Folders Are Your Friends
We’ve been doing the Inbox Shuffle around my house lately. I’ve seen several posts from my Organizing and Systemizing friends on Facebook and Twitter on this topic, too. Must be the New Year. Anywho, clutter control is not one of my passions or strengths. In fact, one of the items on my Vision Board is “Conquer Clutter.” Maybe some of you struggle with this, too.
This week my husband, Mr. UnCommon Sense, started a new job. Therefore, he has a new computer, new software, and a recycling bin so full that two men had to lift it into the truck. He has just started learning Outlook, and I am helping him set it up. This is the part of the blog where I tell you that folders are your friends. Like most of you, I get dozens of emails every day. That would be a light email day! Years ago I learned the value of folders and have taught a number of friends, family members and clients some of these things. Here are the basics.
Create subfolders in your inbox for different categories. For example, you might have a folder in each client’s name. You might have one for Family. Maybe one for Vacation or Hobbies. Additionally, set up folders for all those SignUps to various things, Ezines, Social Media, Church, Software, each child’s school and sport, or anything else that is subject oriented that you get a lot of email for.
Create rules in Outlook for how you are going to handle the incoming email. All Facebook messages or Twitter DM’s automatically flow into a folder and not into my Inbox. Most of my ezines flow directly into the ezine folder instead of coming into my inbox. Stores that I receive sale notices about get the same treatment. I have folders set up for a couple of my lesser used email addresses and any incoming email addressed to those email addresses goes right into those folders. This does an immediate cut back of clutter. You could have email from each of your clients go directly to a folder. I prefer to have them come directly into my inbox, though.
During the times of the day that you handle email, do whatever you need to with the item and then delete or store it in one of the other folders right away. I know some people have a “To Do” kind of folder that emails go to that need action taken on. The point is, if you are not using folders, it is a great tool if for no other reason than you can find emails quickly by going to the correct folder.
You might find it helpful to do a review of all the emails you are getting and start using the rules and folders in your email software. Then, don’t forget to back it all up!
