Did you decide its time to work towards Inbox Zero but you aren't sure how to go about it?

It can be very overwhelming depending on how many emails have piled up in there.

Get Control of your Inbox:

1. Move all of your messages from your inbox to a folder labeled "Clean up"- Now this doesn't mean that you will let this folder sit there with your messages in there. This is so that you feel good about inbox zero and take care of your incoming mail immediately. Refer back to the post on Inbox Zero on how to take action on the messages that come in.
2. Create Folders anticipating the Move- I have a folder labeled CLIENTS then subfolders of the client last name or property street name if its a listing. You may also stop here and think about what else you know you'd like to keep - and how to organize them. IE: Keep (I put login confirmations, passwords etc there) , Print (things sometimes stay here for a while, but things I think I'd like to print someday), Prospects, etc. (Not all of my folders, I have a lot that are automatically filled with filtered messages - another topic).
3. Make Friends with the DELETE button - (You already know you can select a group of messages with click, shift and click, right?)
        a. Organize by Subject - Most programs allow you to click on the toolbar above the messages to organize in that category - so click on Subject.  By doing this you can delete junk, messages about last years summer vacation plans, jokes, etc. DELETE, DELETE, DELETE.
       b. Organize by Sender - If Aunt Mary is always sending you the political jokes, etc. you can easily just DELETE DELETE DELETE the bulk of her emails.
4. Moving, Moving, Moving - Toggle between organize by Subject & Sender while you move emails into the folder you created above that you'd like to keep.
5. Respond - then - DELETE - Go ahead and type a one paragraph max note back to the old emails that have grown spider webs while you get a second to reply. Then... DELETE!
6. Operation Inbox Complete - If you haven't done any of the above with what is left - the rule is they all get the DELETE button! Gone!

You can clean your folder in spurts if its large like mine.... sometimes I'll even DELETE through while on the telephone - if it doesn't take much thought process.  Multi tasking - but whatever it is - just get it done !!!