Organizing Product Idea Day: Store in Style

I just organized a large home office and we needed to find attractive containers to hold the daily mail and miscellaneous items that were calling out to be dealt with ASAP. I found these wood bins at The Container Store and thought I'd share them with you. The flat bins would be great for the daily newspaper. When the sections of the paper bleed across a coffee table, desk top or any other surface (the floor, anyone?) it looks so messy you may never read the paper. This way it's all contained and tidy. Personally I toss the paper after 24 hours even if I haven't had a chance to read it. If an article calls out to me I clip it and put it in my To Read folder. 

The smaller tray would be a great way to store paper for the printer.  Most people tear open the package of paper and pull out what they need.  The now opened package will sit out or be tucked into a cupboard looking like a mouse chewed it open.  I like beauty and peace to surround me when I work!

I love these big bins because in a large family with everyone getting mail it helps to corral it in one place. I also like those built in handles that make the box so easy to transport.  The kitchen may be the place you deposit the mail but the office is the spot where you deal with it.  Why not make that transition easy?  Of course the key to prevent an overflow is to deal with the mail every day at the same time: toss the junk; put the newspaper in the new bin and secure a separate magazine holder. Divide your mail so that it gets sorted and filed in the appropriate folder like To Do or To File. And be sure you own a cross cut shredder to help combat Identity Theft. You can find detailed instructions in One Year to an Organized Life or any of my other books.