What To Do With Greeting Cards

In the past I was asked what to do with greeting cards people receive throughout the year. There are so many fun things you can do with greeting cards you receive from others, that I thought I’d share an article from years gone by.

Kelly McCausey of KellyMcCausey.com keeps her received cards in a gorgeous keepsakes box for when she has time to put them into a book.

Margaret Ropp from Life’s Abundance wrote: Cards that I don’t want to save… I cut off the front with the picture and recycle. If the card front doesn’t have writing on the back side, I use them for Post Cards ;o) I’ve also framed real pretty ones and enjoyed them as framed “art.”

Jo Ann Hakola from The Book Faerie wrote: I put them on the bulletin board in my “mail” room for a few weeks. Then I clip the interesting pictures/graphics and recycle them by making cards of my own.

Those that are from close family members go in a “memory box” to be kept for all time… I still have cards I got as a child from Grandma and Grandpa, and they still make me smile and feel loved.

Debbie Emery from Firm That Flab wrote: I always save my cards. But I do know people who use them to create scrap-booking items and cards etc. They cut up parts of the cards for them.

Sandi wrote: We usually put our cards on our mantel and they stay there for a month for all to enjoy! Then I take them down, add them to the pile for the year, tie them with a ribbon and put them in a decorated box with the year on it!

Cynthia Phillips wrote: I keep all cards for awhile, then put the ones that mean a lot to me in with my pictures and even years later I still can’t throw them out. The others I sort to those who need a note back and eventually throw those and the others out. The cards are so pretty I hate to throw them away. At one time I knew how to make a box out of them but have since lost the directions. Also some nursing homes/retirement centers will take the cards for their residents to make things out of them.

The most popular tip was to put your cards into a box. One woman stated that she puts her holiday cards in her holiday decorations box and cards from family into another box.

On a side note, when I first wrote this blog post in 2007, I recall seeing some gorgeous Mother’s Day cards at Starbucks! I bought one for my mother and one for my mother-in-law. The kicker was that they were $3.95 each! (Remember, I’m talking about 2007. That’s 14 years ago. Signing up for a service or buying in bulk is a much better option.

Personally, I have an envelope with all of the beautiful notes and cards from my husband before we were married and even some from after we were married. Those are saved to go through with the kids when they visit. As far as cards from everyone else, I used to take the front cover (if there was no writing on the back) and use them as post cards. I also used to cut out pretty pictures from the cards and glue them onto a new card. At the end of the holidays, I gathered all the cards sent to me and wrote down anyone who was not already on my card list, then cut out pretty pictures from the cards and put them in a zip lock bag. I’d pull the bag out the next year and make new cards to send.

I no longer make handmade cards. NOW, I use Mailbox Power. I make my own cards on the computer from scratch uploading my own photos or cute pictures. I then write a heartfelt note, and send to as many people as I’d like with a few clicks.

It’s fun and easy. Ask me how!

I still save my cards, only now they go in an envelope or box with the year written on the outside. Every so often I go through the envelopes and read the cards.

What do YOU do with the cards you receive? We’d love to know in the comments below!!! :)

©2007,2014,2021 Susie Glennan