Blog > Postcard storage: boxes, albums and more!
Nobody loves their postcards like postcrossers do – and so we want to make sure that they are safe and sound at all times. We’re often asked the best way to store and transport them, but with so many options and alternatives, it’s hard to cover them all… Nevertheless, we thought we’d give it a try!
Postcard boxes are a popular storage method and you have tons of color and pattern choices to select from. Amazon sells a number of different postcard boxes, but often you can also find them in local card shops.
From left to right: Vaultz acrylic box, Vaultz locking cabinet and Semikolon file box (comes in all sorts of colors).
If you cannot find a fun color or style that you like, you can get creative and decorate the outside with fabric, markers or anything else that speaks to you. Some of these boxes have dividers that make it simple to store the cards and then find them easily using the labels on top of the dividers.
There are also sells a variety of different postcard albums that are ideal for keeping your postcards looking like new for years to come.

From left to right: Hobbymaster postcard album, Hobbymaster linen style album and Trademark postcard organizer.
Make sure that any album you choose is acid-free, as well as free from PVC and has plenty of quality pocket sheets, which will really keep your cards covered nicely. Place the cards inside of the plastic and they will be kept out of harm’s way for good safekeeping.
And now for something slightly different…
A fun way to show off your postcards and keep them stored in style might be by placing them in the pockets of a shower curtain. Yes, there is such a thing! Urban Outfitters sells a shower curtain with vinyl pockets that lets you keep your postcards in a safe place and display them in style. Check it out on their website for more details.
We’d be slightly worried about humidity damaging the cards – so you might want to keep your most beloved cards away from it, but other than that, seems like a nice solution for a postcrosser’s bathroom!
So don’t just throw your postcards in a drawer! Keep them safe and sound so they can look great for a long time to come. :)
PS – How do you store your postcards? Share your tips in the comments!

Tags: stationery, stationery-shops, tips
65 comments so far
And even though this may provoke outrage: Yes, I occasionnally do get cards that I don't like. I'll write a polite thank-you note to the sender, and throw the card away, keeping only the stamps. This way I am sure that every time I open my shoebox, I can enjoy the wonderful treasure of my favourite cards, which show the diversity and caring attitude of postcrossers around the world.
Now I think I need to repaint a wall in my house white so I can do this myself....
How do I store MY cards?
I have various Photo-Boxes for the regular cards...I have indexes by country sent from for the standard cards, and drawers with indexes for my themed collections.
My antique cards (dating back to 1911) are kept in protective sleeves and then in a plastic box so they are safe from any spills etc.(we have a leaky roof, so I'm taking no chances LOL)
My MAIN collections like Frogs, Statue of Liberty, B/W/Color etc. are in Binders. For this I buy regular binders and Acid Free, but standard Page Protectors, and I mount the cards on Paper with Acid Free Photo Corners. It's a lot cheaper than the special Postcard albums, I can put even the odd sizes and shapes in there, and the cards are still safe!
Great topic, can't wait to read more comments as they get posted!
I have found recently that IKEA DVD boxes are ideal for holding cards, especially those that are slightly larger than the norm.
I have numerous albums, dating back from the early 20th century to the modern albums, but the majority of my cards are stored in these IKEA boxes. This allows me to store the cards carefully and neatly (think I may have a little OCD).
I've also seen a coffee table with a glass top, where it was possible to place cards under the glass. This allows the cards to be changed and is a great conversation piece.
I really love my albums ♥
has several creative ideas on how postcrossers store their postcards. Please feel free to join the group.
Also, all of my cards except the oversized ones are in protective sleeves.
Happy PostCrossing days...
it is the easiest way to show them and brag about them ;)
First the case was only brown, then I decorated it with all the stamps. Friends always ask if they can have a look in the treasure chest, all the treasure cards... :)
I don't keep all cards in boxes, some card
- are given away as promotional for postcrossing [only add the website to the card]
- used as businesscard -> my name and address are there already, only add a mobile phonenumber and emailaddress
- re-used as decoration, in artwork etc
- just put in the bin
- or the best: put them on a display everywhere in the house and car
Just kidding.
I actually put them in protective sleeves in binders organized by year, then by the time received,then by whether it's a normal postcard or a swap,and by country. What I would really like to do someday though when I'm rich, which inevitably is gonna happen ;)is to have a big room with a glass wall in the middle where I would put all of the cards up on display and depending on which side you were on you would either get the message or the picture. But for now they're just in a couple of binders in my closet.
I collect flat tins and make two hobbies into one: I picked a nice tin for my cards, and in went the first received one; not anticipating that within a year I'd have way over 200 cards. Get this: I didn't believe the project would work and was some sort of chain-thing...
I also have a lot of new tins... What better excuse to buy them? The cards I receive in the current month are clipped to the calender and dotted around the house. The ones I really think awesome are kept on my desk and on wall behind that. I also framed a couple of particular beautiful ones.
I like the clear file idea and will do that as well.
The cards I want to send are in boxes with dividers; map cards, flags, dolphins, flowers, etc.
Thanks for all the ideas!
I use two paper boxes for my cards, one for normal size cards and second for oversized, different shaped and those that are not so cool. In this box I also keep cards from rare and special countries because the first box is almost full.
Some cards I also hung up at a wire and all other not displayed cards are in up to now 2 shoeboxes.
* I welcome direct swaps. If anyone's interested, send me a message! *
(first picture) All I need is some twine and clothespins...
I love it!
After that, they go into boxes and I love just sitting and looking through them :)
I also like the idea of the shower curtain. Sometimes I receive cards which are very nice but don't fit in any of my personal collections and that's a lovely and funny way to display them.
For the account I set up for my 3rd grade students, I taped a world map and a US map to the wall in the hall where students line up for lunch. When we get a card we read it and discuss it, and then find it's location on the globe. Then I attach them to the maps with a post-it note tag announcing the country from which it came, so that the whole school can see them. Last school year we displayed more than 50 cards! Students often ask about them, and several adults expressed an interest in postcrossing because of our display.
Have fun!
And Kris' postcards are so wonderful, I really love all of them!
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