https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 07 May 2026 17:45:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2719169 Sun, 02 Apr 2017 13:43:32 +0000 sunny 2719169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We use the Pottery Barn Daily System. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2719156 Sun, 02 Apr 2017 12:33:29 +0000 808love 2719156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Paperless as much as possible. Auto everything.<br /> Mail as soon as I get home. 90%+ straight to trash and I can add pics/events to my phone right away.<br /> Per week, I usually have 1 thing I need to file and maybe 2 pending things I just don't want to do right away. Those go on a clipboard on my desk. Neat, thin and no effort to look at the most important thing on top. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718855 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 15:45:08 +0000 MediaNaranja 2718855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I deal with it similar to @Anya: Everything is paperless and on autopay, and junk gets recycled right away. Everything else gets banished to "The Drawer". I sort and file things once a quarter or so. Not the best method, but works for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718850 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 15:29:43 +0000 youboots 2718850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anya: yes I keep a basket like this on my desk for action items.</p> <p>Most bills are on auto pay and paperless. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718842 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:56:44 +0000 looch 2718842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband handles the filing and bill paying, so I just bought him an "inbox" to keep on his desk and all the papers go in there. Then, he usually addresses is a few times a week, mainly filing and shredding.</p> <p>The problem for me, with those wall solutions, is that it needs to be near the computer or files, otherwise it just becomes a holding area and that doesn't solve the problem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718839 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:50:24 +0000 caterw 2718839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a really pretty basket on a shelf of the desk hutch that contains bills that need to be paid, stamps and envelopes, my checkbook, and other random papers that need to be attended to pretty soon (I currently have my tax folder in there so I can print out a couple things before I put it in storage). After I'm done paying bills I file everything in a nice wooden desk organizer thing along with manuals, check stubs, and anything else that needs to hang around for a year or so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718833 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:33:44 +0000 Anya 2718833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Getting paperless bills for everything available and opting out of credit card offers helped. Everything I don't need gets recycled immediately, before it even comes inside. Whatever else doesn't immediately get filed or shredded goes into a wire basket that lives in the kitchen, like this one. That way it is contained and can be easily picked up and moved out of the way if needed. The rule is if the basket is full, it gets emptied and sorted into file/shred/scan/action that weekend. At that point my husband is really the culprit because he takes forever to go through his stuff. With this system he's able to have his mail clutter but it's still contained and not taking over our space. </p> [attach=4576/17/onp2c8.360x360.IMG_3028.JPG] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718831 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:22:27 +0000 snowjewelz 2718831@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: <a href="http://a.co/giNBG7I" rel="nofollow">http://a.co/giNBG7I</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718828 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:21:06 +0000 catgirl 2718828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Honestly, the biggest thing for us was just picking a way we wanted to handle it and sticking to it. We made it a goal to do it every day for a month and evaluate if it was working. After that month it was such a habit that we don't have to think about it now - we just do it. If you use specific folders I recommend buying extras, we have tweaked out folder categories a few times and I'm glad the folders all still match.</p> <p>Also, I thought I would hate having it in my dining room but I like having it somewhere I will see it everyday it helped me make it part of my daily routine. I would slightly prefer it in the kitchen but ours is tiny so no space, and most of our walls are brick so we rarely hang things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718827 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:16:40 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2718827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: that link didn't work! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718826 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:16:03 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2718826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catgirl: @HappyBaker: love this idea! That's exactly what I need to do, I just wasn't sure how to implement it. Thank you.<br /> We have a decent sized mud room coming in from the garage, and there is a wall available that I could put something like that up - I just hate having the clutter in our main living areas (kitchen and dining) - so I think that would work well. </p> <p>@sunnyday: yeah I'm just so bad about dealing with it right away! I do usually sort through the mail right when I get it and throw away the junk right away, but it usually takes me a week or so to deal with the rest of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718825 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:14:32 +0000 snowjewelz 2718825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a small mail sorter (something simple like this - <a href="http://a.co/1T0NS14)" rel="nofollow">http://a.co/1T0NS14)</a> on our kitchen counter. All junk mail gets thrown out right away, and 1st slot is for urgent things that I need to take care of (I usually bring them to work). 2nd slot is for stuff that I looked at and can be filed away (so I bring everything downstairs to file away roughly once a week). The 3rd slot is for coupons/receipts from shipments, etc. Those I go in once in a while to pluck out expired stuff, or receipts I no longer need to keep for returns. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718819 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:05:43 +0000 HappyBaker 2718819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Similar to Catgirl, we have a wall organizer in our foyer with a few folders in it - To Do, File, Shred. </p> <p>To Do gets anything I need to take action on and can't just throw away right away.<br /> File is where I put things I need to eventually put in the filing cabinet.</p> <p>Every day when I get the mail / school papers, if something doesn't need to be done immediately that instant I just put them in the right folder. Once a week I go through the folders and either pay the bill / file / shred whatever is in there.</p> <p>Also above the organizer is a bulletin board where I pin invitations for events / my kids school calendars. </p> [attach=1530/17/onp11j.600x399.martha-stewart-main-image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718816 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:00:43 +0000 catgirl 2718816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This has been an ongoing battle for years - especially because the room we enter is no where near our main living areas, so things were dumped in the entry or on the dining room table. </p> <p>We have recently implemented a new system that seems to be working. I picked up a basket and folders to go in it that sits on our dining room table. Each folder is labeled:<br /> Action (ex. bills, forms that need to be filled out, rsvps, etc.)<br /> Catgirl personal<br /> DH personal<br /> DD<br /> To be filed<br /> Coupons<br /> Shred<br /> Miscellaneous </p> <p>We make sure to sort it at least once a day and keep the items in the "action" folder sorted by date, the one that needs to be dealt with first in the front. Occasionally DH just throws things on top of the basket but I just deal with them in the evening. We also keep our recycling box by the front door so anything we don't want/need goes in there right away. It's working for now and I have extra folders if we come up with more categories. We keep the basket on the dining room table because we are more likely to touch it every day - but it can easily be picked up if we have people over or need more space on the table. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718815 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 13:54:43 +0000 sunnyday 2718815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Directly into recycling bin if not needed. Onto counter to deal with and once kids in bed, dealt with and then filed, pic taken and recycled! Keeping it as short term as possible so pile doesn't add up because I am so bad for piles!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718814 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 13:48:12 +0000 elljay 2718814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No tips, but following because I also have this problem! Mail is the bane of my existence. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-organize-mailpapers#post-2718798 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 13:30:20 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2718798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need to figure out some type of system for organizing the mail and papers we get each day. For long term storage of important documents, I have a file folder in a closet.. but for stuff I'm not ready for file (bills to be paid, important notices, etc)- I never know what to do! I end up with a pile of mail/paper on the counter or table and can't stand it anymore! I need a better system. </p> <p>Any tips? How do you manage the clutter? </p>