I wrote this post for my organizing blog, but I realized it would be valuable for readers of this blog as well. Here’s a slightly edited version.
Over the years, I’ve encountered many organizing clients who don’t open their postal mail. I get it. Mail can be scary. I remember back when I was dealing with credit-card debt I would be afraid to open the mail and see my statements. The mail was a huge source of stress.
But I’ve learned that the truth is the truth whether or not you know about it. And ignoring your mail never helps.
Moreover, when you open your mail, you may find happy surprises. This happened to me recently when I received a letter from my health insurance company. (I get my health insurance on the marketplace.) I fully expected it to be a notice of a rate increase for 2026. I didn’t really want to know the bad news. But I squinted and went ahead and opened it.
It was a check in the amount of $1,119.26! I was incredulous, so read everything in the accompanying letter. Come to find out, by law there is an audit every three years of companies who offer health insurance through the marketplace. If a company doesn’t spend at least 80 percent of its proceeds from premiums on health care, its members are due a rebate. (I’m paraphrasing from memory and probably grossly oversimplifying.) I’d never heard of this rebate, so wasn’t expecting it. And if I hadn’t opened my mail, I wouldn’t have known about it!
I promptly deposited it and assigned it to one of the categories in my Savings group, Discretionary Funds. I typically use that category for little extras, and I loved giving it a boost! Logically, I could have assigned it to my health insurance category, but since we’re a month ahead funding that category isn’t a challenge.
Three weeks after I deposited the check, I received an email from my health insurance company telling me I should have received a rebate. That means I would have I eventually would have opened the envelope unless I’d thrown it away. The company automatically draws my premium from my checking account; I’m not sure why they didn’t just electronically deposit the rebate.
Just like clearing off your desk, categorizing your transactions or emptying your email inbox (and lots of other things), opening your mail is easier if you do it every day before it becomes overwhelming. And who knows? Maybe your effort will be rewarded by a surprise check in the mail! (Or something equally nice.)
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