Today's Tip for Simple Living

Control Incoming Paper!

One of the things that constantly takes over my life is the overwhelming amount of mail I get daily. This usually includes catalogs, flyers, bills, credit card offers (aaarrgghh). I often wish for a good, old fashioned, hand-written letter from someone who loves me.

It is difficult to take the time to sort out the bills from the junk, let alone to get them organized and paid in a timely manner.

I have made the following changes to our "system" and hope that by publishing it, I will actually follow through with it.

1. One designated person (probably me) will be given the chore of getting the mail and bringing it to the house.

2. That same person will be reponsible for placing it in a designated spot for sorting.

3. Daily, one designated person (me again) will sort the mail into the following four piles: Bills, Correspondence, Catalogs, and Junk Mail.

4. The following actions will be taken with the bill pile: Open and remove bill and return envelope and paper clip together; Add outside envelope to Junk Mail Pile; Place bill and return envelope in Bills to Be Paid file in filing cabinet.

5. The following actions will be taken with the Correspondence Pile: Open and read correspondence, Record return address in address book as needed, Add outside envelope to Junk Mail Pile; Post correspondence on refrigerator for family to see, if applicable; Remove correspondence from refrigerator weekly and file in correspondence file or add to Junk Mail Pile.

6. The follow ing actions will be taken with the Catalog Pile: Add to Junk Mail Pile, unless it is something you really want to look at. Put it in the Junk Mail Pile when you are done looking at it.

7. The following actions will be taken with the Junk Mail Pile: Place all items in a designated location for recycling. Take to recycling center monthly.

Well, that's my big plan. I'll try to report on my progress. If I don't report, I'll probably be buried in a sea of paper, somewhere near my kitchen bar. *S*