Here’s something you can do to get better organized – and it’ll take you just 5 minutes!
Create an x-Delete Email Folder
- Create a new folder in your email program.
- Name it x-Delete – the ‘x’ moves the folder to the bottom of your folder list.
- Put any emails you don’t need, but are nervous about deleting, into this folder.
- You can periodically empty this folder by deleting the contents.
And you’re done!
Now you can keep your inbox clear – without fear!
Remember: 1. Move fast. 2. Don’t overthink. 3. Feel great about getting organized!
OMG! I just used abt. 2h to clean one my inboxes, still many to go. But I started 🙂
1162 deleted emails!!! Should I mention that many of them were not read? I unsubscribed from tone of junk-mails that were overflowing my inbox. And I realized that I was “choking” in emails and I was avoiding to open/check than account, because I know what chaos is in there.
THANK YOU MICHELE, you are such an inspiration!!!
Done!
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@Sherra: I like the x-Delete as a safety net for those pesky emails you wanna delete, but feel nervous about. But it sounds like you’ve got a neat system going there! 🙂
Great idea. I do a modified version of that. I have my Outlook set to not automatically empty my deleted items folder – I empty it manually. So once a month or so I go to that folder & tell Outlook to empty it. I also have tons of rules set up to automatically sort emails as they come in. Clients each have their own sub-folder under a parent “Clients” folder (so I can easily collapse that folder to see my other folders), social media notifications are sent to their own folders (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), Yahoo Groups I get individual emails for have their own folder, etc. I also have a folder & rule for “promotional” emails – you know, those “sale” emails I get from places I shop & want to get discount & coupon notices for. That allows me to glance over the subject lines once a week or so & have the coupon codes when I need them. I can also do a mass delete every so often.
@Jen: Cool idea – I love using filters/rules to simplify email. 🙂
You might also like some of the ideas here:
How To Simplify Email Management [Mission #33]
http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/blog/2010/02/how-to-simplify-email-management-mission-33/
M 🙂
I also have a Jokes folder and a filter (or rule, depending on your email application) that automatically sends anything with an “fw” in the subject line to this folder.