How to Organize Your Addresses
Hi friends! Hannah, from I Heart Planners here! Having just gotten through the holiday season, I was sharing my address organization system with Laura, and she thought this would be a good topic to share with you! So here goes…
I love to be organized, but I also thrive on simplicity. The easier the better! I want to be able to easily explain my system to my husband, sister or kids, and I don’t want to have to jump through hoops to keep things easy to manage. So when it comes to managing my addresses, I looked for something simple.
When my husband and I got married, we began building an address collection… his friends, my friends, his parent’s friends, my parent’s friends, etc. Here we were trying to write thank you cards for wedding gifts, and addresses were floating around in text messages on scraps of paper, in our contact lists, etc. We needed a system.
I began writing addresses down on regular note cards. I stored them alphabetically and then made a little star in the top right corner for people we’d sent wedding invitations to. I realized that while this system seems entirely too simple, it was actually perfect because I could easily sort through the dozens of addresses and pull out our close friends when it came time to send out Christmas cards, etc.
I perfected my process a little bit as the years went on by jotting a notation on the right side of the card depicting exactly what I mailed to whom.
Here’s an example of what a card might look like:
(Obviously, I got a little creative with my examples ? )
Name and address top left corner
Mailing Information top right corner
If information changes (address or name), no need to go in and edit the address in multiple locations or even use another card and waste all that time transferring my notes. I simply mark out the address and put the new one in.
Stamps and extra note cards get tucked behind the addresses so that it’s easy to add new friends and mail cards!
It’s a simple but organized and efficient way to keep addresses together as well as keep notes on who I sent what card to and when! ?
How about you? How do you store your addresses? Paper? Planner? Digitally?
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Emily Says
Excel spreadsheet! Soo much easier to update and to print labels or envelopes using Mail Merge.
Tammy H Says
I’ve been doing my addresses this way for the last 20+ years. So easy to change an address, add birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Katie Says
I love your method! I was thinking it would work great for business cards too — just tape them to the index card. Bonus: I wouldn’t feel guilty throwing out an index card for a contact I no longer need, which is harder and messier with an address book.
Missy Says
I love this idea! So simple!! Thank you for sharing! I will be converting my current system!
pb Says
great system! How do you separate friends and family members of your husband’s?
LauraJane Says
Post authorYou could do two sets or simply note it on the card.
Abby Armstrong Says
Where is the container you put the cards in from?
Tessa Says
I really appreciate the simplicity of this! Would you be willing to share where you found the alphabet tabs? Thanks!
LauraJane Says
Post authorI think they are from an office supply store.
Barbara Says
I use a similar system for addresses.
I also keep track of the last time that I knew the address was correct in the bottom right corner. For example we received a Christmas card in 2015. I would put 12/15 in the bottom right corner.
We have a lot of military friends who move frequently so we needed a way to keep track of that.
LauraJane Says
Post authorGood idea to keep track of the last time you knew the address was correct.
Jamie Says
Love this system and can’t wait to convert! Your index card box! I can’t find anything that cute! Where did you happen to find that one?
LauraJane Says
Post authorI would try an office supply store.
Jamie Says
I love the card index box!! Where can I find one?? I can’t wait to switch over to this system!!
LauraJane Says
Post authorI would try an office supply store.
Skye Says
Simplicity is usually the best. I love this. Especially like your notation system. You have inspired me to organize my scraps of paper and such. Time to gather the bits and get everything on the cards. 🙂
Teresa D Says
I used to be terrible about sending out cards until I started this system. I put all my addresses into an Avery Label Template. I have two main files, one for birthdays and one for Christmas. I also entered them into Avery.com as a project and added graphics like balloons for birthdays and Christmas wreaths for the holidays. I update both lists at the beginning of each year and print out label sheets with addresses for everyone I plan to mail birthday or Christmas cards to. I put the labels in the front of a monthly accordion file folder, I enclose a 12 month birthday planner sheet. Then I file their birthday cards into their birth month. I keep stamps and return address labels in there. Then I am set for the entire year. I check it about 10 days before each month and put them in the mail.