The following is a transcrpit of the 2 minute radio segments I present
3 times per week on 101FM You can listen in live via the website every
Mon-Wed-Fri at 2:30PM AEST (Sun-Tue-Thur at 9:30PM PT  12:30AM ET
4:30AM GM)

Today Dealing with mail.

Your incoming mail is often where the whole issue of paper overwhelm begins. Here is where you need to take a hard look at what you’re currently doing that isn’t working and decide that you are going to change those habits to more effectively deal with this nasty clutter maker. Start by always dealing with your mail immediately you collect it.

The first strategy should be to toss out any junk mail you don’t want - if it’s something that is coming in regularly that you no longer want then make a note of it in your diary or calendar. Do this for a month, a timeframe that will cover most of the regular stuff you receive that you no longer desire and then make a time to sit down and write, email or call each one to be removed. There are sites that help you be removed from list altogether which is a great options if you’re concerned about the amount of trees being sacrificed to provide us with something we commonly refer to junk! (see sidebar for links)

Next strategy is to deal with your other mail straight away as well. If you receive a bill then make a note on your calendar of when it’s due to remind you to pay it if you’re not using auto debits and then file it at the front of the existing folder for those accounts. It’s simple, effective, and you know where the bill is when you come to pay it - it’s in file where it belongs after it’s paid. The crucial step here is marking the due date on the calendar - and aim to pay it the day before.

Don’t leave mail in a ‘deal with it later’ pile that grows exponentially and overwhelms you.  Keep all your invitations, appointments and other date related notices together in their own home for easy reference and write them in your diary and/or on the calendar immediately as well.
Avoid wasting time browsing through catelogs if you aren’t ‘in the market’ for the kind of items it’s advertising this will; 1 - save you time & 2 likely save you money by avoiding temptation, you can’t miss what you’ve never had!

That’s it for this time, next episode  Creating a household Reference Binder.