1st – 15th and 16th – 31st. This helps you separate bills that are due the first half of the month and bills that are do the second half. When it is time to sit down and pay the bills, grab the appropriate folder. Most people pay bills twice a month.
Important Papers to File – This is a very general category, but as you are sorting through the mail and you come upon an important document that you need to keep, but it requires no action, you can put it in this file. When the file folder gets full, take it to your main household filing cabinet and file it in the correct folder.
To Shred – With identity theft on the rise, it is not a good idea to throw any credit card or home loan offers or anything similar to those in the trash without first shredding them. If you do not have a shredder, I recommend you buy one. It can save you many a headaches later on. Once a month you can have a shredding party and take all the items from that folder and shred away!
Requires Action – Sometimes we receive items in the mail which require some sort of action. Maybe there is an inaccuracy on a credit card statement or you need to RSVP to a party. You can place items like these in this folder. There is also another step to the requires action folder and that is writing down in your day planner or family calendar when you will make that phone call or when that party is. I cover that in more detail under Personal Organizers.
A Folder with the Name of Each Family Member – You can use this to keep everyone’s mail separate. Each day members of your family can check their file folder to see if they have anything. You can also use this to put items you want to read at a later date in. When you have a doctor’s appointment you can grab your folder and have some good reading material with you.
Some other possible categories are: household receipts, recipes or school papers. It may take some experimenting to see which categories you need and which ones you don’t.
Step four: Sort all the items in the keep box into the appropriate file.
This part of the process feels so good and motivating. You are now well on your way to never letting the mail take over again.
Step five: Sort through your mail everyday.
As soon as you get your mail out of the mail box, throw the junk mail into the recycling bin and put the rest of the items in their appropriate file folder. If you can do this consistently for two weeks, then you have just created a new habit.
I love it! Stumbled!
Great idea! I linked to you. I plan to use this idea in my home next week. Thank you!
Karen:Thanks so much!! I appreciate it.
Gina:Thanks for the link and good luck with your mail center. Feel free to send me pictures and I’ll highlight you on Declutter It!
Julie,
This is a great description! I just recommended it on my own blog.
I like your suggestion to go do your filing when the folder gets full. I think it works better to let your containers tell you when to do something, instead of trying to remember to do something on a schedule.
I’m sure your shredding parties are great fun, but I think it works best to shred as you go. I’ve had many clients who stockpile shopping bags full of items to shred and they dread sitting in front of the shredder for hours…
Thanks for reminding me to shred a stack of things that I shouldn’t just chuck in the recycling bin. Shredding is so satisfying.
Great idea! I’m going to give this a try! Thanks for the visual. I need that!
~Amy
Thanks for your comments everyone. I’m glad you like the post and thankyou for sharing a tip or two with me also. I plan on doing more of these. I have friends saying “Me next, me next!”
Wow. I am such a visual learner so this rocks!
I’m glad you liked it Tickled Pink and I hope it helps. I too am very visual, so I understand completely.
I love this idea, and I told all my friends about it on my blog (and linked to you too). What a great site you have here! Come visit me for the before and after pics of my new mail center. Thanks!
P.S. Found you via Organizing Junkie, FYI
Thanks Daiquiri! I’m glad it has helped you. I’ll definitely come see the pictures. I LOVE before and after pictures.
I found this from a link ono Organizing Junkie…what a great link! I love this idea and will be putting it in place in our household. Finally, an end to mail clutter!! Thanks!
I’m glad you enjoyed this post Tracy. Good luck with putting an end to mail clutter. It’s such a freeing feeling!
What a wonderful idea! Just what I need to organize my mail clutter and counter! Thank you so much! I found this link on Organizing Junkie and plan to link to you on my own blog.
Thanks for the great, simple idea!
Marianne - Glad you found it useful! I plan on doing another one of these soon, but about a baking/small appliance pantry. Thanks for stopping by!
This was such a help to fixing my mail clutter! Costco is currently selling pretty boxes–there are 2 different designs to choose from–that are actually a hanging file system in disguise. I can’t find it on their website but you can find them in the store in the office supplies section. I think they’re about $16.00. I bought one and used it for the mail center and it fits in with the home decor perfectly. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions regarding categories of how to sort. My husband thanks you too since I’m the one prone to clutter.
[...]Julie over at Declutter It! has given what seems like the easiest “how-to” for creating a mail center in your home or office.[...]
Pets Pets and its always about Pets, Things were not the same for me 1 year ago, I had a broken relationship and needed something to active charge my life, I got a cute little puppy and I must say she changed me ( THough housebreaking her was a Pain )
Great Post! Thanks
By the way for a Overweight indivividual like me Gardening offers the perfect Sweat breaker 2 hours of good time weed digging and I am in business