Update (after 1.5 Years): This system works very well.
What I do now. I dont inbox my inbox at all, I just archive the tasks as metioned before.
When I have an Idea which fits an active project I directly open that project and write the idea down there in order ot minimize my inboxing.
Later when I work on a project I search for inboxing Items which fit to the project and get an automatic inspiration list.
I see my inboxing more like ideas I had in the past. If I really need to finish a project or have to work seriously on it I just open the proejct and create another “projectinbox” there. Works great for me, reduces stress.
Important: I combine this Inboxarchiving technique with the Block scheduling technique from cal newport. All big projects have a block schedule in my calendar and are referring to omnifocus which contains a lot of tasks. easy peasy since a lot of years.
I am so happy for not deleting any of those tasks. I probably have more than 1.5k in my inbox now. I use them from time to time, to brainstorm and occasionally file them in into the right folder. OF is a “someday/maybe” brainstorming tool for me anyways. I makde the right decision back than, just leaving the tasks like they have been. I am so happy that I didnt delete anything. And I will not delete. them for another 5 years. I will rather move away from OF, since I dont really need this app anymore. I could be using any other outlining tool for this purpose. Thanks OF for giving me a lesson. “trust your ideas more than an a single app.”
They all reside in a folder;projects “Inbox/Process”.
Did not do any editing whatsoever. I just know that there is a folder /project wihh more than 1K thoughts/tasks etc.
When Iw rok on a specific project I just search my whole database for keywords. When something from that"inbox" pops up I take it out and use the 5 year old task in my new/fresh project. Data is free; I would definetly not delete it. Just achive it, let it be. Start fresh and treat the old tasks as an “archive” to get back to from time to time