Project Organize: Sort Mail and Papers

Sort Mail and Papers. Go through the mail and any loose papers daily to keep paper clutter at bay.

This is the last daily task in the basic checklist of things to do every day to keep our homes running smoothly.

I will admit that I don’t do this every single day, but I try to keep up with all the mail and papers a few times a week.

Sort the Mail and Papers

Today’s task is a quick sort of any incoming mail or papers you receive throughout the day.

We have a designated spot by our front door for mail. Usually, my husband gets the mail on his way home from work, so he will put it in there until I have time to deal with it.

This is the time to throw away any junk mail. Shred any papers that need it. Place any papers you need to keep in your to-do folder or home management binder.

I have a home management binder for all those papers I need to refer to more often than things that can be filed away more permanently. It includes things like kids’ sports schedules, menu plans, cleaning routines, and current health updates.

My command center also has an upright file box with a to-do folder, a pending folder, and a bills folder. I can quickly place papers where they need to go and reference them easily later.

Lastly, I have a small file box for papers that need more long-term storage. These may be things that go into our important papers binder, or information about taxes or our cars, etc.

How to Sort the Mail and Papers

1. Have a designated spot for incoming mail that everyone in the house knows about.
2. Throw away any junk mail.
3. Shred any papers with identifying information.
4. File any remaining papers.
   • To-Do
   • Pending
   • Bills
   • Home Management Binder
   • Long-Term Paper Storage

Project Organize Daily Checklist

Each day, we will build on the previous day until we have all our basic daily routines on auto-pilot.

1. Use your planner and master list
2. Do chores from the cleaning routine you chose
3. Stop multitasking
4. Do the dishes
5. Complete one load of laundry per day
6. Daily pick up
7. Make the beds
8. Quick vacuum or sweep the floor
9. Sort the mail and papers

This post is part of Project Organize: The Basics. Together, we will work on setting up basic systems in our homes to conquer overwhelmed and busy schedules.

These are the basics we need to do daily that will set up the foundation for success. This will allow us the space to tackle the larger decluttering projects with ease.

You may also like:

• Project Organize: Important Papers
• Project Organize: Paper Clutter
• How to Organize School Papers