Where Should I Put the Mail?

It’s a common question but it has an uncommon answer.  Mail doesn’t go anywhere.   That’s because it stops being mail the second it comes out of your mailbox.

Bills-to-pay need a home, material-to-read need a home, and statements-to-file need a home, but it’s a mistake to allow the daily collection to take up residence ANYWHERE.

This advice is old, but I have an approach that is new.  Seek garbage opportunities instead of action opportunities.  After all, you’ve got too many actions on your plate already, right?

Stand over your recycling bin and drop it in.  The catalogs with products you don’t need?  Drop it in!  The bulky prospectus that you’ll never have an interest in reading? Drop it in!  The Triple A magazine with information you can find online?  Drop it in!

Of course you will rescue the bills, statements, and magazines from the trash, but there are further garbage opportunities.  Open the envelopes and toss them.  Toss the useless inserts and, if you pay online, toss the return envelopes too.

The goal is to keep as LITTLE as you can.  This tidy little massacre should take no more than 3 minutes.  If it takes any longer then it becomes something you are less likely to do.  Don’t get slowed down by the actions required.  Just focus on the basic sorting.

The only action that is required immediately is tossing what you don’t strictly need.  Consider it a golden opportunity to make your life easier!