Mail Organization

This is how our mail (and other miscellaneous papers) are usually organized. Or should I say not organized. This has sort of been a trouble source for us since we first got married. I've tried cute baskets and magazine holders, but those just end up being a giant pile of papers that never get sorted through. Bills, license plate tag registration notices, jury duty summons, coupons. They all end up lost in a big abyss that is our "mail spot".

Sure, half of the problem is that we don't take the time to shred or trash what isn't important, but the other half is that everything ends up in one big pile. It is overwhelming and frustrating to look at and just stresses me out. Especially because this pile currently sits on our precious counter space in our teeny tiny kitchen, which already feels nearly impossible to keep clean as it is.

So here is some of my mail organizing inspiration.

Sources:  Urban outfitters  ||  Rusty Hinge

Sources: Ana White  ||  Old Wood Trader

Any of these ideas would probably be fairly simple to make. I like the idea of the making a cork board out of the letters "MAIL" but I wonder how functional and nice it would look?

Any thoughts?