Organizing Birthday Cards

I love cards! I love sending cards and especially receiving cards. The thing that I hate is buying a card for someone and forgetting to mail that special person their card because I couldn't find it. Then I came across a great way to organize all the cards that I enjoy giving and doing so on time.

I store all my cards in a file drawer. In my file I have 12 dividers with the months of the year written on them. Placed inside each divider I have a paper with all the dates of that particular month. Next to the date I list the name or names of those having a birthday or anniversary on that date with their address. By having the address on the paper I don't have to waste time gathering all of their information.

Behind the folders with the months on them I have placed four more folders labeled sympathy, congratulations, thank you, and generic. When I come across a card that I especially like I purchase at this time. When I get home I put it away in the file drawer so I have it when I later need it.

The last week of every month I look at the names that are coming up for the next month. I make a list of all those for whom I need to purchase cards. After I purchase the cards I plan one evening to sit down with all the cards and personalize them with a special message inside each card. I address the envelope and seal it with the card inside. On the back side of the envelope I write in small letters the date that I want to mail the card, allowing 3-4 days so that it will arrive on time. So, if the birthday was March 15, on the back side of the envelope I write in small numbers 11. Knowing that on the 11th I would mail the letter.

Keeping all my cards in one place has really saved me time. Every year around the first of June I sit down and reorganize my birthday card file. I take this time to update my lists by adding new addresses or adding more names to the list of those that I would like to send a birthday or anniversary wish too. I do this in June, so that when I do my Christmas card list in December I have a more updated list. During the other months if I get a card or some information on updating my file I place the information in the file so I won't have to look all over for the information.