It starts with the best of intentions: a cart full of greeting cards. Some for your friend’s birthday, one for mother’s day, perhaps a “thinking of you” card for a friend that needs a little encouragement. They come home with you, get put in a pile, and… forgotten.
What, like that never happens to you?
It happens to me all the time. What I ended up with was a plethora of cards for different occasions and no good way to organize them.
Enter the accordion file. I found this beauty at Tuesday Morning when we did the Goffice makeover. I sorted the cards by category, and used my handy-dandy labeler to denote which pocket held which cards.
In the front pocket I keep a pen, some stamps, and return address labels. No excuses here!
Truthfully? I’m still not great at sending out cards, but now I have a place for them and have dozens on hand at a moment’s notice. It had really come in handy these past few months, too, when I’ve remembered a special occasion a little late!
Here’s list of sections if you want to replicate this idea:
Extra Envelopes
Blank
Babies
Birthday
Birthday Kids
Celebrations (graduations, anniversaries, etc.)
Get Well
Sympathy
Thank You
Thinking of You, Encouragement
Valentine’s Day
Weddings
Misc.
I’d love to know your organizational ideas pertaining to cards, especially how you stay on top of sending them out in time. I’m really lacking in that department!
I have a greeting card file too. It makes it so much easier not having to run to the store every time there’s a party or something. I’m hosting We’re Organized Wednesday until Saturday and would love for you to join the party.
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Carrie, this is adorable and efficient and I might even do it at some point.
I have a very thorough birthday calendar that hangs in my kitchen and which I look at almost daily and think about how I MUST send a card on such and such a day to such and such important/special person. The only days I forget to look are the ACTUAL days when action needs to be taken. And of course, the day AFTER said action should have been taken I’m right there, responsibly looking at it again and filled with self-loathing at my inability to be organized when it actually COUNTS! My most recent offense was completely forgetting to acknowledge my father’s 60th birthday until 2 full days later. Sigh.
Maybe I should just start sending people things at the beginning of each month with instructions not to open until the big day. Brilliant!!
Thanks for linking to We’re ORganized Wednesday!