Postcrossing Blog

Writing is great – but why not take advantage of postcards to express yourself in more creative ways? Sometimes a bit of colour or a funny sticker can really make a postcard stand out and bring a smile to the recipient’s face!

Here are some decorating tips that will take your postcard-making experience to the next level:

• The way you write out the words can create a striking effect. Try writing in a spiral, starting from the inner point and circling your sentences around each other… or just arrange the words in a recognisable form, shaped poetry style!

• Draw something on the postcard! Maybe try your hand at a portrait of yourself, the postbox where you’ll post your card or perhaps match it to the image on the front – even if you’re not a great artist, it will at least make for a good laugh!
• Pens, tapes or glue glitter also help make a colorful statement!
• Customize a rubber stamp that is unique to you, and use the cool design to sign off with instead of your name. Or choose from a variety of pre-made rubber stamps to add a bit of quirkiness to your message.

• Stickers! Stickers are fun, especially shiny, fuzzy, and smelly ones! Add a couple to your postcard for a pop of color, or turn your message into a deciphering exercise by using picture stickers to symbolize words instead of writing them out!
• And last but not least, choose the stamps carefully, since they’re an important element of your card! You can try to match them to the card, or just give them a bit of context, like the funny example below:


Got any more fun decorating tips? Do share them in the comments below!

Postcard photos by PostMuse, stamp photo by Donovan Beeson.

Nobody loves their postcards like postcrossers do – and so we want to make sure that they are safe and sound at all times. We’re often asked the best way to store and transport them, but with so many options and alternatives, it’s hard to cover them all… Nevertheless, we thought we’d give it a try!

Postcard boxes are a popular storage method and you have tons of color and pattern choices to select from. Amazon sells a number of different postcard boxes, but often you can also find them in local card shops.

From left to right: Vaultz acrylic box, Vaultz locking cabinet and Semikolon file box (comes in all sorts of colors).

If you cannot find a fun color or style that you like, you can get creative and decorate the outside with fabric, markers or anything else that speaks to you. Some of these boxes have dividers that make it simple to store the cards and then find them easily using the labels on top of the dividers.

There are also sells a variety of different postcard albums that are ideal for keeping your postcards looking like new for years to come.

From left to right: Hobbymaster postcard album, Hobbymaster linen style album and Trademark postcard organizer.

Make sure that any album you choose is acid-free, as well as free from PVC and has plenty of quality pocket sheets, which will really keep your cards covered nicely. Place the cards inside of the plastic and they will be kept out of harm’s way for good safekeeping.

And now for something slightly different…

A fun way to show off your postcards and keep them stored in style might be by placing them in the pockets of a shower curtain. Yes, there is such a thing! Urban Outfitters sells a shower curtain with vinyl pockets that lets you keep your postcards in a safe place and display them in style. Check it out on their website for more details.

We’d be slightly worried about humidity damaging the cards – so you might want to keep your most beloved cards away from it, but other than that, seems like a nice solution for a postcrosser’s bathroom!

So don’t just throw your postcards in a drawer! Keep them safe and sound so they can look great for a long time to come. :)

PS – How do you store your postcards? Share your tips in the comments!