WRITTEN BY JULIA FURUKAWA
With all this extra time, you might be cleaning out your closets, attics, and garage. Why stop there? Clearing out your inbox can feel just as refreshing as clearing out that junk drawer, and can help you stay organized for the months ahead.
Unsubscribe
Hate waking up each morning to an inbox full of emails you’ll never read? Whether it’s from an online store you shopped at one time or an organization asking for another donation — you don’t need to hear from them every day. One easy solution is to unsubscribe from as many lists as you can. Often, the button to opt out is tiny and hidden at the bottom of the email. Take some time to scroll through each email and click the small link that says “unsubscribe.”
Make Folders
Another way to clean your inbox is to get organized. Create new folders where you can store important messages, so can hold onto them without seeing them in your inbox every day. Organize your folders by category (work, shopping, travel) or by priority (needs action, waiting for response, archive) or both. If you’re feeling especially motivated, you can create folders within folders and organize emails with color-coded labels.
The Zen of Reaching Zero
The ultimate goal in inbox-cleaning is to “zero out” out your inbox. This means every email is either in the trash or in a folder. While this definitely can be a grueling task, nothing is more satisfying than seeing a completely clean inbox.