Declutter - Special Occasion Cards

While it is not Christmas, I know that there are a LOT of birthdays (mine included) during the summer so this is a perfect time to address Cards! Cards are something that are fun to get but usually end up in a shoe box or envelope stashed in an attic. This is the OPPOSITE of decluttering.

While I'm a fan of all things digital, I haven't been able to find a way to keep Birthday and Holiday cards digitally yet. However - I have a solution that will have you decluttering at least a bit. 

My first step is always to 'centralize' the mess and for the most part that is what we are going to be doing. We're just going to 'centralize' the card problem that way it is a manageable problem.

I found this solution while looking on Pinterest some time ago. I can't find the original post (Sad face - I didn't remember to pin it) HOWEVER I found a post just like it as this is fairly popular.

Example/Source: http://pinspired.org/organizing-2011-christmas-cards

Dress It Up

The image above is just how ours is done. We just hole punch and stick our cards on as soon as they come in the mail. Easy peasy is the way I like it! But you could dress it up. I've seen scrapbook style 'covers' (cardboard type pieces all dressed up with the family name and frills). If you get the inclination you should absolutely get creative with it! But...if you don't want to...you don't have to! The cards are pretty enough on their own!

How Exactly Do I Make This?

For $1! (I think) I got our little snap ring things at the dollar store. But I only got about 1 in rings (I'll have to get bigger ones in a couple of years). I recommend getting the larger size snap rings especially if you get a lot of cards. We only used 2 rings per 'bundle' though I've seen some use 3 or 1 per bundle, depending on if you want it as a book or to lay on a table splayed out for display. It's up to you! The bigger the ring, the more cards it will hold!

Just for Christmas? Of course not!

I don't use this just for Christmas either. I do this for ALL of our special occasion cards. I separate them by the event of course. We have a family Christmas card 'bundle/book', we have one for each birthday in the family and we have an Easter card collection too. Oh, and Mother's Day and Father's Day of course!

Fun tip? I like to take the mailing addresses off of the envelopes that the cards came in and tape them to the very back of the card (where you normally see printing information). This way I have a place I can look for all the addresses as I get ready for the holidays the next year. Or if we send out our cards late - which has been known to happen. 

But what to do with these bundles?

I love organization and we have our holidays organized by tub/tote in the basement. Christmas is the biggest of course and December is the busiest since we have three birthdays in December. But each holiday gets at least one tote/tub and each birthday gets a tub/tote. Guess where the books/bundles go? Right! In their respective totes. So when mommy gets the tubs/totes out to decorate - Viola! I set the bundle out on one of the side tables leading up to the holiday as an easy decoration item (since cards are so pretty anyway!) and the girls get to look through all their old cards. 

Don't Forget!

To add your own family Christmas card to your bundle each year! This will be a treasure for years to come!

I think the birthday cards are the girls' favorite and they love adding their birthday cards to their bundle. This will be something they will love to look through for years to come. And it makes it easier on YOU to keep all those little birthday cards in one easy to find spot so they can take those memories with them wherever they go in life.