Family Greetings cards

Can I PLEAD with you to tackle this now and not to leave it for others to sort? When my lovely Mum died she left 3 large carrier bags FULL of cards going back 60+ years. I put aside a shoebox to just keep a few dozen special ones) and then had to find homes for the rest. I donated one lot to a lady who uses them to make handmade cards; another to a local charity who does the same (check out your council's website for recycling - they may have some listed). Another lot went to a local craft group and the rest went into recycling. (Note; I kept some of the very old ones and intend to donate them to a local museum if I can find one!) The whole task took me well over a week (not to mention the tears shed when I was going through them and couldn't stop myself reading the messages) and it was so tiring (and that was in addition to everything-else she'd hoarded. I was exhausted doing it all). Please don't do this to someone that you love but start sorting now. (Maybe ask your kids if they would like some of them e.g. the ones they sent to you?)

Goodness yes but I think I'm on the slippery slope to been a hoarder , I have a card that was sent to my grandmother on her 1st birthday , my christening cards from far too long ago, and all the cards from DD , who I doubt will be interested in any of them , apart from her great grandmas as she was very very close to her, but I look at my spare bedroom sometime and panic about the stuff that's been saved over the years by me and my mother
My DH on the other hand is ruthless and doesn't hoard anything just as well really x

Oh dear, I have a large plastic storage boxful! I occasionally go through them and get rid of a few, but then I feel so guilty.

I have my 21st birthday cards, cards sent on our engagement and wedding and when we had the children. Mothers Day cards from the children, anniversary and Valentine's cards.

I simply can't bin anything that late DH gave me, they are so precious now. I expect DS and DD will look through them when I'm gone and then get rid of them.

Yes, have recycled most of them. Just keep them from the past year. I think of the poor person who is going to have to go through this stuff at some point.

I keep my cards for a year, then when sorting the fresh lot the following year, I bin last year's. I have kept some special ones, but not years and years worth, FHS!

Yes I have. We have one daughter and I have kept all her cards to both DH and myself for the last 30 years. I know what you mean about who is going to be interested in them but I hope when I'm not here it brings memories back to DD and to her childhood. I just can't bring myself to dispose of.

Oh dear, I can't throw mine away either.
I have all the cards received from my partner, 44 years worth, plus those from friends, family and the nice ones which are too lovely to dispose of ...
Too sentimental
I love sending and receiving cards ...

Oh heck that's me! I have my own birth cards and even my mum's 21st cards which date back to 1941. When we cleared their house I found all the cards I'd made her over the years too so it must be an inherited trait I do periodically clear out more recent ones though.

I have saved only the cards which were hand made . Some of them are so wonderful and I could never bin them. They will probably cause a tear when I have gone .

I just keep very sentimental cards - the first card my husband gave me, which was a Valentine's card he gave me the day we met in person, the cards we were given for our wedding, which will go into our wedding album, Mother's Day things my kid made for me in primary school, and the very last Christmas card I ever received from my late grandfather, written likely just days before he died or even the day of (he died right after Christmas a few years ago). Everything else I toss after the event.

Judging by the interest shown in Victorian cards; many in museums around the world; I'd say todays will be very interesting indeed if your descendants keep them and pass them on.

Used to keep all the ones from husband and children, but decided this was madness. So binned a lot of them, just keep a few special ones. DH and I give each other birthday and anniversary cards from years gone by, just keep half a dozen of each and rotate them. Haven’t bought Christmas cards for each other for donkeys years, and other Christmas cards are recycled.
Think it’s easier because cards can be recycled now whereas years ago they couldn’t and it seemed wasteful to just chuck them.

I have quite a few including some old ones, even from the 1950s. I am going to sort them, but there are some really beautiful ones. I'm telling my children not to send such nice cards in future as they are too good to throw out! Let's stick to cheap ones as you have no problem getting rid of them.

Oh dear I'm beyond hope! I have cards for all sorts of occasions, masses of then going back to 1968 (actually earlier than that as I've some my mum kept!), they're a piece of social history and they're going nowhere! My children all know they’re there and as I’m otherwise fairly disciplined in what I hang on to I don’t think it will be a huge burden to them.

I keep very few. I have kept one or two 21st birthday cards, just for sentimental reasons.
I put birthday and Christmas cards up, but the birthday cards go into the recycling after about 5-7 days.
Same with the Christmas cards, they go in the bin at 12th night.

Mine go out in the recycling a couple of days after my birthday.

I do have some mixed in with the rubbish under my bed, but that is in the process of being sorted.

Unless you take an active enjoyment in looking at them, for goodness' sake put them in the recycling! When I cleared my step-mum's house after she died, I kept finding boxes and folders of old greetings cards. Getting rid of them was just another chore for the family - one of many we could have been spared if she'd done a bit more decluttering. It would never occur to me to keep greetings cards for more than a couple of weeks after the event in question, apart from a few special or handmade ones. A birthday card is for your birthday, not for life!

Stacks of them---going back 29 years ! I had ideas of buying scrap books for my GGC to cut out the flowers and animals etc from the cards---some of which are beautiful and making stories from the pictures like I did as a child. Some hope !

It feels like a betrayal to throw them out. Daft I know but that's me.

Yes indeed - currently standing at forty years worth of birthday, Christmas, anniversary, mothers and father's Day cards !

I have kept some where there was a message that particularly touched me. Especially a letter my son sort to me after his wedding. Could never bin that.

Yes especially Mother’s Day cards and birthday cards from my sons.

I have a box of recent ones but I really must bite the bullet.

No never kept anything like that, I appreciate them when I receive them, then after a few days they go in the recycling!

Yes, I have, DanniRae. I really do need to tackle my attachment issues.

Got hundreds in a deep drawer. Got them from my grandparents home as well. And a Great Aunts. Madness. But I can't bin them