Postcard Storage

I'm curious as to how everybody stores their PCs. I know there are a few ways to do it, and I'm thinking of switching from my current method to a different one. I'm looking for ideas.

Right now, I have one of those photo boxes that has the footprint of a photograph, and is about 8" high. I just put the new cards in like photos. There's a space at the top for a picture, but it's not big enough for any of my PCs, so I might make a sign up in MS Publisher to put there.

I know some people do albums...how would you go about that? Is it expensive? Are there other ideas out there?

I have all of my cards in 4X6 photo albums I bought at I think it was Michael's. They were only a few dollars each. I put cards in back to back but I can easily pull them out to read what's on the back. I have 4 books full already. I love to go back and look at them over and over again. There are very few duplicates so far. What fun!!

Greg, I keep my "new" cards in a photobox, the kind that you sometimes get when you buy photo albums. But I have some that I got at a craft store too, I think Michaels. Even found a couple that have lighthouse scenes on the outside. Often these come with dividers and I've used these to divide the cards by states. You can combine states that don't have so many LH's.

For the "out of envelope" exchanges I use a separate little album for each exchange. They are the ones that hold maybe 50 photos. Since the postcards are thicker than photos I use every other space. I slip an extra card of the one I sent out into the cover spot, covering over whatever was on the original cover. On the back "cover" I write the PCE # and the dates it covered. I have a rectangular basket that these albums fit in. Only problem is that it's getting quite full.

I keep separate small albums for cards received from other folks, not in PCE's.

Of course sometimes you will receive some oversized cards or some that are a bit larger than standard. For those I have the same type of small album, in a 5" x 7" size.

I bought a ton of those small albums when Ames was going out real cheap so haven't had to look for them in some time. Michaels may have them or maybe even some dollar stores.

The albums that Carol uses are nice too and they are only a dollar each at Michaels. They are actually easier to get the cards in and out of as they slide in from the top. I think they hold 100 photos.

Hi Greg,
many of the post cards we collect, we add to our album pages, together with the stamps and detailsof the lighthouse.
Others we have put into special ringbinders, for which you can buy insterts with "post card pockets".
But my favourite way of storing them - and I think also the cheapest - is fixed with photo-corners to a page in ordinary ring binders. The paper is a bit thicker, so it is strong enough.
That way I can get 2 cards on a page and a little bit of space to write something with them. And they are easy to sort, store and look at that way.
Have fun!

As I had said before, I was somewhat disappointed in the response. I got but 8 cards out of the 19 I sent!!

But for those 8 that did send me a card, I plan to get some more Jupiter Inlet light cards whenever the shop opens. Was closed the other day due to the evil Wilma!!!

BOB

Bob,
If you are referring to PCE 26, don't forget it doesn't close until November 15th. I know we haven't sent ours out yet, but they will be in the mail by the 15th.

I use archival photo pages from Light Impressions to store my postcards. They are in 2 1/2 inch archival binders. I store some of the extras in 8.5 x 11 pages. My collection is getting quite large.

Bob,I'm not sure if you're participating in a current exchange and if that's what you're referring to by your disappointment. If so, the current exchange runs until November 15. Participants will be getting my card this week (not sure how it will take to get overseas)...

I presently have a small number, so they are standing on the bottom edge of the post card, leaning against the back of the shelf, behind my Harbour Lights.