A few months ago, one of my clients called me in a panic.

They were preparing for a last-minute meeting with a potential partner and urgently needed an email with key attachments they had received weeks prior. After spending 20 minutes digging through their inbox, they realized…they had deleted it.

Luckily, I had been CC’d on that email—and instead of deleting it, I archived it. I was able to retrieve the message in under a minute and forward it to the client right away. They walked into the meeting fully prepared and ended up securing the partnership.

Afterward, my client told me, “I didn’t think to keep that email because of the over cluttering in my inbox. You literally saved me today.”

That’s the difference smart email management makes. Important emails can be buried under newsletters, receipts, and spam. 

Here’s the big question: Should I delete emails or archive them?

If you’ve ever hesitated before hitting that trash icon or wondering where an email goes when you archive it, you’re not alone. Let’s clear this up so you can manage your inbox and save time.

1. What Happens When You Delete an Email?  It’s gone (almost) –It typically moves to your trash or bin folder for Temporary storage, then deleted permanently after 30 days. It’s best to delete spam, irrelevant updates, promotions, or anything you’re 100% sure you won’t need again.

2. What Happens When You Archive an Email?

It’s out of your inbox but still searchable – The email is removed from your main inbox but safely stored in your "All Mail" or "Archive" folder. It can easily be found in a search later using keywords, names, or dates. Emails such as completed conversations, receipts, important info you might need, or reference materials is best for archiving.

Bonus Tip: The simple rule of thumb is Delete what you never need again and Archive what you might need later.

This approach keeps your inbox clean without losing important information. I set aside 10 minutes daily to review and clear my inbox. Using filters and automatically archive or delete certain types of emails—it’s a game-changer!

Tired of email overwhelm? Let me help you streamline your inbox and set up smart systems that save you hours every week.

Reply here and tell me if you have ever searched for an email you deleted but wished you had archived. 

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