DIY Greeting Card Organizer

This post was originally shared on Sweet Tea and Saving Grace. You can see it HERE.

This project relates to one of my 2016 goals. You know, those things we forget about halfway into January? 

But before I jump into the deets, here’s some background on how this project came about and why it’s so important to me.

My Story

On Christmas Eve our water heater cracked and leaked all over our basement floor. As I frantically moved my books and keepsakes and projects, I picked up a large 4-inch binder in which I’d saved all of my letters from the past… *ahem* many years.

The binder had seen better days, but I was intrigued. I hadn’t looked at it in years. What surprises did it hold? What forgotten treasures might be hidden away in it?

So, despite the fact that water was all over our basement, I took a minute to flip through it.

There were letters from my great grandmother who died more than 20 years ago. She would have been 110 in January 2016 (she also shares a birthday with my oldest daughter). Her small, neat script ran in straight lines across the page.

There were notes from my younger siblings scrawled in kid-script and careful, artsy cursive.

And letters from my own children that brought back bittersweet memories.

I also found love letters from my husband from the early days of our relationship. He’d write them in secret at work or in class, and each one was longer than the last. Oh, the thrill I got each time I flipped through the mail and came upon an envelope written in his distinctive masculine writing!

I still get that thrill when I see letters and notes and cards from him!

As I put the notebook up high, out of harm’s way, and got back to work, I realized something….

Rereading old emails or texts just isn’t the same as rereading old letters. There’s something about the physical effort of writing, the feel of the paper or card in your hand, and the uniqueness of each person’s handwriting that makes the act of writing–and reading–a letter extra special.

I decided right then that I was going to give handwritten letters a renaissance! So that one day, my family and friends could stumble upon my old letters and experience that same thrill, relive memories, and experience our relationship through handwritten notes.

My Goal

I set a goal to send five handwritten cards each week. I didn’t want this goal to be forgotten like so many others I’d set before it.

I needed a way to keep it in the forefront of my mind and a way to track it.

After some research (on Pinterest, of course), I decided to create a sort of letter writing “station” where I could keep my cards and my list of who I wanted to write to, which brings us (finally) to today’s DIY project!

How To Create a DIY Greeting Card Organizer

You’ll need a few things to create your DIY Greeting Card Organizer:

• A Photo Storage Box Like This One
• The Printable Greeting Card List (snag yours below)
• A Binder Clip In Your Choice of Style and Color
• An X-Acto Knife
• Greeting Cards
• A Pencil
• Dividers (Optional)

First, print a copy of the Greeting Card List.

Snag your very own copy of the Greeting Card List HERE!

Now, cut out each list.

Take one of the Greeting Card Lists and snap it into the binder clip. Then, place the binder clip and the list on the lid of your photo storage box. Move it around until you’re happy with the placement.

Trace the sides of the binder clip and mark where the top sits.

Take your X-Acto knife and cut along the lines you traced.

Place your binder clip in the slit that you cut in the top of the photo storage box.

Add the month to the top of one of the greeting card lists, then fill in the list with any birthdays, anniversaries, or other important dates.

If there are any additional people you’d like to send cards, write their names and any notes you might need on the remaining lines.

Now attach the list to the top of the photo storage box with the binder clip and find a convenient place to keep it where you’ll see it often.

I hope you’ll consider giving handwritten letters new life by sending them to your loved ones!

Want more?  Jennifer over at Tales of a Peanut ran an Instagram challenge using the #writeyourlove hashtag. Get more information and discover ways to get involved by clicking over to this post.

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Want More?

If you enjoyed today’s post, you might also like these posts:

• How to Meet Your Goals Every Time!
• 5 Easy Ways to Set Up A Home Office Inbox
• How to Create a Custom Calendar in Word
• Get Organized with a Tickler File
• How to Add DIY Shelves in a Closet

It was so fun to hang out with you all today! Thanks for being here!