Valentine’s Day has just past. The two cards I received this year are still up on the shelf in the kitchen where I can enjoy them every day. Depending on where you are in your life, you may receive just a few cards or a ton.
If you have small children, they may make you cards. If you are a teacher, you will receive cards from your students. You might have a secret pal give you a card at work. Special friends might send you fun cards. A very special someone in your life may give you a card with a lovely note inside.
Nice.
Now, let’s think of 60+ years of receiving cards. What if you kept every card? Wow! You would have boxes and boxes of cards. You might have an old dresser filled with cards. Overwhelming!
But you say, “My children made these cards for me. My friends put a lot of thought into these cards. I love the reminders that people care for me”.
This is a very personal decision, but I am pretty sure you don’t want to dedicate a whole room just for storing cards.
Consider these options:
Chose the most special – like the year your son wrote his own special poem in a card or your mother wrote you a special note. Then box these cards up in a lovely box and label it. Put the box on a shelf and revisit the box once a year.
Spread out your favorite cards and take a picture of them. Then let the cards go.
Make a collage of the best cards for each holiday and bring out this collage for decoration on the appropriate season.
Pass on old cards to schools or nursing homes so they can re-purpose them in projects.
Remember that if you toss out a card that your mother or child gave you 25 years ago, you are not tossing out the person or your love for that person. So by all means keep a few very special cards, but not all.
Letting go of the masses of old cards will clear up space for more happy memories to come your way.
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer