Welcome to 2015!
Are you determined to write more letters this year? I know many of you already write a lot of letters, but many have good intentions that sometimes fall to the wayside.
If you'd like to write more letters in 2015, here are some tips for meeting that goal:
1. Organize your letter writing materials. You don't need an elaborate organization system. Just gather together your stationery or writing paper, a pen or two, some envelopes and stamps. Put all of those items together in some type of box or binder.
If your stationery came in a box, you can use it to organize your supplies. Other things to use include an accordion folder readily available in the office supply sections of most discount stores, large supermarkets, etc.; a pocket folder like the kids use for school; a briefcase, large purse, tote bag, etc.; or even a plain manila folder (consider taping or stapling the side edges together to keep your items from sliding out). There are also stationery portfolios out there that you can purchase.
2. Find a good pen to use. It doesn't have to be an expensive pen, but it needs to be a quality writing instrument. You don't want your letters smeared with blobs of ink from an inferior pen. Also, you don't want a pen that skips, making your words difficult to read.
3. Keep stamps on hand. For the past several years, the U.S. Postal Service has sold "Forever" stamps, which are First Class postage stamps that are sold at the going rate (currently 49 cents for a regular-sized letter weighing up to 1 ounce) and that can be used for First Class letter postage "forever," even if the price of a stamp increases in the future. So, buying too many stamps really isn't a problem...you'll be able to use those stamps indefinitely, without even knowing the current price of First Class postage.
4. Consider postcards. If you find that you don't always have time to write long letters but you still want to keep in touch with friends and family, buy some postcards to send out quick notes. An added bonus: Domestic postcard postage is cheaper in the U.S. than mailing a full-sized letter. To mail a regular-sized postcard in the U.S., a stamp costs only 34 cents. Note: For details on the accepted sizes for regular postage, see the U.S.P.S. website (postcards and letters).
5. Use an address book or contact list so that you always have important addresses handy. An old-fashioned paper address book will work even when your phone runs out of batter power.
6. If your letter writing organizing system is big and bulky, pull out a few sheets of paper, envelopes (maybe even pre-addressed) and stamps for a portable letter writing kit you can carry with you. If you're waiting in a doctor's office, stuck in traffic or finished with lunch early, write a quick letter to a friend or relative and drop it in the nearest mailbox.
Happy Letter Writing!
Are you determined to write more letters this year? I know many of you already write a lot of letters, but many have good intentions that sometimes fall to the wayside.
If you'd like to write more letters in 2015, here are some tips for meeting that goal:
1. Organize your letter writing materials. You don't need an elaborate organization system. Just gather together your stationery or writing paper, a pen or two, some envelopes and stamps. Put all of those items together in some type of box or binder.
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| Vintage Leather Portfolio in the 365 Letters Etsy shop. |
2. Find a good pen to use. It doesn't have to be an expensive pen, but it needs to be a quality writing instrument. You don't want your letters smeared with blobs of ink from an inferior pen. Also, you don't want a pen that skips, making your words difficult to read.
3. Keep stamps on hand. For the past several years, the U.S. Postal Service has sold "Forever" stamps, which are First Class postage stamps that are sold at the going rate (currently 49 cents for a regular-sized letter weighing up to 1 ounce) and that can be used for First Class letter postage "forever," even if the price of a stamp increases in the future. So, buying too many stamps really isn't a problem...you'll be able to use those stamps indefinitely, without even knowing the current price of First Class postage.
4. Consider postcards. If you find that you don't always have time to write long letters but you still want to keep in touch with friends and family, buy some postcards to send out quick notes. An added bonus: Domestic postcard postage is cheaper in the U.S. than mailing a full-sized letter. To mail a regular-sized postcard in the U.S., a stamp costs only 34 cents. Note: For details on the accepted sizes for regular postage, see the U.S.P.S. website (postcards and letters).
5. Use an address book or contact list so that you always have important addresses handy. An old-fashioned paper address book will work even when your phone runs out of batter power.
6. If your letter writing organizing system is big and bulky, pull out a few sheets of paper, envelopes (maybe even pre-addressed) and stamps for a portable letter writing kit you can carry with you. If you're waiting in a doctor's office, stuck in traffic or finished with lunch early, write a quick letter to a friend or relative and drop it in the nearest mailbox.
Happy Letter Writing!
I already write many letters, cards and postcards but as I enjoy it so much, I want to write more. At least one per day over the course of the year (I've already written 8 so I'm ahead at the moment).
ReplyDeleteHappy 2015.
Though it is becoming a technological word, I still enjoy writing letters a lot :)
ReplyDeleteActually, my goal is to write less but better letters in 2015. But I like your tips!
ReplyDeleteI've alway enjoyed writing letters (and receiving them of course) and set myself a goal of the equivalent of 1 mailed piece a day for a year. I met my goal in 2013 (at 11:59pm on 12/31/13!!) and mailed 284 pieces in 3014. I'm shooting for 365 again in 2015. People adore receiving snail mail and we're grateful (and often surprised) when they received a letter. I wrote to people I didn't even know personally....sometimes just a quick hello....sometimes a get well or happy birthday. It was all very rewarding. i gave myself permission to just write a few words with the important thing being to get it out the door and on to its recipient.
ReplyDelete