Tackling Old Greeting Cards

February 2023

“Greeting cards routinely tell us everybody deserves love.” — first half of a quote from Zadie Smith

Perhaps that’s why it’s so hard to toss them,? Read ahead for some tips on minimizing the volume you may have amassed in your lifetime.

Here we are – just fresh off another holiday that can sometimes mean an influx of cards (if you are lucky enough to have people to send cards to you!). I’ve noticed an extreme drop off on cards being sent and received in my world, which is a little sad, but as they say, it takes two to tango!

Many people have a tough time tossing out greeting cards. They feel guilty getting rid of something that a loved one has taken the time to buy, write and send. More importantly, they attach great importance to the physical card staying a part of their treasured memories.

With all due respect, a person who saves A LOT of cards, will likely never have the time or space to revisit these cards. There could be decades of cards stashed all over the home. Saving precious memories are important – but saving EVERY memory can cause unmanageability….as well as the strong likelihood that they will all be tossed when you are no longer around to defend their worthiness.

Consider this:

  • Gather your cards from various stashes around the house.
  • Sort the cards by person. (If this idea rubs you the wrong way, then feel free to separate by occasion).
  • If you notice that the same message is written over and over, CONSIDER letting some of the duplicate messages go.
  • If you notice that there are cards from local businesses with pre-printed signatures or first names only, CONSIDER letting ALL of them go.
  • If you are only saving cards because you want a record of the sender’s address, rip off the address and add to a file or envelope that says “Random Addresses” and then CONSIDER letting a lot of the cards go. Bonus points if you enter the addresses on a spread sheet on in your address or contacts list.
  • If you absolutely cannot part with a card (and you know who you are!), CONSIDER getting rid of the envelope and you’ll at least decrease the space that the cards and former envelopes take up.

I apologize in advance if the thought of getting rid of cards feels wrong. This message is intended for those of you who are stressed by the amount of clutter, especially paper, in your home. Ponder on these suggestions and perhaps down the road you’ll be open to selecting THE MOST SPECIAL cards to save and treasure forever….and be ok to let the ‘ehh’ ones go.

And always remember – a little bit of decluttering is better than no decluttering – so even if you get rid of ONE card, you are on your way!

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The Declutter Club is a cost effective way to deal with your ‘stuff’ in a fun and welcoming setting. The daily emails are short and sweet and the twice monthly Zoom calls are on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm for an hour.
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“Helping Baby Boomers and their Parents Lighten their Loads”

Cindy Bernstein, Professional Organizer

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your home, contact me. Together, we can transform your home into a happy, tidy place where you can feel at peace. We can also get you ready for your next move… more enjoyably, faster and easier. We specialize in senior moves and helping families find new homes for the things they no longer have room to keep. We can also take care of clearing out homes that need to be listed quickly for resale. Contact me to schedule an appointment.

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