March is here, making it the perfect time to think spring and how to organize email! It’s a different kind of cleaning – one that doesn’t even require a bucket! Let’s look at some easy ways to organize email and clean out your email inboxes. Mine can get more cluttered than my boys’ toyroom when they are on a LEGO building kick.
5 Tips to Organize Email and Clean Out Your Inbox
It’s time to think spring! Warmer weather comes to mind and so does Spring Cleaning. While I can’t say I’m super excited to start the much-needed scrub down my house needs to get rid of all these winter germs once and for all, I do love the fresh start that comes with spring cleaning and organizing email.
Manage Old Emails
I blame my smartphone for the amount of clutter that accumulates in my inbox. I’ll read a message while I’m out and about and instead of deleting them, I simply scroll to the next. The emails pile up that way, though. Chances are, you don’t need all those emails in your inbox. But when the number of emails in your inbox reaches anywhere in the triple digits or higher, it can seem daunting.
- Start with the oldest messages first: Chances are you don’t really need emails from last year. Starting with the oldest messages, select delete all and quickly scan down to make sure there isn’t something there you need, like a blog contact. Anything you need, put into an appropriate folder. Anything you don’t, delete.
- Search for ads: Do a search for words like “sale” and “coupon” in the subject line and senders like “White House Black Market” and “Loft”(my personal shopping addictions- just substitute yours). Now delete all of them. Except maybe this week’s ads because you are going to use that coupon this time.
Manage New Incoming Emails
Once you get your old emails under control, you want to be sure they don’t just pile up again. You can take steps to keep your incoming emails under control from the start.
- Turn off unnecessary notifications: Do you really need an email to tell you someone commented on your status on facebook or liked one of your pins on Pinterest or mentioned you on twitter? If you are spending time on those networks, you’ll see those notifications anyway.
- Unsubscribe from unwanted emails: There are so many emails I signed up to receive and then never open. Yet, I delete them instead of unsubscribing because I think it’s quicker that way. But, take the less than 30 seconds it takes to unsubscribe instead of constantly deleting the daily or weekly emails you receive from that sender. I just recently unsubscribed from the newsletters that told of local happenings in the town I moved away from over three years ago. Somehow, I thought deleting each of the two hundred or so emails I’d received from them over the past three years was better than taking the time to unsubscribe. Wrong.
- Create email filters: This is on my inbox spring cleaning to-do list, even though fellow SITStah Ashley has been telling me to do it forever. You can set up filters for things like twitter so that all of your new follower notifications go to their own folder and you can choose to look at them later, all at once.
Remember: when it comes to emails, if you don’t need it, delete it. If you do need it, put it in appropriate folder so it’s easy to find.
What are you doing this spring to get your social media accounts in order? Do you have any tips to add to help spring clean your email accounts? Let’s chat in the comments below or over on our Facebook page!
Like This Post on Organizing Email? Here Are More
If a post on how to organize email is just the tip of the iceberg for your spring cleaning efforts, then here are a few more posts you should check out. They are sure to keep your online {and offline world} in tip top shape!
- Editorial Calendar Free Download for Your Blog
- Free Template to Track Your Blogging Income for Taxes
- How to Organize Your Busy Week in 4 Easy Steps
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Great tips, Shell. I love having an organized and clean email box, so I have unsubscribed from a lot of newsletters, etc. You’re right, it just takes 30 seconds. Well worth the time.
Alison recently posted..10 Things I Will Never, Ever Do
Great great post, This Tips help me to Clean Email Inbox, Thank you for all the tips.
mohd akbar recently posted..iPhone 5: The Latest Smart Phone In The Market
I have some unsubscribing to do.
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..St. Patrick’s Day Lunch for Mother and Son
Twitter: anartfulmom
says:
These are great tips. I am really bad about keeping my inbox cleared. I tend to just scroll down and intend to delete “later.” Later usually doesn’t come until my box is really FULL.
Twitter: brittanyciara
says:
This is a great post, awesome tips!! I’ve been working on unsubscribing over deleting…
Simply Brittany recently posted..Believe
Twitter: Artchootwit
says:
This is wonderful. My poor inbox is overflowing, and for some reason I feel the need to keep emails around for a loooong time. I’ve been on an unsubscribe kick lately, which feels amazing!
