As my own "Junkie-ness" is evolving and growing, I'm realizing there is too much I have planned to keep it all organized in my head.  I need a system to track who my contacts are, what I've sent, and what I'm planning to send, both in order to make sure I'm spreading my attention around evenly and not neglecting anyone by accident, and to make sure my plans are realistic and attainable, and I'm maximizing (and not abusing) my budget.  I'm thinking some sort of spreadsheet is in order, but with so many of you supporting just SO SO MANY contacts ( YAY, YOU ALL-YOU ROCK!!!!!) there must be some really effective methods out there in use for managing the business of it all.

So, I'm wondering how all you junkies keep your contacts, package and letter activities organized? 

How do you track when you are "due" to send a letter or package to a given group? (based on your own desire for how often you like to be in touch, of course)  

Do you have (do you even find you need) a system to make sure you don't send dups to a contact, if you are a supporter who likes themes or otherwise prefers to "mix it up" for each contact? 

How do you go about allocating your budget (regardless of what the budget may be)?

Also slightly related, how to you keep letters and responsed you've recieved?  Are they filed by contact or in special keepsake boxed?  (I'm thrilled with my growing collection of free mail-I like to refer to past letter when I write, and it's getting a little out of hand :) )

PLEASE SHARE!!!!  THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!

Whew, Kristen!  I wish I had a good system.  I use an excel spreadsheet where I have listed the country, the name, address, date to leave, number of males/females, and requests.  Then I just log in each time I send a package and a brief description of what's in it, the date, and letter #.  I pretty much write one letter, then adapt it based on specific soldier correspondence, location etc.  All are electronic, so I file a copy under that person's name in my "SOLDIER" folder.  The majority of correspondence I receive is via email, so I file in my "SOLDIER" email folder.  My nephew, who is in Afghanistan (and not posted on anysoldier) is about the only one I receive "free" mail from as he has no access to internet.  Naturally, I do keep all his letters and the other few I have received in a large plastice envelope type folder I purchased at Target.  In this envelope I keep the cards I have purchased to send, the mailing labels, custom forms, etc.  It works pretty well for me.

 As far as budget, HA!  after spending my entire paycheck in July when I first discovered anysoldier, I have had to cut back.  Though I still send letters and cards to my long list, I mostly support those in remote areas.  Though I have a few soldiers on FOBs I send small packages to once a month.  I did learn that some of the FOBs have more available than I was led to believe.  Thus I felt it OK to cut back on "necessities" for those soldiers, but focus on entertainment.

 Hope that helps.  I'll be anxious to read others methodologies.

Teena

I am sure there are more efficient methods because mine is informal, but I will share the details.  I wanted something portable because I travel with business and wanted to pack my contact list. When I first started back in 2005, I tried to keep them alphabetically by last name in a regular address book, but that did not allow many for additions as the pages filled up unevenly. 

So now I use a simple spiral journal and record the contacts loosely by the date they first posted.  I write down initial details of the address, country, number of men and women, date they are leaving, and briefly what they need figuring I can go back and check before I pack a box.  I leave a few lines for when I send something to make a brief note of contents, or postcard, or humorous story so I don't duplicate. I make a note to myself if they responded back by e mail or letter.  If they are from my home state, I will write MN and highlight, so I know to include home state news articles.

 I like this order of date method because as contacts redeploy home, I can simply draw a line through the address which helps me to quickly see what contacts to send or not send.  Roughly, I work my way through the notebook as time goes on, and units change.  I keep every response letter received back from a soldier in a basket at home with a lid.  Nothing formal, just simple and it works for me.

Storage-I finally broke down and bought on sale, a wire drawer system, and store items by category, food, health and beauty, entertainment, mailing packaging, etc.  My significant other calls it the px.

Oh budget...most support junkies are out of control.  I work really hard to find deals, and limit myself to a dollar amount per purchase.  Only you can decide what is appropriate and usually that varies for me from time to time.  I will say that when I don't have a big budget, I switch to mail support by postcard or letter. 
Everything counts!

