Good Morning, Cowboys and Cowgirls!

Hats off to you and your newly organized hobby collections, << Test First Name >>!

We’re in the final 5 weeks of our challenge!  For those of you just joining our wild west themed 16-week scavenger hunt challenge, you can read more about it and catch up here.  

Today, as the holiday season approaches,  we turn our attention greeting cards.

Saddle up, put 10 minutes on the clock, and Get Ready…Get set…GO!
 

1. Grab a bag or box and lasso all the greeting cards in your home. 

2. Spread out the whole kit-and-caboodle. Your first sort is to distinguish cards that have envelopes from those that don’t.  From there, if your collection is fairly large, you’ll want to subcategorize by occasion or type of card.  (Birthday, Thank You, Sympathy, Get Well Soon, Just Because, Holiday, etc)

3. Take a look at these piles and notice what’s accumulated.  What is unnecessarily building up?  Are all of these blank cards ones you’ll actually send out?   Ask yourself which cards you’ll realistically use and donate or toss anything that you no have no use for.  Do you have a use for the card-less envelopes or envelop-less cards?  If not, into the recycling bin they go!
 

4. For the remaining items, make it easy on yourself to find what you need when you need it next.  Designate a station where your all the blank cards with be kept, one central location where they can be easily stored and accessed.  Keep the cards stored by category–see the Pioneers section for suggested containers.

Time’s Up!  Kick off your boots and congratulate yourself on completing your twelfth challenge!

Bonanza Bonus: If in your treasure hunt this week, you’ve uncovered greeting cards you’ve received, take this opportunity to set those aside.  You may want to categorize them by occasion or by recipient and either put them in a box labeled memorabilia along with photos and other keepsakes, or set them aside for scrapbooking.  You’ll likely be accumulating many more of these over the next 6 weeks, so designate a place now where these cards will collect so that after the holidays, you can simply tuck them away with memorabilia or scrapbooks.

Pioneers: For the more adventurous lot, take the next step in this challenge with  some recommended organization tips and supplies to complete your challenge with the title of most organized cowboy (or cowgirl) in this town.  I recommend this Clear Card Holder from the Container Store. With adjustable compartments for categories of cards, it’ll keep your collection organized and easy to access.

Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving, and sending my gratitude to you for being a part of my community!

Happy trails and happy organizing!