Jeanette from Artchoo recently posted..Cool Sprayed T-Shirt Project
Twitter: Themomcafe
says:
AH…I know I need to do this. Thank you for the push!!!
Chris Carter recently posted..A Season For Everything…
Twitter: VMTwriter
says:
awesome tips. I do this about quarterly or else my e-mail would be unmanageable. I still have more stuff in my inbox than I should. But, I’m a great believer in mail folders. LOVE to use them. Thanks. Have a blessed day!
Vicki M. Taylor recently posted..The Least You Should Know – Commas
Twitter: ugojoloms
says:
Great tips, thanks a lot for sharing!
Ugochi recently posted..DESTRUCTIVE “VISIONS” IN MARRIAGE
Twitter: anotherjenb
says:
Ugh. I have way too many emails in my inbox. I’ve recently set up new filters which has been helpful. I really need to go back and take care of those old emails. Who knows what I have in there. Time to dig! Thanks for the reminder.
another jennifer recently posted..Grammar Posts to Celebrate National Grammar Day
Twitter: AwkwardlyAlive
says:
Oh man. I so needed this! Thank you.
Emelie recently posted..Kili
Twitter: kastanton01
says:
This is great advice! My email inbox can sometimes get overwhelming. I especially like the tip of unsubscribing from emails you never read. I’m very guilty of never unsubscribing from emails because I think it’s just easier to hit delete. But you’re right, I should just take the extra 30 seconds to make them stop for good!
Kristen recently posted..The Lambie hostage crisis
Thank you! Since I have started bloggin my inbox is SO FULL!!!
Loved the tips!
Julie @ Npatime Review
http://www.thenaptimereview.com
julie marling recently posted..Mom’s Monday Mingle #44
Twitter: MyPixieBlog
says:
I actually REALLY needed this and just went back and deleted a ton of nonsense emails. It’s amazing how fast they accumulate, isn’t it? THANK YOU!
Twitter: AgapeVisionsInc
says:
This is great! I especially like the tip about filters. I have just started using them in my inbox and it has made things so much easier to keep track of! Now I can go quickly to the area I need to take care of at that moment without sifting through everything else and running the risk of being distracted.~
~rose~
~blckrose~ recently posted..A Matter of Priorities
Twitter: TheGrassSkirt
says:
These are great tips! Email overload can be so stressful. I actually did a post on the same subject last week, if anyone is interested.
http://thegrassskirtblog.com/2013/02/28/how-to-manage-organize-your-digital-clutter/
Twitter: CloudCompExp
says:
Great tips, thanks a lot for sharing!!
Here I would like to share some more tips and Tricks to organize your Inbox using Beyond Inbox : http://www.beyondinbox.com/documentation/mail-backup–organize-your-inbox.html
Twitter: adrianscrazylif
says:
I am in Email hoarder territory. However, my best tip is for shopping Emails. You know, when you go to Old Navy or some place and they sign you up for their Email list? I set a filter to skip the inbox and send them all to my Shopping folder. That way I’m not tempted by a constant stream of shopping Emails. Then when I want to go to Old Navy or whatever, I just search on the store name and all the latest coupons and deals are right there waiting for me! That’s a two-fer – good for my budget and good for my Email organization,
Adrian recently posted..Smart Money: Bill Paying Strategies
Twitter: bettymanousos7
says:
these are some great tips!
i so needed this. thanks so much for sharing.
have a great day!
Betty Manousos recently posted..Life Lately
Twitter: ReflxnsOfGrace
says:
I often find myself purging my email because it accumulates so quickly. I’ve done well with creating filters. I guess my next step is deleting old messages and unsubscribe from unread or unnecessary newsletters and notifications.
These are great tips. Thanks for sharing!
Grace recently posted..Chilis Rellenos Casserole (recipe)
Twitter: candilandco
says:
I did a lot of unsubscribing, but I still have a lot more to do. I did create a few filters.
Candi recently posted..Traditional Buttercream Frosting
Twitter: GG
says:
That today costs a new treasure price to shift your house planet. GG http://www.google.com
Twitter: RobbieSchlosser
says:
Thanks for this great advice! Wise, practical, and a real challenge to follow. The main point: Be relentless, and DELETE and UNSUBSCRIBE to everything we don’t need. No. Everything we don’t use.
Robbie Schlosser recently posted..Cocktail Party Music at a Wedding, Banquet, or Soiree