Kristen,

Every time I pack a box I write down what's inside and the date it's mailed and to who in my journal. This way I keep track of who's next in line for the next package. Sometimes though if I get an e-mail or letter from some of my more talkative friends and they are in need of something or someone within their group is really looking for something I send it immediately, even if I had just sent a package to that person the previous day. I also put on that same list for each individual soldier I support the day I send a letter or card. I keep all letters that I receive in the envelope it's received in and I mark the date on the letter that I've received it. As far as a budget, I'd have to say I'm not vey good at that. Everytime I'm out shopping and see something I know one of the gals or guys would really enjoy, in the cart it goes. My spare bedroom is a mini Meijer Thrify Acre. 

Hope this helps/Pam

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!

System?

I don't have a dining room table anymore!!

I do keep the sheet each time I request the address to send another package to and I write on the back what I sent and keep all those together. In a big messy stack. With all the other stuff on the table

LOL... great responses-thank you!!!

Teena... I had to laugh out loud at the "whole paycheck" comment, too funny!  I myself am a victim of "I can't send a pillow without a pillowcase," and the budget spirals downward from there.

*I should clarify that I don't currently have an actual budget, but I'm aware that I desperately need one!

Mindheartsol...  you managed to fill up whole alphabet letters of an addressbook?  Wow!  (bowing down) that's a lot of contacts!

Zoey, I went to school in Michigan but am from and live in NJ... I haven't seen a Meijer in 12 years!  I LOVE Meijer!

STL...  yep, that's me!  Hence this thread! LOL except instead of one pile I've got stuff in 2 different piles along with other stuff, and some stuff in my bag.  It's a train wreck, really.

These ideas are helping!  Keep em coming!

Regarding filling an address book: just wait until you have been doing this for years!...last year Minnesota had over 3500 National Guard deployed (79 anysoldier  MN contacts) and I sent a package to every contact that stayed on the site long enough for me to get to them.  This year there are "only" 15 MN contacts currently, plus I send to those who need like the KOP or those without a PX, or those who ask for something I may have a large qty of the item.  Maybe we junkies need a counseling service ourselves?

Kristen -

In Special Stories About Your Soldier,  Mail!Mail!Mail!, the second half of the thread, a number of people shared some really good ideas on how they preserve their Soldier mail.

Organization - not real good. 

 Home PX - boxes in the corner of the living room. (Although that's getting a little better).  Mailing boxes - really organized by size, FRB or not, etc. Labels and customs forms - also organized.

Budget - I think someone already said it - HAHAHAHAHA!!!  But have been making an effort to get it under control.

Keeping track of contacts - hand written list/address book/s - two. 

Improving organization or lack thereof (as some have commented) - reading this thread.!!!!!!

Ann

Oh Kristen,

This topic is rich!! 

With my contacts I stay very organized, having gotten all goofed up the first year I did this.  I keep a separate paper for each contact with their personal info (such as numbers and items requested).  They go in a 3 ring binder, and when someone leaves, their sheet goes to the back of the divided notebook (or a different notebook when the first is filled).  The current contacts are in order so that the top sheet is the next owed a package, although it can change if someone requests something that they need quick.  Then once the package is sent, that sheet goes to the back of the current bunch.  I keep a detailed list of what I sent on the sheet, because I learned the hard way that when one of my soldiers asks for more of that whatever, I better have written down what it was (not all protein bars-substitute any product here-are created equal).  Trust me this is the easy part.

As to organizing the "stuff"...STL, you cracked me up with no dining room table.  My entire little ranch house is overwhelmed with AS stuff.  There's no table, barely a chair, and the dog is learning how to walk an obstacle course around the bags and boxes on the floor!  Occasionally, he has to jump.  When my mother last visited, she announced, "You have a problem."  I said, "That's right.  I need a bigger house HAHAHA!"  She was not amused, despite the fact that she supports me and sometimes helps to pay for stuff. 

