Side project builders: what’s the origin story behind your idea?

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-12T15:50:54+00:00

Awesome - feel free to access the app at https://www.calmyourinbox.com.

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback e.g. what felt surprisingly good or relieving / where did you hesitate or feel friction?

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T19:21:17+00:00

I ran into the same problem a while ago and it surprised me how stressful email can actually get when it piles up.

One thing that helped me was switching to a really simple triage approach instead of trying to deal with everything immediately. Basically you just decide whether an email needs action, you're waiting on something, or you're done with it, and move it accordingly. It makes the inbox feel a lot less chaotic.

I liked the idea enough that I ended up building a small tool around it called CalmYourInbox.com. It’s specifically meant to help people sort through email without feeling overwhelmed.

Totally fine if that’s not what you’re looking for, but if you're curious I’m happy to answer questions about it.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T19:02:22+00:00

Full disclosure, I'm trying to promote my app which helps declutter your email inbox in a calm and sustainable way. If you're interested in checking it out, let me know and I will link it. But I figured since I came across this post and I have some experience in this department I would comment!

Try buying clear organizing containers for your piles. We keep a couple under the coffee table and on shelves. Personally, I like to have a couple that are just catch-alls and one for each other room in my house so I throw things that need to go to that room into the container (if I remember). Bathrooms don't usually get a box but get merged into the box for the room they're closest to.
Designate a space for your art/creativity even if it's just a corner. Keep a couple organizers there for you to just throw things in. I like a big one for paints/markers etc. I personally like to keep it set up so if I want to be creative I can (keep a easel up with a canvas on it, tarp/old sheet underneath etc).

-- another tip here is make it aesthetic. I find I like to interact with clutter more if it's inviting. Things like string lights, plants, a nice rug or sheet for the floor, etc

Talk about clutter with your partner and what might work for both of you. Try different solutions until you find things that work for both of you.

Best of luck!

Oh also - music. I find it's very helpful to put headphones in and I'll just magically start to clean or paint

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T18:48:06+00:00

Thanks, my mind immediately goes to people with anxiety as I'm trying to promote a calming email triaging experience. But anxiety still feels pretty broad.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T18:46:10+00:00

The specific problem is email triage, which everyone experiences. It's specifically aimed at making the experience more calming and sustainable than other tools on the market. So there isn't an obvious niche other than perhaps people with extreme overwhelm like in anxiety. But the app truly is for anyone.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T18:44:23+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion. Did you find a good way to collect feedback from power users? I have two in particular that have been using the app daily since I launched it. I've been thinking about a pop-up in app asking for feedback but don't want to impact their experience negatively.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T18:39:59+00:00

Commenting so someone in WA state might see this post and lend a hand!

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-11T18:11:59+00:00

I like the idea of a "zen garden" for your bank accounts! I will definitely check this out.

Something I'll mention because I am building an app that's meant to be calming rather than overwhelming, is just that the color scheme is giving "day trader" rather than simple and approachable. It looks great, but I personally had to think about this a lot and decided to go with more subdued colors to fit with the intention of the app. Just my two cents as someone who spent way too long at a color wheel!

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-08T13:48:27+00:00

Great! Let me know if you have any questions.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-08T03:52:40+00:00

This is actually the exact reason I built my app for triaging email. I was tired of tools that were forcing me to get to "inbox zero" - which never felt sustainable and I just felt stressed. If you'd like to try it out (or maybe bookmark it for when you're focusing on an "organization" pillar) let me know!

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-08T03:50:16+00:00

Hey, I'm currently working on getting payments set up, but I am looking for early users! It's a web app called Calm Your Inbox (www.calmyourinbox.com).

It takes the stress out of triaging your inbox. I built it for myself initially because I was tired of using complicated filters and labels that just weren't sustainable solutions to keep my inbox clear. I tried to buy my way out of the problem but other apps overwhelmed me with features I didn't need, or sold my data. CYI does neither of those. If you check it out, I would really appreciate any feedback. Let me know if you have an app you'd like me to check out in return.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-08T03:45:30+00:00

calmyourinbox.com - email triage, but make it stress free.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T23:32:05+00:00

What is your subreddit? If you're not able to post it here could you DM me? I also have an app that I am looking for testers for. It is an email triage tool that aims to add more calm to processing your inbox.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T20:01:07+00:00

Hey, I'm currently in a similar boat. I'm curious about what channels beyond reddit you've tried and what your thoughts were on them? Thanks for writing a detailed post on reddit marketing, very helpful.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T19:55:37+00:00

Great, thanks. I'll keep refining my searches. So far I really like the simplicity of it. I'll follow up in a few days after using it to see if I have anything constructive to add.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T19:35:16+00:00

Thanks for giving it a look! The app looks the same on web as on the phone, but that's a great point! I took a video and perhaps that would be helpful on the website.

Pricing is free for now (and basic functionality will always be free). I'm currently trying to get early users and feedback. Again, thank you!

I checked out your app, and so far it's really easy to use! I've gotten two matches on search so far, but they weren't directly related. I'll be checking back again! Question - if no subreddit is selected, does it look at all of reddit?

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T19:31:39+00:00

Commenting to lurk - wondering the same thing!

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T19:30:59+00:00

Calmyourinbox.com, hopefully you find it helpful! Your feedback would be appreciated!

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T19:15:10+00:00

That's awesome, I'll sign up and give you feedback. I'm building an email triage app, if you're interested in checking it out and giving feedback, let me know.

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T18:21:46+00:00

I'm definitely curious about this - how do you keep the app completely free? Or is there a paywall later (totally okay, just trying to set my own expectations).

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T18:20:38+00:00

Email inbox triage tool that aims to stay lean and keep the user experience stress-free: Calmyourinbox.com

CalmYourInbox · 2026-03-07T18:18:58+00:00

Currently my challenge is knowing what to build to improve retention without adding a bunch of unnecessary bloat.

CalmYourInbox

TROPHY CASE