Organizing the Home Office, Part Three: Correspondence
The internet provides invaluable household management resources from calendar and budget programs (see previous column) to shopping, paying bills, and, well, this blog. But there are some areas where managing a home office can't, and really shouldn't, be conducted entirely online. Paper crafters already know this, but the stationery store still offers many treasures that have not outlived their usefulness, their intention, or their charm.
While there are online sources for paper goods, patronizing a local brick and mortar stationery store provides more than supporting a small business. A local stationer will build a client file to include examples of your stationery and monogramming; will remind you regarding holiday and other greetings and make it easy for you to choose and order them; and can provide other specialized services from replenishment to embossing. The stationer can keep you supplied with your favorite pens, notepads and notebooks, index cards, and, if you attend professional meetings, a padfolio.
It should also be noted that going to the stationery store is fun in the way that choosing a china pattern is fun. But it is also, in the same quiet but definite way as that china pattern, meaningful, for while some dismiss stationery, letter paper, and cards as frou-frou, with them one is choosing something that represents the household. Stationery, especially with a monogram or symbol, announces the household and/or its member/s to society. That is not insignificant to begin with, but it is of importance in a society where so many households and their members still struggle for recognition and acceptance.
Correspondence - Stationery Wardrobe
In this age of electronic communication, paper letters and cards make an impression upon the recipient. One service, invaluable both to home business and to common etiquette, that a stationer provides is to consult upon and create a stationery wardrobe. A stationery wardrobe is the suite of papers the household uses for its correspondence. While the etiquette regarding stationery wardrobes can get quite elaborate, for most households it is relatively simple. Work with the stationer to choose and design the following stationery wardrobe:
- Stationery - medium weight paper, letter-sized, suitable for household computer printing, with family name and address printed or engraved.
- Letter- or Writing Paper -- medium to medium-light weight paper, letter- or mini-letter sized, suitable for household computer printing if applicable, with family or individual name, monogram, or symbol printed or engraved.
- Cards -- card stock or medium to medium-heavy weight paper, folded and scored to 4" x 6", with or without family or individual name, monogram or symbol but those printed or engraved if so.
- Envelopes -- for each of the above, to match the paper weight and design and to correspond to the paper size when correspondence is folded for mailing.
In the home, professional correspondence refers to that between the household and professionals or officials regarding professional or official matters, whereas personal correspondence is that between individuals but not for professional purposes. Utilize the stationery wardrobe as follows:
- Stationery - use for professional or official correspondence, which may or may not align with a home-based business. Professional correspondence is typed in Arial or Times New Roman 12 point, and signed in ink.
- Letter- or Writing Paper -- use for personal correspondence. While personal correspondence can be typed, it is usually hand-written and signed in ink.
- Cards -- use for personal or professional correspondence as determined by the occasion. Occasions when a card is appropriate include anniversaries and birthdays, thank you notes, follow-up notes, etc. Cards are always hand-written and signed in ink.
- Thank You Notes -- Thank you notes are handwritten on household cards (see above). That includes professional thank you notes unless a thank you letter (on stationery, see above) is correct based upon the correspondents (example: business correspondence, correspondence with government representatives, etc.).
- Condolences -- While no expression of condolence is misplaced, the most correct condolence card is plain with a black border. Casual condolence cards are correct provided they are subdued, and must never refer religiously unless that is correct for the recipient/s. The sentiment written inside a condolence is simple, and always includes the offer - honored, if taken up on -- to help however one can.
- Invitations -- Invitations are either to attend formal, semi-formal, or casual events, and the stationery used corresponds. Formal invitations (example: wedding) are engraved and formatted by a stationer. Semi-formal invitations (example: non-formal dinner party) are issued as personal letters or cards (see above). Casual invitations (example: cocktails or coffee) are issued on casual cards or online. Invitations always include the name and description of the event, the host/s, the date, the start and conclusion times, pertinent details such as dress code, and R.S.V.P. details.
- Special Occasion Greetings -- These include birthday, anniversary, holidays, and related occasions such as get well or new home. They are always correct sent as personal cards (see above), but with only a few very specific exceptions, it is fine to send as greeting cards.
While you're at the stationer's, consider obtaining a pocketed book or filing pocket (or use one of the redwells discussed here) and a supply of greeting cards (birthday, anniversary, thinking of you, etc.) to go into it. Type out, print, and keep in the greeting card file a list of birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates you will want to send cards for, and enter them on the master calendar as notifications (see previous column). Regarding greetings, one of the nicest birthday presents is one of the boxes of casual stationery that stationery stores sell, presented along with a nice pen.
Correspondence - Incoming and Outgoing Mail
Regarding outgoing mail, a book of business letters or an etiquette book is a helpful resource regarding writing and correctly formatting correspondence. We print postage on a Dymo Label Writer 450 and enter the usage on the budget. Beyond stationery (see above), we keep a modest supply of plain white business envelopes and padded mailers.
Some open incoming mail daily and some set aside one time a week to go through everything. In our urban home, it is most efficient for us to scan the daily mail for urgent or interesting items and set everything else aside to go through at a dedicated time once a week as discussed in detail here.
Shred mail that won't be used and filed if it contains potentially compromising information. If in doubt, ask yourself: if a stranger found this piece of mail, would you want them to have access to the information on it? Sometimes, even your name plus address might be too much. For shredding, we use a high-capacity cross-cut shredder designed specifically for safe in-home use. As noted in the previous column, local municipalities often offer free shredding events, which is not only an opportunity to get rid of paper and sometimes electronic waste, but to socialize with your neighbors.
Comments
Post a Comment