Keep a Physical Tray Labeled To Process for All Incoming Paper Mail

Paper mail piles up on kitchen counters, nightstands, and random shelves until something important gets buried or lost. Get a single tray or box, label it "To Process," and put every piece of incoming mail in it. Once a week, sit down and go through it: what needs action goes on your to-do list, what's done goes to your filing system, and what's junk goes straight to recycling.

The key is that nothing stays on the tray indefinitely. It's a processing station, not a storage unit. This simple system means you'll never again find an overdue bill under a stack of catalogs.