STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

tina242 · Kate Spade

Ideas for catch-all for mail

Suasoria · Chanel

I can see why that's not much of a "system." How many people live in your house?

It seems like there are two possible goals, so pick one:

1. Just stash things out of sight, attractively.

Or

2. Make it screamingly obvious to people that they have junk sitting there to deal with - invitations to look at or receipts to file or homework to do.

If it's 1, then it would have to be a closed piece of furniture, something with doors and maybe a drawer for odds and ends. If it's 2, a horizontal surface is usually the only practical thing - like a wall ledge/shelf mounted near the door, big enough for keys and mail but too small for people to be forgetful about what's sitting there needing attention.

Another option may be a coat rack, so your purse and umbrella and whatnot can be handy, with a cute canvas totebag hanging on it to collect the papers and junk. The only reason this is better than the wall-hanging device is that you can take the totebag to the couch in front of the TV when it's time to sort through the forgotten stash of crap, or carry the bag from room to room putting the junk away.

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Mail sorters are just a magnet to clutter. Right when the mail comes I throw away the junk and take care of the other stuff (file, read, or toss) by the end of the day.

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

I agree w/others, the mail is just bound to pile up, especially if DH gets it. I usually sit down and throw & shread all the "trash" mail and the bills go in our entertainment center cabinet in a box. Magazines go under our telephone table so I can read them when we're lounging around. For the other stuff, keys, wallet, phone, etc. This is mainly DH's stuff so I got him somehthing like this at Marshalls:

We also have a "catch all" short-long basket where any receipts, pens, etc. we find on the floor are put in.

tina242 · Kate Spade

Suasoria, we have 2 people, DH and I . He is the problem, and I should point out that it's not just mail, it's his receipts, keys, checks, etc.

I do tend to open it asap and sort it. He on the other hand, does not. I think we need something with a closed compartment, but I have no idea what that would be for a dining room!

Suasoria · Chanel

I do tend to open it asap and sort it. He on the other hand, does not.

Heh. Mine was like that too, for about the first 5-6 years. I even asked my husband's best friend once if HE looked at his mail daily. "Oh no, you have to be in 'mail mode' to read the mail." That's when I took a tip from an old lady neighbor, who I thought was Betty Crocker on 'roids until I learned her dirty secret.

She would periodically go through the house with a small box (like, case-o-beer size) and dump all their clutter and junk into it. Then the box went into a closet. Now I do that too, and when my husband asks "have you seen my..." I point to the magic closet. At this point he has learned that he needs to police his own crap or it will end up in never-never-land (as in you ain't never never going to find it again).

But you're clearly a more relaxed and groovy person than I am; I abhor clutter and chaos. I seriously can't think straight in a mess.

What about a cabinet that would double as a serving/buffet dinner spot? One deep drawer for you, one for him - and if ever you're looking for something, it's probably in your drawer. (Z Gallerie, $700)

http://tinyurl.com/yec9tn

Here's a low-rent version with doors instead. (Home Decorators, $200)
http://tinyurl.com/yejjkf

Sorry, Mac + Firefox seems to = no images.

-- Edited by Suasoria at 14:28, 2006-12-06

tina242 · Kate Spade

Thanks Suasoria! This is pretty much what I had in mind:

Or something similar. As in, not a china cabinet, but nice enough for the dining room.

BUT I love your idea of: "She would periodically go through the house with a small box (like, case-o-beer size) and dump all their clutter and junk into it. Then the box went into a closet. Now I do that too, and when my husband asks "have you seen my..." I point to the magic closet. At this point he has learned that he needs to police his own crap or it will end up in never-never-land (as in you ain't never never going to find it again)."

Ha ha!! That's great. I don't know if it will work but I am going to try it.

I just wondered what people do when they have a nice entryway and really nowhere to throw stuff!

blubirde · Chanel

Wait - you mean the stairs aren't the place you hang your gloves and coat and scarves? Damn, I thought I had it right.

For me, I bought one of those cloth bins (with labels on the sides) to put under a side table in my living room/dining room area. I go through the mail when I get it, throw away the junk, and then put the "rest" in the bin. It's also got my giant folder/filer things where my bills go and I go through the bin about once a month and organize it as best I can. I got mine at The Container Store (they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors). They also have them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (I think).

Good luck!