Hello!
Wow. Time has flown. I feel like I just wrote the first post in this series. Anyway, I am going to tell you how I keep everything organized. I am usually not very organized, but I think I have done pretty well keeping all of my Compassion things organized.
I was going to post pictures for it to make more sense, however I have been gone all day. I will do my best to explain what I do. So if you have any questions, let me know in the comments. I will do my best to help you.
I have a gallon bag for each of my Compassion family. I use a Sharpie and write the child's full name and number on the bag. I keep the child packet, letters from the child, and any stickers or stationery for that child in the bag. Last summer, this worked perfectly. Now the gallon bags have gotten shorter, so I have to fold the stationery in half.
I keep all the stickers for the child in a quart or sandwich bag labeled "stickers." I also printed off name labels for all of my Compassion family. However, I did not have adhesive paper. So, I find that I do not use them. I have them in a snack bag labeled "name labels" in the gallon bag too.
Whenever I get a letter from one of my Compassion family, I am very excited. That is not really important, but I thought I would tell you anyway ;) Whenever I get a letter, I make sure to keep the envelope and write the date I received it on the back. This way, I know how long it took me to get the letter from when it was written. Also, I can see how long it has been since I got a letter from that child.
I write each of my Compassion family twice a month. I write two each weekend. For instance, I wrote Mabel and Aruna this past weekend. I do this online. The whole month, I work on a package to send out. I will write a themed letter to all of my kids. Last month I did geography. I will print off maps or song lyrics to go along with the letters. I also include stickers and coloring pages.
If I get a letter from one of my Compassion family, I reply to it within a day or two. I don't include stickers or anything, just a letter. I like to comment on all that they wrote to me and ask them questions about it. I don't include any extras because it can get expensive to buy all that stuff and to send it out.
Well, that is what I do. What do you do? How do you keep organized? I am always looking for ways to improve my organization.
What did you learn during this series? I hope you got something useful out of it.
Change a life!
Lizzie :)
Week One- Letter writing ideas and tips.
Week Two- How does my letter get to my child?
Week Three- How does my child's letter get to me?
P.S. Please use the survey on the right to show where you sponsor a child. I have all the countries that Compassion works in.
I have my own method, sometimes I love it, sometimes I think I should change it up but am overwhelmed by the thought of that task :)
ReplyDeleteI have one big binder that is divided into 4 sections (one for each of my kids). In slip covers I keep letters, country newsletters, etc. as well as a cover page for each child that includes birthday, family info, favorites (colors, subject, games, etc.) and essentially a list of little facts I learn about my kids, as well as gifts I've sent (what they've purchased).
In addition to the big binder I have one folder for each child. In the folders I keep the child's specific stationary, any goodies I bought specifically for them, and list of each time I write (date,summary of letter, and what I sent with it).
Eventually I think I will just have a binder for each child with dividers for each of these things...but that will be down the road when I have some spare time to get more organized!
Hi Lizzie
ReplyDeleteWell, I only have two Compassion kids but here is how I keep things organized.
I have a big cardboard white box that I keep most of Compassion stuff in.
Inside that box are a few things. I have two 2in folders in there- different colours. There is a folder for each girl with her photo in the front slip of the folder. Inside there are about six dividers. One is for information about her from the Compassion website, one is for information about her country, one is for letters- both the ones she sends me and photocopies of the ones I send her as well as photocopies or lists of what extra goodies I send with those letters, one is for stationary to write back from their letters or letter writing ideas for my letters to her, and the final one is for "letters" from Compassion including info, pastor letters, and step into your sponsored child's world brochures. (One of my folders also have a year calendar in it so I can record when I wrote, when I sent monetary gifts, and when I received letters. Also, I have plastic envelope folders in their for their goodies such as colouring pages, stickers, handmade gifts, photos, etc.
I also put any bulkier gifts such as colouring books or sticker books (to have the pages ripped out of) to send in the box.
In addition, I have a drawer in my desk where I keeps extra paper, gifts made without a specified recipient, as well as plastic sleeves to put in the folders to hold letters.
For storage of all the mailing stuff (aka. envelopes and stamps) I have another drawer and well as the family mailing basket downstairs.
So there is how I organize!
Blessings,
Emily
Wow, you sound way more organized than me! It is funny how everyone does it different. I take pictures of everything I send to my kids. I have them in folders on my computer organized by child and date.
ReplyDeleteRebecca- I love that you keep a list of things you learn about your kids. I should probably do that. I also should keep a list of the monetary gifts I send and what they get.
Emily- That is awesome that you photocopy all of the things you send. Unfortunately, I can't do this, but I think it is a really great way to keep organized. I keep everything in a dresser drawer. In the future I may have to switch to binders, but right now everything fits in a bag.
Thank you for your wonderful ideas...and for reading!!!