How To Organize Yourself?

How can I organize my pen pal information?

• I have a bunch of pen pals (over 12 of them) and I'm currently using a composition notebook, writing their names and addresses and the dates they sent me a letter on a section of pages reserved for each person. This becomes problematic because I'm running out of room in the notebook and it's not very neat or easily accessible because I have to flip through pages to find the name I'm looking for, and this becomes an issue when I get a new pen pal because then the names are completely randomized in the book. Is there any way I can organize my pen pals' information in a better way? How can I organize their information to make it easily accessible to me but also neat and even interesting to look at? I keep their envelopes and letters, so if you could suggest a way to organize those as well, that would be great. I have a clear storage box with all my stickers in it and much larger one for all my stationery and envelopes. I would appreciate an inexpensive way to do this if you can suggest one. Thank you!

• Answer:

  First, I would use an address book on a lap top or home computer. Go through and organize them all alphabetically and when a new one comes scroll and add them in where they belong. I know on my computer it organizes alphabetically automatically which is very convenient. Just in case something happens I would organize them also on a hard copy. I would take folders for each person. Have their name on the front, and Address and inside have the rest of their contact information. Again organize them alphabetically. My mom does this with documents, she has the cheap folders that you can place and sort of hang in the box. They sell them at every office section of like every store. They also have little tabs that stick up and you can place either their names in each and then also on the cover. Then if it gets pretty big, I would take one big folder with the tabs and place an "A-E" on it and then put all the folders that start with A through E in the one folder, then continue with the rest of the alphabet. These folders are very inexpensive, like 10 cents each or something, supper cheap! (Maybe more now with inflammation, but less then a dollar I'm sure!)