As a business owner, busy mom of twins, and wife, I receive a lot of mail. So today I’m going to show you not only how I organize and file my mail and important documents but also teach you how you can create a mail ‘drop zone’ too!

4 TIPS FOR CREATING A MAIL DROP ZONE

• Choose a Communal Space for the ‘Drop Zone’. My drop zone happens to be in the kitchen but yours can be anywhere that is convenient for you and your family. Whether that is the entry way, a home office or a downstairs closet make sure you choose a space that is easily accessible to all members of your family. As a bonus, I would choose a place that easily allows you to hide or put away your mail when you have company.
  
  *Pro tip: Choose storage options with a lid or near a cabinet so that you can easily get the paper out of sight without having it be too far out of mind!

• Create Categories and Label. Don’t just put your mail into bins or trays instead, create a system with labeled categories that works for your family. I love using an open top acrylic file folder with files with tabs for labels at the top. Not only does it look sleek and stylish it’s helpful because I can easily see my labels which helps me quickly find documents when I need them. Some helpful labels include: To Do, To Shred, and To Save.
  
  *Pro tip: use hanging file folders to separate each of your categories. Then, when time allows revist the hanging file folder of your choice to address the contents.

• Organize Mail Immediately. As soon as I get the mail I immediately organize it. I recycle the junk and then categorize the important documents. Taking 5 minutes to organize the mail as soon as it arrives saves me so much time in the long run and not to mention the headache when I need to quickly find something.
  
  *Pro tip: treat your kids’ incoming homework and school paperwork the same way! As the backpacks come inside plan to review the contents near a recycling bin to discard the items as needed.

• Follow the ‘5 Day Rule’. If it’s been over a day, it should find a home, even if that home is the recycling bin. The rule in my house is to not let it go for more than 5 days.
  
  *Pro tip: Schedule it in! Set aside time in your day or week to review the paper pile up before it gets too unruly and overwhelming. Either add in a 15-minute window to your schedule to dedicate to the task, or drag the pile over to your couch to finally go through during TV commercials. Either way, make a concentrated effort to tackle it once and for all!