For a while now I’ve been at an impasse with my greeting card collection.

As in, I have too many and I don’t know what to do with them.

Sure, the easy answer is to throw them away (recycle them of course, or even donate them in some cases) but I suspected I could do better.

When I began my quest to re-use, reduce, and upcycle my greeting card overflow I was filled with purpose, eager to find millions of excellent ideas so none would go to waste.

Unfortunately, after my first four or five ideas they kind of just started repeating themselves.

So I’ll tell you what I figured out, and hopefully you can figure out a few more for me. Because I still have a lot of cards to go.

Greeting card gift tags

This is probably the best use for old cards. Simply find images you want to use, cut them out, and write on them (either front or back, it’s really up to you). Then, use a hole punch and tie a ribbon or string through it in order to affix to the gift. You can make them for any occasion and tailor them to your gift recipient.

Make old cards new again

If you have any scrapbooking/card-making skills you will blow this re-card idea out of the water.

Unfortunately, I lack said scrapbook skills so you’ll have to endure my old card cutout, one-liner, and construction paper concoction. Hopefully it will go over well.

Really all you need is a good cover image, a caption, and some paper. And then really make it your own. Customization is key!

Christmas tree decorations

This is a fun way to commemorate favourite cards in a semi-permanent way. You can follow the same directions as the gift tags, or you can step it up a notch. Like add lamination, incorporate it into a paper mache, or even cover it in glossy topcoat and glitter to give it that something something.

Make a homemade postcard from an old greeting card

This works best with a square image and a blank backside. All you have to do is cut the card to the desired size, then sketch out the postcard on the back. As long as you use a real stamp (or if you’re handy with carrier pigeons) your postcard will reach its destination.

Oh, and a paper cutter is recommended to help make really straight edges.

Of course this isn’t a new phenomenon, as a kid every Christmas my mom put out an old handmade nativity built from used greeting cards.

Using old cards is a lot of fun, it gives something seemingly worthless a refreshed purpose.

And I’m thankful I figured this out before the next batch of cards comes in this holiday season—my attitude will be much better this year!