Postcrossing Blog

I am glad you brought this up...to many postcrossers do not know this feature. Maybe do a poll on how many postcrossers know this feature. I have sent cards and waited a long time before registered because receiver went away.

Yes!Yes!
It's really helpful!

no wonder some of my postcards are still travelling, but i think they should have arrived!

When we're on holiday, our neighbour pops in daily and texts me the ID's of any Postcrossing card that has arrived :-)

Can I still be sending postcards if I'm in inactive state? I would like to keep up a certain number of postcards per month (it's an experiment: one card every third day, to see if I can get my "stats" graph more or less balanced around 10 cards a month). Will setting my account to Inactive ruin my statistics?

Yes, you can keep on sending when your account is inactive. It works quite well! :D

Good idea! We will only be away for a week so I don't think anyone will suffer in that time. I always get my registrations up to date before we go, then it's straight onto the computer to register any arrivals when we return home.

@Drielandenpunt: You can continue sending, but only up to a certain limit. If proportion between sent and received is too high, you'll be temporarily blocked from sending more - but, unless you are planning to stay away a very long time, then this shouldn't be an issue you'll need to worry about.

We're just emerging from a postal strike/lockout here in Canada, and I remembered reading about the possibility of making one's account inactive. Kept thinking I should, but didn't want to because that would be like giving up! Expecting post to start arriving in my mailbox tomorrow :) or so they promise. I haven't been requesting new addresses to send to and look forward to getting back to choosing cards to send, and popping the two that have been sitting here beside me for several days into the newly opened mailbox. Man, have I missed Postcrossing! It seems like months instead of a week or so..

Yes, thank you for bringing this into the attention ! I don't think too many postcrossers know about this handy function and it saves the stay-at-home postcrossers so many weeks of waiting.

I didn't want to turn it inactive because I maybe want to send one or two postcards from my holiday destination. I thought I wouldn't be able to send cards in the inactive state, but apperently I can! Couldn't hurt bringing this more into attention. I will inactivate my account in 4 days!! Yeah.

My son and I used this facility when we went to our holiday house last Christmas, for four weeks. Two weeks before we went he changed to "inactive". We had internet access while away and therefore we were still able to request addresses and send cards. One week before we came home he changed back to "active" and then received lots of postcards in the weeks after we got home. We will do this again when we go away this year.

It is important to set the inactive status a week or so before you actually leave, not JUST before, because when your address is pulled that last week before your holiday it is more likely going to result in cards that arrive while you are away. When I know I'm going to be gone for more than a week, I set my account to inactive one week early. Then, a three or fours days before I come home, I'll set my account to active (if I am somewhere with Internet access) and it seems to work very well.

Of course, I haven't been able to get a long holiday in the last year or so, so I haven't been able to activate the inactive. Maybe this winter ....

Totally agree with Zmrzlina. I did almost the same when I was away from home. It's very annoying when you have to wait until your card expires only because people are either unaware of this awesome feature with disabling account or just irresponsible and selfish and don't care if other people's cards expire because of them.

Also, I think we need a big reminder (announcement) about this feature (in different colour to attract attention) on the main page somewhere in Your Mailbox area. And a link to this page of course ;) It should also clearly say that you will still be able to sent cards when your account is inactive.

Sorry about such a long message... I just had several cards expired and one registered in a month only because the receivers were on holiday and hadn't deactivated their accounts. And last week I had to explain another postcrosser (whose address was given to me) about this feature as she clearly said (in her profile, and confirmed in private message) that she's on holiday until the end of summer and won't register any cards before she's back. So I'm waiting for another card to expire :-(

I can see more clearly now... thanks for sharing your experience, Cathlud and Zmrzlina. I will deactivate and reactivate my account as you suggested.
Elpis, I am sorry about your bad experience - but then I sometimes get hold of my cards only with a 10 days delay even at non-holiday times, will you blame me for registering late? (I always manage to register my cards before they expire though).
NerdBird, I wish I had neighbours like you!

I do this alway some time before so that cards from China and other far away country's have time to arive before I'm gone.

Also very useful if you are going to move to another address. So less cards will be send to your old address.
I used it myself when I was super busy with work. Works like a charm. :-)

I did set my account on inactive three weeks before actually going away for a month. This was the average travelling time for postcards to arrive to me. I kept sending till the very last minute and yes I did stock up during my month in France. But the first thing I did (even before unpacking) was set my account back to active ;-))
There wasn't a card waiting to be registered so I guess my timing was right.

ola! sunny greetings from Mallorca, having a great time on holiday!
I stocked up well on postcards.. I feel like ´dollart´ lol

I always write on my profile the date I am away and the date I will be home and ready to register cards. Never away longer than two weeks. Good idea, NerdBird, about getting a neighbour to text ID Numbers. Must remember that one next time!

Yes, I have great neighbours :-) The mum and her two kids come in twice a day when we're away to play with and feed our bunnies, and the kids love to check for PostCrossing cards. I think they'll sign up when they're bigger...

Thank you for this hint. I didnt knew this. But now, I do^^
I'm so excited about my holidays in 9 days!!! :) I will travel to Austria! :D

I can't understand the ignorance about registering card, why not register them as soon as you get them?
When I'm sending a card, I'm counting days until it registred so I can send a new one AND recive a card, if it not registred I can not recived any card.
And another thing, why take out a new address if you don't are suppose send the card at once?
I have reach card from Europe (I'm living in Sweden) with over 50 days travel time and on the card it says, ops I forget to send it.
I think it's bad manners.
Sorry for complaining a lot, I love postcrossing but believe that one should think of those who are waiting at the mailbox or that the card to be registered

My account is inactive for the moment because I'm leaving next week. A week before I come back, my account will be active again, because I'm addickted to postcrossing. Thanks all for the tips and hope you all have a very nice and sunny holiday! :)

I will move and have a new addess so this is very useful.

LOL, just noticed the postcard. They're not suitcases, they're bowling ball bags!

I wish I had neighbours

start hoilday today!But 1 Aug.I must back to school.Though tired but i must work hard for my future!

I think people need to be patient and not assume the whole world works like them. For instance, there are plenty of reasons why people don't register postcards straight away or take some time before sending one (rather than on the day they requested the address). Just because you are hooked on your hobby, don't get crossed at other people!
Remember it's all about caring and sharing!