by Jennifer Swanson
Do you get excited when you get a real letter or card in the mail? With so many of us using e-mail to communicate, a hand-written note is a welcome surprise that can brighten anyone’s day.
Encourage one another and build each other up... - 1Thessalonians 5:11
Keeping your greeting cards, stationery, and mailing supplies all in one place makes it easier to encourage others and let them know you care. Plus, having it all organized will save you time and money - and help you get cards mailed on time.
If it’s flat, you can file it. Using file folders to hold your greeting cards and stationery is just one example of how you can organize paper objects in a file system. Sure, you can buy fancy card boxes, but they can drive you crazy because they never seem to be the right size.
File folders are great because they take up very little space. You can incorporate a “Cards, Stationery & Supplies” category into your existing file system, or if you have a large amount, use a small file box to hold all your supplies. (At right: Large ShowOffsTM by Sterilite can hold letter-sized hanging file folders. The lids feature locking latches, and the containers are stackable. For retail information, visit www.sterilite.com.)
Another benefit to file folders is that you can fit even those really big cards, envelopes, and other items in there. For example, my kids generate a lot of artwork. I save some of it, recycle a lot of it, and mail some in big envelopes to relatives. It’s always nice to have this on hand but not laying on my kitchen counter. By keeping extra artwork with the other items you use to keep in touch, you’ll make it easier to share the joy.
Here are some folders you might want to include in your files:
- Lists (birthday, anniversary & special events)
- Address/contact lists
- Postage stamps
- Return address labels
- Stickers/seals/embellishments
- Stationery/letterhead
- Envelopes
- Post cards
- Kids’ artwork (to share)
- Greeting cards (Be sure to keep the card with its matching envelope. Hint: Turn the card around so that the envelope glue doesn’t stick to the front of the card.)
- Blank/All-occasion
- Anniversary
- Baby
- Birthday
- Congratulations
- Friendship
- Get Well
- Sympathy
- Thank You
- Wedding
- Holidays & other events (one file folder for each holiday you need cards for; i.e. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Graduation, etc.)
Use letter-sized hanging file folders and manila file folders with reinforced tabs (sometimes called “2-ply”). Always label your files using pencil first. Then, if you decide you want to “pretty it up,” you can create nice printed labels using Avery’s “Print or Write” file folder labels. They’re inexpensive and work well for both Ink Jet and Laser printers.
If you find that some of your small items (such as stickers) fall out the sides of the file folders, look for closed-sided file folders (also called “file pockets”) at your local office supply store or through an on-line retailer. Sometimes simply taping the sides of the folder shut works just as well.
Buy postage stamps in sheets rather than on rolls so you can drop them into a file folder. A good supply of first-class stamps and postcard stamps can get you most of the postage possibilities you need for small mailings. For example, rather than buying 60-cent stamps for your 2-ounce letters, you can just use one each of your 37-cent and 23-cent stamps. Add another 23-cent stamp if you have 3 ounces, etc.
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I have mixed feelings about the “free” return address labels many charities send out. On one hand, I feel like I should donate, but I can't support them all. On the other hand, it would be wasteful to throw them out if I know I will use them. So I keep them in a folder.
Use your creativity to customize the system! Use sticky notes if you bought a card with a specific person in mind. If you have certain friends or family members to whom you write often, create individual folders for each of them. You could also create folders labeled by month, and file all the cards you need along with a list of important dates.
Don’t let e-mail be your only communication tool. Stock up on cards when you find a good deal, or buy boxed cards and sort them into your folders. Make sending a note, card, or letter one of the ways you say, “I’m thinking about you.” Having your supplies organized will help turn good intentions into action.
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