How do you deal with post in your house?

[BlackKite]

One of my biggest bugbears is post in our household. We have letters, bills, and appointments that come, and they often spend time lying around on a table. We tried to implement an in and out-tray system for a while, but this effectively doesn't change the problem. We've only forgotten to pay a bill once so far, but it annoys me that we aren't more efficient (especially you DH, who can leave post to be filed for years)

Does anyone have a really good and simple system to make sure post comes in, gets dealt with, and then filed? Is it just having the discipline to do so? Any tips gratefully received.

Pay everything by direct debit

Are these one off bills? Or regular ones? If regular, get them on to direct debit. We get zero bills.

Who gets that much post these days? I don't understand it tbh. Direct debit your bills, if it's hospital appts just put them on calendar etc. I go weeks without having any post.

I can’t remember the last time I had post for something I actually had to action

I'm terrible with post. It gets chucked on the hall table unopened and maybe once a month I'll open it all up, at which point 99% of it ends up in the bin! Like pp's, I don't have any bills coming in by post. Sorry I know that's not helpful at all!

We have bills which are not possible to set up to pay through direct debit, (one-off medical bills that then need to be reimbursed via our insurance - we live abroad, and it's a faff), we have appointments, and I guess that makes the bulk of stuff.

Still, it's a good idea to see if we can try and reduce the amount of post we get.

In out box works for us though re really don't get much these days - all on DD. Action it as soon as as it comes in as well.

Open straight away and bin the stuff I don’t need.

If it’s something that needs me to do something I put it inside my planner to remind myself.
If it’s something I need to keep for info I file it away, though to be fair this is usually after it’s sat on the windowsill for a while.

I think the key is dealing with it as soon as you get it. We have a calender by the door which appointments go on (with a back pocket for letters or things that will be needed). There's also a bin and a file for things like pay slips that I need to keep (I just shove stuff like that in a single file for the year).

Pay bills immediately.

I thought you were going to ask about disinfecting and quarantining! Most of our post seems to work stuff for me at the moment. I work in a function where signatures on physical documents are required and with everyone wfh instead of in the office I collate then file/send documents.

Dealing with it straightaway is the key.

@wowfudge

Dealing with it straightaway is the key.

Same. Sort as soon as possible once it's through the door.

I deal with everything straightaway but anything that can’t be I take a picture of it and then set up a reminder in my phone so I don’t forget.

In our house I sort and deal with all post unless it's personal stuff for DH or it's for my DS. I manage all the bills otherwise they wouldn't be paid. I left DH to MOT and tax his car one year and found out he'd done neither and had been driving around without for 8 months. Bloody useless he is, at that kind of thing, but he does empty and put out the bins, empty and reload the dishwasher, vacuum, chop wood, fix the electrics, power wash the patio, mow the grass and countless other things that I'd prefer not to do so I'm happy to sort the paperwork

As soon as it arrives, open it, recycle anything not needed, file anything important, update calendar if necessary and job done. 👏