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Outlook                           Reducing the Size of Your Mailbox

Using the Mailbox Cleanup Tool

1. On Tools menu, point to Mailbox Cleanup.

2. Click the View Conflicts Size button.  This will display alternate versions of items in your mailbox.  Delete duplicates.    

3. Click the AutoArchive button.   This will save old items in your mailbox to a folder on your computer according to your AutoArchive settings.  Repeat Step 1.   

4. Click the View Mailbox Size button.  This will display all the folders in your mailbox and their sizes.  Look for the largest folders and make a note of which are large compared to the others.  These are good places to begin deleting.   You may also choose to use the Find button to locate large and/or old items. 

More Cleanup Tips 

Placing infrequently used emails on your hard drive:

In most cases the AutoArchive feature will move older items from your mailbox to your hard drive.  However, this may not be enough.  There is a way to move specific items out of your mailbox and onto your hard drive yet keep easy access.  Create a folder (or series of folders) in which to move items you wish to keep but don't need when you are off-campus. 

• On the File menu, point to Import/Export, and then click on Export to a File.
• Click on Personal Folder File (.pst) and click Next.
• Navigate to the folder you wish to save to your hard drive.  If there are subfolders, be sure to checkmark the box labeled Include Subfolders.
• Change the file name from "Backup.pst" to a filename meaningful to you.  You MUST keep the .pst part of the file name.
• Repeat these steps as necessary for additional folders.
• On the File menu, point to Open, and then click on Outlook Data File.
• Point to the first of the files you created in the above steps.
• Repeat the above step to access other files/folders.

Saving attachments to your hard drive:

1. Look for messages with attachments (they will display a paperclip next to the sender's name).

2. Open the first message containing an attachment you wish to save to your hard drive. 

3. Right click on the attachment (either on the icon in the message body or the name of the attachment in the attachment section of the message header).

4. Select Save As.

5. Navigate to the location on your hard drive where you wish to save the file and make sure that the filename is meaningful to you.

6. Click the Save button.

7. Delete the message.

8. Repeat steps 1-7 for each attachment you wish to save.

Deleting sent items:

The messages in the Sent Items folder are not always included as a part of the archive operation.  For the most part they don't need to be saved.  The Sent Items folder is often quite large in size, especially when attachments are sent frequently.  It's a good idea to delete these messages frequently.

1. Select the Sent Items folder in your folders list. 

2. If you wish to delete items prior to a certain date:

   1. Make sure the items are sorted by date.  Click on the Sent button at the top of the folder list--if you click again it will toggle the order of the sort from newest-oldest to oldest-newest.  Each time you click it reverses the sort order.

   2. Select the first message you wish to delete.

   3. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard and, while holding the Shift key, click the last message you wish to delete.

   4. All the intervening messages should now also be highlighted.

   5. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.

3. If you wish to delete items to certain people:

   1. Make sure the items are sorted by recipient.  Click the To: button at the top of the folder list--if you click again it will toggle the sort order from A-Z to Z-A.  Each time you click it reverses the sort order.

   2. Follow steps b-e above for each group of  messages you wish to delete.

4. If you wish to delete items with attachments:

   1. Make sure the items are sorted by size.  Click on the Size button at the top of the folder list--if you click again it will toggle the order of the sort from smallest-largest to largest-smallest.  Each time you click it reverses the sort order.

   2. Follow steps b-e under #2 above.

Using Auto-Archive to automatically remove aged emails:

Instructions for using and customizing Auto-archive can be found here:  autoarchive.htm

Keeping spam under control in order to help keep your mailbox within limits:

For Spam control, look here under Microsoft Outlook. 

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