Email: The Unwieldy Inbox
February 23, 2009
Are you drowning in email?
Do you have more than 20 items in your inbox? Do you look at an email and think “I might need that later” then leave it in your inbox? Or do you leave items you want to save in your deleted items folder? Are there more than 100 items in your deleted folder?
Do you feel like your email is out of control? And are you really tired of getting those notices about how your inbox is over the size limit?
Let’s take control over our email!
Jenny: I’ll tell you a secret, and I’m not proud of it. I have been keeping email in the Deleted Items folder for years. I’m afraid to delete it because I might need to refer back to it. There it is – my secret out there for the world.
But, would I put a paper memo I might need in the garbage can? Of course not. I’d put it in a file folder.
So, the first step in getting email under control: create file folders in Outlook. And where would you create those files? In your Inbox.
Take a look at the tutorial below to see how to create folders in your Outlook Inbox:
* This is the “Move to Folder” icon – at left.
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February 24, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I followed your directions and could not establish a
“new” folder. Either a step has been left out or
the system will not allow me to create a “new” folder.
February 25, 2009 at 10:38 am
Sophie May,
At what point did you run into problems?
Are you using Outlook over the Internet or is it on your own computer? If it is over the Internet, there might be a box next to the New button. So, instead of clicking New to get a list of options, see if there is a drop down box next to the New button.
Anyone should be able to create a new folder – has anyone else run into this problem?
Jenny
February 25, 2009 at 11:48 am
I think folders are helpful but then I tend to store stuff in those and never check them. I deleted a folder today called Bookgroups which had emails going back to 2002 and stopping in 2006, from when I was in the library’s (only) book group. Another tip: review and delete things from those folders as they count toward your overall storage (Don’t they?).
February 25, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Good point, Phil. All the items in your folders count towards your overall storage. I try to delete the oldest folder when I add a new one.
March 5, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Jenny,
I just used the basic metro mail that we all have.
I keep trying to make a new folder using your instructions and it will not allow me to make a new folder. It drives me crazy because there are messages I need to save. I can make new folders in my hotmail account but not this.
March 10, 2009 at 8:57 am
Hey Sophie – give me or Kyle a call on the CHIRP line and one of us can try to help.