Christmas has come and gone...so quickly. Where did December go?
Have 5 minutes to spare? Declutter your Christmas/Holiday correspondence.
Gather all of your holiday cards, newsletters, and photos that you received from friends and family and take 5 minutes to go through it. Recycle/throw away any correspondence you don't intend on keeping.
If you decide to keep the photo cards, designate a place for them. Don't just throw them in the closet next to the photo box. Put them in the photo box - yes, take that extra 10 second step.
I would have a picture of this declutter project for you, to show an example, but as soon as cards come in the mail, I write down who it's from and then trash it. Most cards come with glitter now - something that's not allowed in our home (both Chris and I despise it...it's messy, after all) - so we read it, and then throw it.
If you're a sentimental person, designate a spot for the cards. Create a system or display of some sort that allows you to enjoy what you're saving, rather than storing and forgetting about it.
Good luck!
I hang my cards on the wall and leave them there 'till I get birthday cards! (end of January)
ReplyDeleteI just put all of our picture cards from the last few years in a scrapbook album this weekend. The other cards will be tossed because I just don't have the room for them!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at that - I am really bad at stacking things on top of the photo box :-)
ReplyDeleteI keep a scrapbook album for each year (or two depending on how much correspondence I get). I put photo cards, wedding invites, save the dates (most have photos now), graduation invites, etc. all in the scrapbook. I throw away most cards, but if there is a special note, I can cut that out and put it in there too.
ReplyDeleteI display the cards we receive on a wreath that hangs during the holidays. It was designed especially for this purpose. Once the holidays are over I take the photo cards and put the picture portion of each one into a clear, magnetic photo frame on our fridge. Throughout the year our kids enjoy looking at these and recalling people we don't see often.
ReplyDeleteI saw this cool idea on Pinterest (yes, I'm a complete *addict* too!!!!)... take a picture of the picture Christmas cards with your smart phone and use them as your contact pics that show up when that person calls!! You can enjoy the pics and throw away the actual Christmas card guilt free.
ReplyDeleteI toss the cards when I take down the Christmas decorations, so I actually have already done this. Our pastor's wife had a really good idea for photo cards though, that I saw after I'd already tossed ours. She put them all on a binder ring and uses it as a prayer guide to pray for different people with her daughters throughout the week.
ReplyDeleteI make a collage that hangs in our kitchen - nothing fancy, just on a cork board. My kids are young but as they grow older I hope they will look at it and see all the wonderful people they know and love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the great ideas! I picked up a shoe bag at walmart today for 5 bucks and some other organizers. I can't find the fridge magnet organizer like you got at target. I have been looking for it online. Any suggestions? (I don't live near a target)
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny,
ReplyDeleteMaybe they're not carrying it anymore? I can't find it online anywhere. The Mead website says all of the products are only available in Target stores.
I hang all of our cards/letters on the back of our front door and at the end of the hoiday season I take a picture of it. Then if there are special people I want to save the photos of they have to fit into my photo frame I have near my coffee pot. If not off to the recycle bin they go. Thanks for all the tips! I love that I found your blog!!
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