When I buy cards, I like to look at several in the category I’m shopping for before deciding on one, even if I like the first one I pick up (though that practice had to be curtailed when my children were small or when I was in a hurry). That led to sometimes finding more than one card I liked and not being able to decide which to choose right there in the store, so I would buy two or three and take them home and then decide. That led to having excess cards and no way to store them to keep them neat and be able to find them again when I wanted them. So I bought a small accordion file (smaller than the letter-sized and bigger than the check-sized ones) at Wal-Mart and labeled the tabs with different categories: Birthday, Get well, Sympathy, etc. I grouped baby and wedding cards together under “Congratulations” and Mother’s and Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day under “Miscellaneous,” but you could label the categories however you wanted to depending on how many compartments you have and what types of cards you usually buy.
It has helped to have cards on hand for times when I can’t get out to look for one or for when someone else in the family needs one. But even when not under a time crunch, it saves on multiple card-shopping expeditions to have some on hand. Plus sometimes stores have sales to get a card free when you buy a certain number. So now when I go card shopping I look on purpose for a few that I like and bring the extras home and store them in my file.
I have liked this better than buying boxes of all-occasion greeting cards — I usually don’t like all the cards in a particular box.
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Stray Thoughts 
I’ve never liked the boxes of all-occasion ones either. This is a lovely idea. There is something just refreshing about visiting a card store when one has time and reading the lovely thoughts and looking at the images. But it is a good solo trip!!
Blessings, Barbara!!
Julie
Great idea, Barbara! I do something similar with the cards I make – keeping them in a card box with tabbed separators that are labeled with the catagories you mentioned.
But, since I love to make and give cards (and also sell them to those who request them), I hardly ever have the box filled up! Last year, though, I made it a goal to make up birthday cards for my immediate and extended family about 3 months in advance of their special days so I wouldn’t be panicked at the last minute trying to make a card! This has worked wonders for me! Now, I just need to get an assortment of extras made to fill up my box! HeeHee!
BTW, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving comments !
I’ve always envied people who are organized enough to have cards on file, ahead of time. I always seem to be rushing out at the very last minute to grab a card.
When I read this, I immediately thought of Denise because she makes so many cards. She’s inspired me. Right now I’m making Christmas cards but I seriously think I’m going to start making birthday cards, too. This is a great idea for having just the right card on hand when you need it.
I love this idea, and I definitely need to implement it soon.
Thanks!
i love that idea and your blog is so beautiful!
I do this too and of course, I think its a great idea. One of these days though, I’d like to get really crafty and make my own cards…like some I’ve seen here on the internet..but my time is solimited..not sure when THAT’LL ever happen.
By the way Barbara, I am loving my plaque. It sits here beside mmy computer and is so pretty!
Thanks again!
Dana