Neat Checklist to Simplify and Organize Sending Holiday Cards!

By Ariane Benefit

Here's a step-by-step checklist to simplify and make it easier to send those holiday cards on time!

1. SIMPLIFY / CUT BACK ON YOUR LIST!

The most important reason for sending a card is how it will make people feel. With that in mind, go ahead and make some cuts! For example, keep only the following people on your card list:

1. Family members & friends who send you cards because they love sending & getting cards.
2. People who exchange updates with you every year.
3. Older people you know don't get a lot of cards, don't have computers, and for whom receiving a card means a lot to them. AS you get older, you start to lose friends and family. Receiving cards during the holidays can be a wonderful comfort!

2. START EARLY & PREPARE THE "INGREDIENTS"

Start a couple weeks before Thanksgiving if you can. Chunk out your tasks into manageable bites as shown below. During the weeks before Thanksgiving, strive to get 2 - 4 of these tasks done.

1. Update your address book and mailing label lists & print out the labels (I recommend using a Word Template for address labels from Avery)
2. Print out or gather your Return Address Labels.
3. Buy Holiday Stamps from the post office online. They are usually available by Thanksgiving. If you order early you never have to worry about your local office running out.
4. Make sure you have the right number of cards. Buy cards right after the holidays when they are on sale.
5. If you send out photo cards, choose your photo & get them ordered.
6. If you send a holiday newsletter, start outlining the things you want to include.
7. If you send pictures inside a cards, choose one and get it duplicated.
8. Write your Newsletter first draft.

3. PUT YOUR INGREDIENTS TOGETHER & MAIL! Week 1 after Thanksgiving do the next steps. You can do most of these while watching your favorite TV programs.

1. Put Return Address Labels on all your envelopes. Try doing 20-50 cards at a time.
2. Put Stamps on all your envelopes.

Week 2 after Thanksgiving do the next steps.

1. Put Recipient Address Labels on the cards
2. Do your final edit, then print and fold your holiday Newsletters (if you have one) and put them inside the cards.
3. Put each card with it's stamped and addressed envelope.
4. Divide your stamped, addressed cards into sets of 5 - 10 cards each.
5. Write personal notes and sign your cards. Each day work on a set of cards. Get a plastic bag to carry cards with you. Anytime you have to wait somewhere, like at a doctor's office. If you really don't want to spend time on personal notes, you can order pre-printed cards. If you do that, you can just skip this step!
6. Mail the set of cards!

Wishing you Happy & Healthy Holidays!

© 2006 Ariane Benefit, Neat Living

Ariane Benefit is a professional organizer, speaker, and author of the popular Neat Living Blog at http://www.NeatLiving.NET Her mission is to inspire people to simplify, clear clutter, and organize so they can live a life they love! Check out her FREE Neat Living "Do-it-Yourself" Organizing Library at http://www.NeatLiving.ORG/newsletters

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