The Simple Habits That Keep Mail Clutter From Taking Over

It starts with one envelope you meant to open later. A few weeks in, it's a stack you're actively avoiding. Organizers say the fix is smaller than you'd think.

That pile of mail that’s sitting on your desk won’t go away on its own. And the longer it stays there, the higher the pile becomes. Bills. Ads. Catalogs. The occasional birthday card. Sitting there untouched, adding to the clutter.

"Over time, the pile just gets bigger and bigger, and what could have taken a few minutes starts to feel like a much larger project," says Charlotte Slankard, a professional organizer and owner of CHAR & CO. Professional Organizing.

According to Slankard, the fix is simple. Just deal with the mail every day, even for just a few minutes. Because if you don’t, it builds up quickly.

Slankard also suggests having a designated spot for mail. "You don't need a complicated system, but you do need one place where the mail goes until you deal with it," she says. From there, shred what needs shredding, file what's important, and toss the rest.

Meanwhile, organizing expert Julie Morgenstern suggests another step that involves sorting mail into categories such as bills, invitations, and magazines, so nothing important gets buried in the pile.

Another practical tip from professional organizer Kimberly Savel will help limit the mail coming in. Savel suggests switching to paperless statements and unsubscribing from mailing lists whenever possible.

None of these steps take long. But done consistently, they will actually keep the mail pile from growing.