No matter how hard we try to go paperless; We still receive an excess of snail mail in the form of coupons, advertisements and flyers, magazines, and of course important bills and documents. A very simple mail management plan can greatly reduce your stress and stop the mountain of mail. A few daily steps will do wonders for your kitchen office organization and all but wipe out mail clutter.
Today, many pay their credit card bills online, which is a great convenience. Some can also pay utility bills online, congratulations to you! To do this, I recommend you mark the expiration dates on your calendar (in the office area of your kitchen) or pay several at the same time, but before each expiration date. Remember, check the calendar, so you don’t forget to pay them online.
Let’s start with simple mail management:
1. As soon as you receive your box mail; deal with it immediately. It will really only take a few minutes.
It may not be a good idea to grab the mail when you leave the house or while you’re in the car. Things can tend to scatter and get lost in the black hole of the car; That pesky car ghost likes to leave with the mail, too.
2. Throw out all junk ads and drives. Just throw them away!
3. Sort what’s left:
paper bills — put expiration dates on your kitchen calendar and on the outside of the envelope; keep bills in a basket or small container somewhere visible to remember. About a week before your expiration date; pay them. You may want to mark the payment date as well as the due date on the envelope and your calendar.
coupons you saved — Ask yourself, “Will I use this?” “Shall I go to this store and use this coupon?”
If the answer is no; you know what to do with it – Throw it away!
If the answer is yes; Keep it in your bag or wallet for grocery shopping or easy access when you visit that store. You may want to use a zippered bag or expandable file for your coupons. If it will be used for the house, such as carpet cleaning or chimney cleaning; Post it on your kitchen bulletin board as a reminder to use it.
pizza coupons — Post it on the bulletin board, for use before the expiration date or any other coupon, for that matter, with an expiration date. These can also be kept in a bin in a desk drawer or another basket, but don’t forget you have them there! You can file them right into your bag for your next pizza night.
Catalogs and subscription magazines — These can go in another basket or container — I think you’re getting the idea; I like to store items in cute baskets and bins. They are a good way to store ugly clutter and are a great help for simple mail management. Place this basket or container next to your favorite reading chair, next to your bed, or in the bathroom, wherever you read.
important paperwork — Start a file; tag it or add the update to an existing file. If possible, keep them in a filing cabinet near the kitchen, so they’re within easy reach when you need them. If you can’t file it right away, put it in a basket on your desk for later. If you put items in the same place every time; then they won’t get lost and you’ll know exactly where to check when needed. You will have discovered the mystery of easy mail management and you will have overcome the mail mountain. The basket on your desk to file later allows you to have grace in managing your mail. You could also put bills in there if you’re in a hurry; just remember to come back to it within a reasonable amount of time and treat it.
4. Use a bulletin board in your kitchen to post items that require an immediate response. This serves as a reminder every time you answer the phone or stop by the bulletin board. Take action on those items that require a response, if you cannot do so immediately; write it down on your calendar or planner, so you don’t forget. Keep it posted on the bulletin board until resolved. Remember not to put anything on top.
Done. That was pretty painless, wasn’t it?
You should be on your way to a very organized kitchen office area with simple mail management.
