How to Send Used Greeting Cards

You can reuse old greeting cards by turning them into postcards.

People sometimes wonder what to do with the many greeting cards that they receive from friends and family. Instead of throwing them out, sticking them in the recycling bin or letting them stack up to collect dust, you can re-use your favorite greeting cards by following a few, simple steps to turn the two-sided cards into postcards. This is a smart way to recycle cards rather than throwing them out.

Things You'll Need

• Used greeting cards
• Thick piece of cardboard
• Craft knife
• Plastic ruler
• Pens (1 black, 1 red or green or blue)
• Stamp

Instructions

1. Pick a selection of your favorite greeting cards that you have received, from virtually any occasion. You can choose generic cards, birthday, holiday, thank you or travel cards. Choose cards that have colorful sayings and pictures on the front, have only been signed on one side, are not embossed and have no musical chip embedded in the card. Pop-up cards also will not work.

2. Lay a thick piece of cardboard on your work table. Place the greeting card flat out on the cardboard so the front and back covers are showing.

3. Line up a plastic ruler along the middle fold in the card, and hold it there. Slice along the ruler with a craft knife to separate the front and back of the greeting cards.

4. Remove the back of the card and save it or dispose of it in the recycling bin.

5. Turn the greeting card over. Turn the card so that it is in the horizontal position, with the picture right side up (on the opposite side of the card). If the card's picture is in the vertical position, it is ok to turn the picture sideways, which will optimize your writing space.

6. Place a stamp in the top right hand corner, as if the card was a postcard. Draw a vertical line in the middle of the card with a black pen, which will be used to separate the recipient's address from your greetings. Start drawing the line ¾ of an inch from the top and finish ¾ of an inch from the bottom of the card.

7. Write out the recipient's address in the middle of the right hand side of the card in black pen, using a ruler to keep the writing straight. If it's easier, pre-draw lines with a ruler and a pencil and then fill out the address on these lines. Erase the pencil lines once the ink is dry.

8. Write out your own personal greetings in a different colored pen (e.g., red, green or blue) on the left hand side of the card. This can be done freehand.

9. Drop the card into the mailbox to send it.

Tips & Warnings

• To brighten up the card's appearance, you can laminate the used greeting card after you write on it and before you send it. You can buy clear, self-adhesive laminating paper at your local office supply or craft store.

References

• GreenYour.com: Reuse Your Greeting Cards