I want to tell you about a few simple ways you can organise greeting cards.
Handwritten cards are still a wonderful way to keep in touch and tell someone you care. It’s useful to have greeting cards on hand, ready and waiting for when you need them at the last minute. It saves time and stress. Keep small stash of cards standing by to give instead of running to the shop whenever…
- you catch up with a friend for their birthday
- your child goes to a birthday party
- you want to say a special thank you
- you want to comfort someone during a bereavement
- you want to extend the hand of friendship
When they are organised, it also means that when you do find that perfect card for that perfect occasion, you can buy it, put it away until that occasion comes along, safe in the knowledge you will actually remember where it is, who it’s for and when to give it!
I’ve tried a few ways to organise greeting cards, and I’ll share the 3 simplest ways with you.
1. A small portable file
Any kind of small filing system will do. The file allows you to arrange by category – birthday, baby, wedding, etc. – or by person. If you find that perfect birthday card for someone you love, you can just file it under their name. Bonus Tip: In your calendar, against their birthday, make a note that you have already bought a card for them.
2. A display book
A display book with at least 12 plastic pockets – 1 for each month of the year – can hold cards you’ve bought for those special people in your life, ready to send when the time comes. Bonus Tip: You could even write them, address the envelope and write the date to send where the stamp will go. On that date, pop the stamp over the date and send. You can sit down and write your cards in batches, saving even more time.
3. Paper bags
This is the system I currently use and I’ve landed on this one because it is the simplest. I have a brown paper bag with handwritten sign for each category of occasion. When the time comes, I simply go to the bag for that occasion, make a selection from the variety of cards I have on hand and send. When the paper bag runs low, I know it’s time to go card shopping again. The paper bags sit in a drawer. There’s no special equipment required. Bonus Tip: Always keep sympathy cards on hand. A bereavement is one occasion you may not see coming, unlike a wedding or birthday, and when you will want to let someone know you care right away.
How do you organise greeting cards?