Sometimes, we are quite willing to be organized but things go against us. We don’t have the supplies. We procrastinate. Life gets in the way.

Last night’s dinner at friends certainly deserves a thank-you. If having someone knock themselves out to make fresh brushetta, London broil, baked potatoes, broccoli with Hollandaise, and fresh blueberry cheesecake, doesn’t deserve a thank you, I don’t know what does!

Most everyone would agree. Then they realize they don’t have a card. They don’t have a stamp. They’ll do it later.

Later never happens.

 

Make life easier by getting an assortment of cards and keeping them on-hand. I bought a thank-you card collection at Target, which had cards like the one above by Paper Magic Group. They came in a great file storage box. On sale, $2.44 for a box of 20, it makes the cards about 12 cents each.

Here are a few great greeting card tips:

• Create a master list of people you give birthday and anniversary cards to.
• Go on a card shopping frenzy and stock up. I usually go in January, after I set up my new calendar, and in June. Time to go again! In January, it is on my mind, for obvious reasons. I have to write a reminder on my June calendar.
• When card shopping, buy a dozen or so birthday cards to keep on hand for friends or spur-of-the-moment.
• Buy a box of all-occasion. Then you will have a baby card, wedding or sympathy as needed. Who can afford to pay for gas these days to run out to buy a card?
• Get a roll of stamps. Splurge.
• You don’t need to spend a fortune. I’ve stocked up at the Dollar Tree at 50 cents a card. I’ve shopped for cards at Big Lots, where they discount them. I’ve hunted at Hallmark for the 99 cent variety.
• Organizing is great. Over doing it is not. Don’t go card crazy now. Buy only what you will really use. Overstocking yourself makes more work with cards to file, store and sort through. Keep it real!

I do have to laugh when I read the comment that the 99 cent line is for those that don’t care enough to send the very best. Ok, that’s me. I confess. Hey at the cost of stamps and the cost of gas to get the stamps and cards, who can afford the very best?

My card might not be the very best but staying organized enough to have one on hand and send it out allows my very best thanks to get where it needs to be.