What Can I Do with Used Greeting Cards

When greeting cards pile up, it’s hard to know what to do with them. You could throw them all in the trash, of course, but many people don’t want to do that. They would rather re-cycle the greeting cards in some way.

It was once common for mission groups and youth training programs to collect used greeting cards and use them in their work. Those days appear to be gone.

So what can I do with used greeting cards now?

1. Postcards: If the front half of the greeting card is free of writing, cut off the back. Crop the front to postcard size. Use them yourself, or sell them at a flea market, farmer’s market, etc.

2. Bookmarks: Using the principle above, crop the best part of the greeting card to make a bookmark. Punch a hole at the top and tie a bit of yarn through it. These, too, can be sold or given as gifts.

3. New cards: Cut the useable parts of the greeting card and keep them for creating new cards. Purchase blank cards, print your message, fold, and carefully glue your recycled pieces to the new card.

4. Gift tags: Some greeting cards can become gift tags. Simply cut a tag from the card, add names, and attach to a gift.

5. Place mats: Measure out 2 pieces of clear contact paper to the desired placemat size. Cut greeting cards and form a collage the size of your paper. Place the greeting card pictures on one sheet of contact paper, and carefully cover with a second sheet.

6. Coasters: Using the place mat technique, make coasters. Cut greeting cards in circles or squares and laminate them.

7. Box Decor: Decorate business archive boxes for closet storage. Cut and paste greeting cards on the boxes in collage style. Then cover with a coating of clear shellac. If the box is to hold Christmas decorations, Christmas greeting cards will identify it easily.

8. School: Contact your local school and ask if they want your used greeting cards. Elementary schools often look for pictures, and children love cutting them. Just remove the personal part of each greeting card before donating.

9. Bundles: Bundle your used greeting cards and give them to a local thrift store to sell. Many people like to buy them for crafts. You might also sell greeting card bundles on eBay or other auction sites that crafters would visit.

If you hate to toss used greeting cards because of their sentimental value, scan them into a computer, or have someone do it for you. Then burn a CD of your cards. The CD will take up very little space, compared to all those greeting cards, and can even be stored in a safe deposit box if you want to be sure your cards are never destroyed by fire or flood.