How to Reduce Email in Outlook

Click here for video of the process

1.Empty deleted emails upon exit. Click File, Options, Advanced: Empty Deleted items folders when exiting Outlook.

2.Delete unneeded files fast.  First find unneeded emails.  Click Arrange By (also change order as needed):

•Date – consider deleting emails older than 2 years old.

•Size – look for emails that you don’t need in the Enormous and Huge range (also look for a string of similar Tiny emails to delete).

•Attachments – announcements and duplicates can really increase your bloat.

•Show as Conversations – look for redundant emails such as duplicates in threads.

3.In Sent Items, delete sent emails.  Especially look for large or out-of-date attachments that cause memory bloat. Also, take any graphics out of your signature (including logos)!

4.Delete unneeded future emails with Rules. To open, click File, Info, Manage Rules & Alerts.  Then click New Rule…  Consider global account emails that you don’t need and never read. Create a rule to move the item to folder: Deleted Items.

5.If items are archived, simply search in email as usual.  If it is not located, click the link Try searching again in All Mail Items.

6.Click Clean Up, Clean Up Folder on the Home tab and all conversations in the selected folder are reviewed, and redundant messages are deleted. CAUTION: If conversation threads have changed topic and the Subject line stays the same, these will also be deleted.  Best Practice: Change Subject line when the topic changes.

7.Click Assign Policy on the Home tab to select your own archive and retention policy. For example, use a rule to move all corporate announcements into a folder to read if you have time.  Set a retention policy on the folder to delete in one month.  If you don’t read the announcement within the month, it is deleted for you.

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