I seriously can’t believe the amount of stuff that comes into this household on a daily basis. I’ve been struggling with organizing snail mail. (I struggle with email too, but that’s another topic all together.) We’ve lived here for over 3 years and still haven’t figured out a solution that really works. Throw in all the papers the kids bring home and it’s overwhelming. To the max.
The laundry room is not on the “through” path into the house, so we can’t have a mail center there (tried it, doesn’t work). It all ends up piling up on the kitchen island. Which is annoying. So I was searching pinterest, naturally, and came across this….
A home organization system! You can read about it over on Lovely, Crafty Home. I love the idea of the Kitchen Command Center with a calendar, a folder for each person, the menu planning (and cleaning…yay right, in my dreams), etc. I don’t want mail related things hanging on our walls (plus we don’t have a logical wall to hang something mail related on), and I love the idea of a portable filing box. So this is my action plan.
- Get a general basket that all papers can be put into without worrying about sorting. It can’t be too big or I’ll never deal with it. But it can’t be “the kitchen counter.” It’ll have to be in or near the kitchen…so finding that place is going to be key. This way it has a “landing” place.
- Get a file box like this and set up folders.
- Actually sort and open the mail, in addition to school related paperwork.
I briefly considered making something and came across a few cute tutorials and patterns that I may want to use for non-mail related organizing….because you know, I’m totally going to be really super organized in every single aspect of my life some day. (Hey! Don’t roll your eyes at me!)
The All Purpose Caddy over on Moda Bake Shop
The Car Organizer by Craft Apple
(I have this pattern and really really need to work on car organization as well)
The Mail Organizer by NoodleHead
Isn’t it pretty?
Okay! So wish me luck! And if any of you have tips that work for your organization of snail mail (and paper in general), I’m all ears. 
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I have The Mail Organizer started… I need to finish it – Im adding an extra pocket and a place for the calendar to hang from the bottom. Hoping it helps our mess!!!
AND a small pocket on the bottom pocket for stamps and a notepad.
oooh – that is a good idea! I can’t wait to see it. But have that baby first.
I want to see him more! lol I don’t have anywhere good to hang the mail organizer. it is super cute though. I was thinking about maybe using one in Haley’s room for her to sort/store some of her art work.
I also dream of being organized. I will try a system but I never can stick to something. I think it is hard b/c our needs change and you have to decide for everyone else what to keep. Husbands church paper and kids school but if you don’t deal with them no one will. good luck.
I totally hear you! Knowing that I have to deal with it all is kinda makes me unmotivated. I knew that the island would collect clutter…but it’s annoying me right now.
lol We’ll see if I can get something up and running that will stick. ?!?!? I feel like I need all the luck in the world!
Oh organization, my downfall as well. I have a basket that everything get’s tossed into if it “might be important” Kids papers generally get recycled pretty quick. When my husband is looking for important papers he goes through the basket and finds them. I clean it out about every 6 months and what do you know, most of it isn’t important any more.
Now that we (and I mean hubby) pay all of our bills automatically or online we have much less mail than we used to.
Yes! That is nice about sorting it not very often. (Same goes with scrapbooking! Although that might be more to forgetting than anything else.
) I bought a file thing at target this weekend – it was clearanced and I am going to do a little iron on applique on it. So we’ll see. (knock on wood)
Just wishing you luck because i have no advice to give on the organization aspect of life.
lol – yeah, I totally hear ya! I want to know more about the music you’ve been working on!
We have a bulletin board in our back hallway near the garage door. All snail mail gets put in a basket on my craft table until I deal with it. It’s not the perfect set up but it works for now.
what do you do with the space on the bulletin board? Is it organized in any way or just as a space in general for the papers that are important? I bought a file at target. it was on clearance and I am hoping to spend time tomorrow to set it up.
I have a calendar, a job chart for the kids, a reward chart, vital phone numbers and a few random pictures. I’ve been meaning to get a file to hang on the wall next to it to organize school papers, important receipts, etc.
sounds so awesome!!! I need to get my act together with all of that stuff too. How is your little one doing? and the new camera lens?
My baby is doing well. It’s hard to get used to working around her schedule instead of mine
can’t complain though. I get my new lens on Friday. I can’t wait. I will be taking many pictures once it gets here, I’m sure.
These are all sew cute! Can’t decide which one I should try first…