I think the real challenge would to not simply archive everything or label everything. Do you really need that “john Smith added you as a friend on facebook”…. why not get the rubbish out now while you know it’s rubbish. I look at it in your minimalist steps. It’s about letting go, non-hoarding environment. By archiving every email it’s a form of hording your emails because you never know when you will need to go back to it. Like my pair of black boots that I haven’t worn in over a year (maybe I’ll need them for the next Halloween costume) or Why just not rely on them? Just some thoughts to put in that head. I am a “gmailer” but my approach is only “archive and label” that I value or need as a resource. Just because gmail gives you the space doesn’t mean you have to use it. Just because you have a 75L pack doesn’t mean you have to fill it to the brim. eh? ) I wish I could bold in my comments.

Good Post! Hopefully it will inspire some spring cleaning. Kiss! Kiss!

Decluttering your life is a beautiful thing. It definitely relieves the stress of chaos. Simplistic living allows you to focus on what’s important, like surfing.

William, the idea of adding labels is brilliant! I know you didn’t invent it, but for some reason your screenshot made it click for me. I especially like the “things I send to myself,” I do that all the time and this way I won’t have to see it.
By the way, do you know about google apps? It lets you use gmail to handle the mail from your own domain, which means you can also forward it to other accounts. I enjoy having the email from my domain in email rather than some clunky cpanel thing.

Great post!

Sorry, it seems I left the David part of David William out. No bad vibes intended!

[...] these same things, where they end up in the endless archives of gmail, unsorted, unlabeled, lost. That can be quite [...]

I use an app called SpringClean that lets me stop commercial emails from my iPhone without all the hassle of filters. Worth a try.