Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Organize Your Letters

In this post I hope to give you some ideas for organizing the letters you receive from your sponsored kids. I’m sure my way is not the best, but it works for us and so I’ll be sharing it with you.
First, I keep a “letter writing” binder….

This is where I put the letters I receive until I am able to sit down and respond. I also keep a spread sheet with our sponsored children’s numbers, birthdates and the dates our sponsorship (or correspondence) began. I use this to keep track of when I write, when I send monetary gifts and anything else. Also kept in this binder are extras I want to send in future letters, labels, and copies of letters I have sent.
Although I rarely take this out of the house, I have been known to escape to a coffee shop to spend some time writing letters and it’s so nice to have this all in one place. Just grab and go!
The next step in my letter organization process involves more binders. Currently I have 3, but they are beginning to get pretty full now that I’ve been writing more frequently (because the children are responding more frequently – such a nice problem).

When I have finished responding to a letter, I file it away in the appropriate binder.






I rarely use the stationary Compassion provides, but I do keep at least one copy per child in the front of each binder – just in case.

That’s it – pretty simple! I love pulling one of these out from time to time and reading through the progression of letters from a particular sponsored child. It’s a fun way to see how the relationship has progressed.
Now it’s your turn….how do you organize the letters you receive?

Comments (8)

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Chris Payne's avatar

Chris Payne · 721 weeks ago

Great tips. Very impressive organization. Thanks for sharing.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
No problem - hopefully it's helpful. After I posted this, I realized I need to think about getting some new binders as mine are getting quite full!

Matthew 25:31-46
Don't be a goat! Sponsor a child today.
<a href="http://www.compassion.com/jillfoley
www.compassion.com/jillfoley<br />
---
I have a separate binder for each child (10) with their picture on the spine so I can easily reach the one I went. I keep all the letters, photos and drawings from each child in his/her own binder. I type all of my letters and keep those in separate files on my computer, along with a table of what I sent when (including monetary gifts). The system has evolved over the past two years, but it works very well.
2 replies · active 721 weeks ago
Thanks for sharing your system. I've toyed with the idea of separate binders - I love that you put their picture on the spine for easy reference. I need to do something that involves getting more binders as mine are getting quite full. Such a good problem to have!

Matthew 25:31-46
Don't be a goat! Sponsor a child today.
<a href="http://www.compassion.com/jillfoley
www.compassion.com/jillfoley<br />
---
Michelle Rausch's avatar

Michelle Rausch · 719 weeks ago

Hi Bev..... That is how I keep track of my children too. However, make sure you back up your info on a memory device in case of a computer crash. I'm sure you are more computer savvy than I am..........but when I first started I did not do so and I lost all records for an entire year! Very distressing..... :(

I'm going to copy your idea of putting my childrens' photos on the spines though! Great idea!!!
Bev, sounds similar to the way I do mine, and yes, it does evolve over time based on needs, experience, and some creativity! Love this part of sponsorship, keeps my OCD happy ;) I have a computer file of the letters I write, as well as include a copy in their own binder. I also scan the letters received just as a backup, and I have a spreadsheet for financial tracking!
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
When I wrote this post, I remembered a post you wrote where you showed your organizational system. I must say...your overall system is quite involved!

Matthew 25:31-46
Don't be a goat! Sponsor a child today.
<a href="http://www.compassion.com/jillfoley
www.compassion.com/jillfoley<br />
---
I keep binders for each child...but mine don't look as pretty as yours!!!!!

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