Using Rules to Automatically Sort & File Your eMail as it Arrives - Here are resources for EVERY computer type!

I have found a gold mine in this post!  I often help clients set up Rules and Filters to organize and automatically file their email in Outlook.  But it's a whole different story when my client is using an email program I'm not familiar with.

Dawud Miracle has saved me! In his recent post on eMoms at Home on how to organize your email using filters and rules (this blog is NOT just for moms, it's a fabulous resource for any blogger as Wendy Piersall shares her growth and learnings on the way to becoming a Top 100 Blogger!)

If you are not sure how e-mail rules and filters work, why you should be using them to organize your email, or if you would like some ideas and strategies for setting up email filters, I strongly recommend reading Dawud's full post. 

I organize email using rules to put all my email newsletters and other non-urgent reading into a Reading Folder.  I put all the posts from Chats I subscribe to in their own folders and power read them when I have time.  I also keep an ARCHIVE folder for mail I want to keep for a while after I've read it, but not in my inbox.  I try to only keep e-mail in my inbox that requres a response or some kind of action from me.

Here is Dawud's list of resources to for setting up rules on various email programs to organize your email:

• Apple Mail: Rules with Apple Mail & Automatically processing email
• Eudora: How to use filters (Windows) & How to use filters (Mac)
• GMail: How do I setup filters & Lifehacker’s Supercharge your GMail filters
• Hotmail: How do I create custom email filters in MSN Hotmail?
• Microsoft Outlook: Create a rule & Tips for managing your email
• Microsoft Outlook Express: Creating rules in Outlook Express
• Netscape Mail: Creating Message Filters in Netscape
• Thunderbird: Creating, using and editing filters in Thunderbird
• Yahoo!Mail: Filtering mail

Comments

[Dawud Miracle]

Oh Ariane, you're too nice. Before I began using filter rules on email a few years ago, the most cluttered place on my computer was my inbox. But not any more. I'm just grateful someone share this with me. Just for the record, I do go back and evaluate my filtering system every 3-4 months.

Now, if I could just find a successful way to unclutter my bookmarks.

[Ariane Benefit]

Hi Dawud!
I know what you mean about the bookmarks! I keep some bookmarks in project folders so I have the sites that relate to particular project there.

I also have a private blog in which I keep most of my organizing related bookmarks because I love how I can put one bookmark in multiple categories! : ) But just as with stuff, I've learned to be really careful what I bookmark in the first place!

[Julie]

Wow! Awesome post and great information! I'm going to have to save all of his information. Very informative.

I'm glad your new name change happened seemlessly. Everything looks great!

[Ariane Benefit]

Thanks Julie! And thanks for stopping by! I'm so glad this info helps you!