Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free

Is your inbox cluttered with tons of messages, folders and subfolders? You can tremendously simplify how you deal with the barrage of messages you encounter every day with some simple organization techniques. Following these steps can minimize the time it takes to make decisions on how to file messages or dig through endless strings of subfolders.

The important thing to keep in mind is that you aren't limited by real-world organization techniques—there are no manila folders in your computer! The beauty of the digital world is that you can find what you need instantly with search, removing the need to create complex folder hierarchies, which actually undermine the effectiveness of digital files. The result is a slimmer, sleeker digital world.

In this demonstration, you'll learn how to organize your incoming emails. Keeping your inbox cleaned up saves you time by not having to frequently re-read the same messages. You also don't lose track of which emails must be responded to quickly.

Instead of keeping emails in numerous folders, use just three: Action, Awaiting Feedback and Archive.

Let's see how to create the folders, move existing folders already in use and then tackle the inbox.

Right-click the Mail folder, and then select New Folder from the shortcut menu.

In the pop-up window, type the word Action in the Name field at the top, and then click OK.

Create the Awaiting Feedback and Archive folders in the same way.

The new folders appear in the Mail list in the left pane.

With the new folders created, if you like, you can create a subfolder (or subfolders) in the Archive folder to hold your existing folders, and then move your folders. For example, create a folder named Clients, and then move existing folders into the Clients folder. If you prefer, you can simply move existing folders to the Archive, no need to worry about finding them again later, the folder is completely searchable!

After you've moved all of the old folders, you're left with just the Action, Awaiting Feedback and Archive folders in the Mail list.

When reading incoming email, immediately respond to all email that requires only 1 to 2 minutes for you to complete. Then delete the email if you don't need it for further reference or file it.

For emails that require action on your part, file them in the Action folder.

File all emails that contain information you may need to reference at a later date in the main Archive folder. Examples are process documentation, meeting notes and reference of sent deliverables.

You'll no longer use the subfolders in the Archive folder to store new emails; however, the old emails are available if you need to review them.

File all emails that contain information about something someone else is doing, and that you need to track, in the Awaiting Feedback folder. This is a place to store information that requires your action, but someone else needs to complete a task before you can do so.

If you delegate a task to someone else, drag the "sent" email including the delegation requested into the Awaiting Feedback folder. You can also Cc: yourself when you send the delegation notice, and then move the Cc'ed email into your Awaiting Feedback folder.

Let's look at some example emails and where to file them.

This email shows that Raymond Chin needs something from you, but that action will take more than a few minutes of your time, so file this message in your Action folder.

This email from Darlene Benson is a confirmation of files received, which should be stored in the Archive folder. You'll learn more about the Archive folder shortly, so leave the message in the inbox for now.

The second message from Darlene Benson is a duplicate of the first, so you can just delete it.

This email from Karen Miller Hernandez is a request for contact information. You can easily generate a VCARD from Outlook and send it to her within 1 minute, so respond to the message immediately and then delete it.

This email from Dorothy Nilson is a high priority that requires action shortly. File the message in the Action folder and then flag it for attention. Let's see how that's done.

Open the Action folder.

Right-click the email, select Follow Up, and then select Today from the shortcut menu.

To set a pop-up reminder, right-click the email again, select Follow Up, and then select Add Reminder.

In the Custom dialog box, set the reminder to suit your needs and then click OK.

Let's go back to the Outlook Inbox and read another email.

The email from Karen Miller Hernandez is a notification that she's waiting for information that you need to complete a task. File this email in the Awaiting Feedback folder.

The subject line of the email from Valentin Morrow indicates it's a junk message. Delete it or use Outlook's tools to flag it as Junk Email.

In this demonstration, you learned a new system for emptying your inbox and filing messages for quick and easy retrieval. Close the demo's browser window to end this demonstration.