Set Up a Mail Processing Station

The Problem

Mail accumulates in piles on the counter. Bills get lost. Important documents get buried.

The Hack

Create a mail station near where mail enters: trash can (junk), shredder (sensitive junk), 'act' folder (bills to pay, forms to fill), file folder (receipts, important docs). Process daily — 2 minutes.

Why It Works

Mail piles happen because there's no system — everything gets stacked 'to deal with later.' A processing station makes the decision immediate: trash, shred, act, or file. 2 minutes prevents 2-hour catchups.

Pro Tips

• Process mail the day it arrives — never set it down 'for later'
• 90% goes straight to trash or shredder
• 'Act' folder: check twice weekly and complete actions
• Switch to paperless billing wherever possible