Organizing Pen Pal Information?

Anonymous

November 26, 20080 found this helpful

An envelope-sized box, with alphabet dividers?

I agree with the envelope box, but I use a 3x5 box and 3x5 cards. On the front, I put the friend's name, address, phone number, Email. Since I have some that are business acquaintances, I use colour codes. Blue for church, red for business, yellow for family, green for friends, so I can tell at a glance what that card is for.

On the back, I will put other info. Such as birthdays, kids' names and ages, spouse, etc. I use 3x5 cards because people move, marry, divorce, etc and the little address book can fill quickly with just one name.

Just some ideas. If you are doing pen pals, use colours for different parts of the world, or for a common interest you may have, or how often you two correspond. Good luck.

Maryeileen
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November 28, 20080 found this helpful

The info cards I mentioned in my post are the 3x5 index cards that KLS8800 suggests. I guess my dilemma is how to keep the letters organized as some are in over sized envelopes (bigger than the standard #10 business size envelope that we use in the U.S.).

Beth
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December 2, 20080 found this helpful

How about regular file folders, or the "trapper" type if you have small things like pictures you are including. You can put all the pertinent information on the front of the folder.

How about one of those expanding portafiles? They're only a few dollars, and you can write your friend's name on the tab. Otherwise, there are horizontal stationery trays you can buy, but they're much more expensive (a series of plastic thin drawers).

Maryeileen
Bronze Request Medal for All Time! 59 Requests

January 16, 20090 found this helpful

Thanks, Cathy from Townsville, QLD, an expanding portafile sounds like a good idea. Is that QLD, as in Queensland (Australia)? I have a pen friend in NSW.

silentwriter

February 7, 20110 found this helpful

How about buying a box of file folders. You can get a plastic box at Walmart and the file folders are cheap as well. You can then make a folder for each pen pal and put each pen pals letter in a different file folder. I keep info about my pen pals on index cards and keep the box on my desk and I put all the pertinent information of each pal on a different colored index card and file them by their first name.