I used to collect cards. Every one I got. Before I moved a couple of years ago, I looked through those cards (and notes!) and throw most away, as well as organize them by category – birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, congratulations, prayers/good luck, etc. Each category was wrapped in a rubber band with a post-it on top saying what event it was. I stored them in this cookie tin:
I decided to go through them again recently. I’m trying to declutter and let’s be honest, there is a whole spare bedroom closet FULL of my “memories”.
So I threw away a lot of cards, but I kept some too.
Organized birthday by sender – parents, brothers, or friends. Then organized by date.
Kept some Valentines, a couple Christmas, some congrats and some prayers/encouragement. IMPORTANTLY, I did not always keep the whole card. I generally only care about what my family member or friend wrote. I didn’t have a huge problem with chopping the covers of many cards, so I did.
Also didn’t have a problem putting a couple of holes in each card and sticking them in a 3-ring binder for super-easy access to lots of reminders I am loved.
I alternated where the cards went in the binder – since many were small enough for only two holes, I put some in the top two holes and the next category in the bottom two holes, etc.
Birthday cards from parents
Christmas cards in bottom 2 holes, encouragement in top 2 holes
Even could include my favorite paper plate card from my brother when I turned 19
With some of the cards or the covers that I didn’t feel the urge to keep any longer, I chose a few to cut up (some more) and keep pieces for when I make my own cards, which I do.
I kept these intact.
These, I trimmed, or cut out the fun stuff.
Fun stuff
A bunch of “fun stuff” from only 2 cards, binder clipped together
This is my card organizer. The first half are blank note cards with my initial or something similar on the front, which I tend to use instead of stationary. I have a TON of thank-you cards (I do use them a lot.) I bought a bunch of “Just because” cards for my nieces that can read. I have a birthday card slot, and a slot for cards of every season. Christmas has its own section. The last two sections have the stuff I cut out today.
In each seasonal holiday I have a pink sticky note listing the holidays in that season (per month) that I tend to send out cards for.
WINTER: December (Christmas), January (New Year), February (Valentine’s Day)
SPRING: March (St. Patrick’s Day), April/May (Easter, Mother’s Day), June (Father’s Day)
SUMMER: June (above), July (Independence Day), August
FALL: September, October (Halloween), November (Thanksgiving)
Update – 7/20/13,
Cut apart some file folders that I was not going to use since I’ve switched to a binder and accordion folder system, slapped some cut-up sticky note labels on them, and now I’ve got dividers!
Comment and let me know if you are a card hoarder – or just used to be one, like me!
Next I’ll tackle the cards my husband has given me over the past 4+ years…
For the Love of Organization 