How to Clean Up Your Email Inbox Fast and Get Organized

Email remains central to digital communication. About 4.5 billion people will use this channel to communicate by 2024. That’s well over half the world’s population currently.

But using email can prove annoying when you don’t know how to organize your Gmail inbox. A whopping 333.2 billion emails are sent each day, some of which end up in your email account. Unless you know how to clear your email inbox and keep it neat, using your Gmail account can become a pain.

In today’s post, we show you how to clean up your email inbox fast, so you’re never overwhelmed.

Create One Organizing Folder and Move All Current Mail There

The first step is to create a folder that will hold all of your emails. This can be done by clicking on the “New Folder” option in your email client. Once you have created the folder, you can then move all of your emails into it.

With all your emails in this folder, it’s easier to begin cleaning up the mess.

Decide What an Ideal Inbox Looks Like for You

The next step is to imagine what a neat inbox would look like. Do you want it to be empty? Or do you want it to have a few key folders that contain the most important emails?

Asking these questions gives you ideas on the direction you should take when cleaning up your inbox. After you have a picture of your ideal inbox, it’s time to get to work.

Determine the Ideal Time Frame to Keep Email

When you are going through your emails, ask yourself this question: “Will I need to refer to this email in five years’ time?”

If the answer is no, move to the four-year mark, the three-year mark, and so on. Keep moving until you find a time frame that works for you.

The goal is to get rid of as many emails as possible so that you are left with only the ones that you will actually need. This will declutter your inbox quickly.

Cut Down Your Email Folder System

Organizing email into folders is a common way to keep things tidy. But sometimes, we can go overboard with the number of folders that we create.

Do you really need a folder for every single project? Or can you combine a few projects into one folder? The goal is to have as few folders as possible while still being able to find what you need quickly and easily.

By trimming down your email folder system, you will be able to declutter your inbox even further.

Ruthlessly Unsubscribe From Annoying Email Lists

It’s likely that many of the emails cluttering up your inbox are from contact lists that you are subscribed to. These emails can be annoying and add no value to your life. If you find yourself deleting these emails without even reading them, it’s time to unsubscribe!

You can usually find the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. By unsubscribing from these lists, you will be able to declutter your inbox and avoid these emails in the future.

Decide What to Archive

Some emails are important, but you don’t need to keep them in your inbox. These can be archived for safekeeping. You can always retrieve them later if you need to.

To do this, create an “Archive” folder in your email client. Then, move the emails that you want to archive into this folder. This will declutter your inbox without deleting any important information.

Delete What You No Longer Need

If an email in your inbox is no longer useful to you, it’s time to delete it. That includes old emails from years ago that you will never need to refer to again.

Do a quick scan of your inbox and delete anything that no longer serves you. Go to mailstrom.co to see what tools you can use to perform this step swiftly. Deleting unneeded messages helps declutter your inbox quickly and makes it easier to find what you are looking for.

Schedule Time for Incoming Email

Now that you have decluttered your inbox, it’s time to focus on how you can prevent it from becoming cluttered again. One way to do this is by turning incoming emails into tasks.

If an email requires some action on your part, add it to your task list. This will help you keep track of what needs to be done and ensure that important emails are not forgotten.

Create Rules That Filter Your Emails Automatically

Another way to prevent your inbox from becoming cluttered is by setting up email rules. These rules can automatically filter your emails into different folders.

For example, you could create a rule that moves all emails from a certain sender into a specific folder. This would declutter your inbox and make it easier to find what you are looking for.

You can also set filters for keeping spam mail out of your inbox.

Deep Clean Your Inbox Regularly

With time, you may notice your once decluttered inbox filling up again. This is normal. All you need to do is give your inbox a deep clean from time to time.

Set aside some time to go through your emails and delete anything that is no longer relevant. This will help you keep your inbox decluttered and organized.

Now You Know How to Clean Up Your Email Inbox Fast

Email can be an enjoyable and effective way to communicate with other people, but not when your inbox is always cluttered. Now that you’ve seen how to clean up your email inbox fast, it’s time to take action. Within no time, you’ll have an inbox you can look forward to visiting.

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