HOW TO: Pack & Mail your Cards for Swaps

I love this posting about mailing ATCs it is awesome and so informative. Now that I have mailed several swaps and personal trades I accidently came across an idea I hope someone else finds helpful. *If I am doing a private trade 1/1 or 2/2 I always write a little thank you to the other trader and now I tape my card or cards (in their protective sleeves) on the inside of the card on the flap I have not written on (top or side depending on the card) it protects the card and - the trick - I use painters tape. It stays when you need it to and comes off clean without tearing up the plastic sleeves. I also have used it for larger swaps that I tape the cards together.
I think it works great.
 
I usually send atc's in a three piece bit cut off a sheet of nine but this doesn't work well if you want to send four. And it makes extra work if someone has to pull them out and slot them into single sleeves.
 
This was such a helpful hint! Now I know what to do with all those pocket pages I have. Do you cut them down when only sending like 3 cards?

kristinized said:
I make flat cards (drawing/painting/paper collage mostly so my cards are flat and that is the best way to save on postage imo. I send 4 cards for .61 and 6-8 for $.98. I don't worry about delivery confirmation myself.

There's a lot of packing methods mentioned in this thread, but I store my cards in a 9-pocket page and then fold it so it's flat. It fits perfectly in a business length envelope. That way I don't have to mess around with tape.
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I've always used scotch tape to tape the cards together. I always fold over one end of the pc of tape to make a little tab to get ahold of the tape to remove it easily without damaging the sleeve. I've never had any complaints using this method.
I also use greeting cards for stiffeners in the envelopes trades are sent in. The ATCs are taped to the inside of the greeting card, extras are put inside the greeting card and a note written on the inside of the greeting card. If you trade with me, you are likely to get a halloween card at christmas or a christmas card in july or a get well card when you feel absolutely fine! I don't pay attention to what the greeting card is for, I pay attention to whether the trade will fit comfortably in the greeting card.
I've never been charged more than a first class stamp for a greeting card with up to 4 ATCs and a few extras in it. Most of my cards are flat, without embellishments to add extra thickness or weight to an envelope. Those that do have embellishments, I pay the extra for.
Greeting cards can be had for a song at the thrift store. I buy them ten at a time for 50 cents. I've also found them at yard sales in the free box on many occasions!
Your tutorial on packing and mailing is quite helpful, OY!
 
To those of you sending out in a regular business sized envelope - how are you including the SASE? just cramming it in there? im trying this method as i type and it aint pretty. as if it weren't obvious, this is for my first swap.
 
Stephanie said:
To those of you sending out in a regular business sized envelope - how are you including the SASE? just cramming it in there? im trying this method as i type and it aint pretty. as if it weren't obvious, this is for my first swap.
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Here is how I pack for swaps (3 or 4 cards) with SASE:

I use a regular business envelope and cut a sheet of cardstock to fix (about 3.75" by 8.5"). I then sleeve my cards and tape 2 to each side. You can also write a little note on here for the host!

For the SASE, I just figured out that you can fold the edge over about 1 inch to make the envelope about 8x4 inches (fold over the short side, not the long). I then tuck my cardstock/cards in the fold (so the SASE is behind the cardstock) and slide this in the envelope. Now, the envelope is a bit tall to seal it normal, but I just fold it over and tape it shut. I should post pictures next time I mail something.

I've read in other threads that the less folds in you SASE the better for the machines. If I'm doing a swap that wants a label and stamps/money, I just tape these carefully to the cardstock.
 
I fold my SASE into 3rds, and have never had a problem with postal machines. Of course I rarely swap anything other than flat/drawn cards so maybe that's why the envies don't get caught in the sorting machines.
 
This guide is really helpful! I have a bunch of those binder card holders from when I collected Pokemon cards, so I'll use those for shipping!

Question though, for the backs of the cards, I made actual "business cards" which are almost the same size (2X3.5) for mine, are they okay? Can I just glue them on the back, or should they be removable with tape?
 
Thanks for the info wished that I had gone to this page before I mailed them today.Oh well live and learn. I stored thi info in my memory bank that is if iI don't loose it.
 
Whenever I trade with someone new I try to remember and send them a link to this site - I found it so helpful and informative when I was starting out - I was very happy to see that a couple of people I recently sent the link to visited and left comments - thanks for taking the time to write this up for everyone - we all appreciate it.
 
I have limited stores in my area, but finally found plastic sleeves in WalMart (30 miles away!). Now, the location within the WalMart store was another hunt - not in stationary, not school supplies, not arts/craft, not toys, but in the tobacco section up by the front register. Seems that the tobacco section handles trading cards, thus the plastic sleeves. I was lucky to find a manager who knew the store layout, the first 4 workers I asked were clueless. :arghh:

Anyway, I found a pack of 25 for about $3.00. Thanks for all the tips, I'm working on my first trade. :yes:
 
Hey, if you have to travel that far and pay that much for sleeves, you should put sleeves on your wish list for supplies, on your profile page. That way, some people will stick a few in with the trades they send you, and hopefully you won't have to buy too many!
 
Ouch, Art101 you paid a lot for those - I think Siena has a great idea to put them on your wish list. Our Walmart has them in the baseball (well all sports really) trading card section at the front of the store. They come packaged 100 sleeves for $1 - they're so cheap for me I'd be more than happy to send you some.
 
Why thank you ICraft! I PM'd you my address. I'll keep looking for a source around here, too.
 
Update: I finally found the "penny sleeves" [as they are known in the baseball card world, or so I was told] in a comic book store on the mainland. They were more like "2 pennies each sleeves", but still way cheaper than what I'd found before for the heavy weight ones. So if you are searching, try a comic book store.
 
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