Sasha's Six Steps for Bringing in the Mail

"I believe in opening mail once a month, whether it needs it or not." Bob Considine

Close your eyes. Imagine coming home from a three week vacation. Notice how big the pile of mail that awaits you is. How do you feel as you contemplate having to deal with it?

Feel some resistance? After learning ‘Sasha’s Six Steps for Bringing in the Mail’, I guarantee you’ll feel better about it.

Sound good? Okay, then here’s what you need:

• A shredder
• Three/four tiered horizontal filing tray
• Datebook – paper or electronic
• Pen and highlighter

1. STOP UNWANTED MAIL. Take stock of catalogues, magazines, newsletters. Cancel subscriptions/get off mailing lists for whichever you don’t want to save money and natural resources.

2. RECYCLE OR SHRED. Immediately recycle anything that is not vital to your life. Shred items with your name and social security or credit card number.

3. DESIGNATE THE TOP TRAY FOR BILLS. Set out your three-tiered tray. No more lost bills, paying bills late, or bills left on the kitchen counter. Nothing - not even a button or a piece of lint - goes in this tray except incoming bills. If you’re paperless, put bills from other providers: dentist, auto repair shop, contractor, the gardener, here.

4. DESIGNATE THE MIDDLE TRAY FOR 'TO DO/ACTION' ITEMS. Place items that require action (phone calls, RSVP’s, etc.) in this tray. This system allows you to sort your mail quickly. To avoid the pile from growing too big, set a weekly time to deal with it. Add a ‘to do’ tray for your partner.

--- Highlight an item to bring attention to specific information. Example: highlight the name and number of the insurance company you need to call. Write CALL on the paper, and put it in your ‘TO DO’ tray. When you pick up the letter later the emphasized lines pop out.

--- Jot down any information you need in your calendar, and toss the paper it came on. If you receive a notice for a bake sale at your child’s school, notate the time and date along with a reminder to pick up the grocery items you’ll need several days before.

5. DESIGNATE THE BOTTOM TRAY FOR ‘ITEMS TO FILE.’ Things to file include medical records, financial statements, paid bills, receipts for big-ticket items. You’ll set up simple, effective files and catch up with filing once a week.

6. READING MATERIAL. Keep reading material where you read: in your bedroom, living room, or bathroom.

**COUPONS. Keep coupons in an envelope in your car or purse so they’re available when you run errands or make a coupon file and check it before shopping.

These simple steps make dealing with mail a lot easier. Close your eyes again. Imagine yourself coming home from that three-week vacation. How do you react now when you see the pile of mail that awaits you? Not so bad, is it?