Techniques for managing electronic mail. Folder rules for associating electronic mail messages with folders are received. The folders are managed by an electronic mail client and stored in a computer usable memory. Electronic mail messages are also received. Each of the electronic mail messages is associated with at least one of the folders according to the folder rules. Furthermore, a visibility condition is received. The visibility condition specifies when a specified folder is visible in a user interface of the electronic mail client. A processor causes the specified folder not to be visible in the user interface when the visibility condition is not satisfied. A visibility condition may instead specify when a specified folder is not visible in the user interface. In this case, the specified folder is caused not to be visible in the user interface when the visibility condition is satisfied.