Which leads to... budget.....you mean we're supposed to try to budget??!!  Every holiday, I'm telling people give me money for my troops.  Frankly, the house is too full of their stuff to fit one more item in it for me.  I shop sales and store things 'til needed (I'll grant you this causes more problems with room...I have xmas items that I bought super cheap at the end of last xmas).  I just got a NY state tax rebate (don't be jealous non-NYers, it's money that we gave 'em originally and now in honor of the elections, we're getting a tiny bit back).  My first thought was thank goodness, now I can afford the things I bought today. I have enough groups that I'm supporting that I finally said no more until somebody comes home.  HAHAHAHAHA   That lasted about maybe a day until I read a post from someone who had only received 2 packages since August.  I figure that at least a small package is in order, right?  Can't wait to hear how other people manage to stop themselves.  I'm beginning to think I have obsessive-compulsive disorder!!

 Kathy

I love this thread.  I'd been curious about how other junkies handled these issues.

I use an Excel sheet that sounds exactly like Teena's and write my letters on the computer and edit them the same way she mentioned.  That way I can go back and read the last letter I wrote to someone so I won't tell them the same news and stories or send the same photos twice.  Like Kathy, I keep the info on my contacts in a 3-ring binder and I write a detailed list of everything I send as I'm packing the box.  Besides the reasons she listed, it also helps me to write my customs forms.  I print off my contacts' emails and file them in the binder, too.  I actually have several binders - one with current contacts and others I move them into when they have come home.  On my list of current contacts, I highlight the name when I have heard back from them.  I have a section on my Exel sheet where I note the date I send a package.  If it's a small one, I add a p, if just a letter, I add an L.  It just helps me tell at a glance what sort of something I sent. 

My "stash" is my little PX here in my basement.  Thank goodness for the basement!  It's a rarity in Oklahoma.  I have a wonderful area in which to organize my goodies.  A friend gave me a set of lockers with 20 sections in it.  I have them labeled so I can keep track of what is where.  I also have several shelf units with things arranged on them, plus several boxes stacked on the floor...  Like Kathy - and many others - I shop constantly for bargains and stock up when I find them.  I also have friends who give me things to send.  I have separate boxes to store them in until I send them, because I like to remember to tell the contact who they came from.  I want them to know their support comes from lots of different people. 

Budget?  I think we all have a hard time with that one!  The first month I did this (back in '04) I kept close tabs on what I spent, thinking I would only spend a set amount and no more.  Ha!  I realized almost immediately that was not going to work.  Now I have an unwritten set of rules (or maybe guidelines?) in my head for shopping.  I have a limit of what I will spend per item, and I try to limit the number of contacts I send to on a regular basis down to around 4 to 6.  Then there are those other folks I send small packages to here and there, plus the letters...  Thank goodness I have friends who help out with postage.  Whew!  Being a substitute teacher, I do have to try to keep my spending down to a dull roar, but I am able to stretch my dollars thanks to many visits to the wonderful discount stores.  The freebies listed here on the forum are a big help, too.  Hurray for networking!

Yeah! I'm inspired now. I'm making a contact spreadsheet as we speak. Contact, where they are when they redeploy when i sent and what was sent. It's lookin pretty good if I do say so. I don't however need a big plan for the mail yet, going since June and only one of my contacts has taken to writing back and emailing occasionally

Lemme know if you want I'll email anyone the blank contacts spreadsheet when I'm finished and you can inch towards organization with me!

I bought a small flip top notebook where I record every address, number of people, when they leave, ect. Each contact gets a sheet of paper. I wanted to be able to throw it in my purse in case I go someplace cool so I can send a postcard. I don't really log what was sent. Sunday night is letter night for me. I write out a letter, address the envelopes and decorate them, and put a stamp on them. Then, on the way to work on Monday, I stop and Kinko's and make copies. Everybody gets a letter sent out on Monday Sometimes, I'll write them each a hand-written letter. Like this week I used some of my son's artwork for stationery. His drawing was on one side, and my letter was on the other side. I told them they'd just have to bear with my crooked handwriting

Storage - I buy as I go. If I see something on sale that I have room for, I'll pick it up. I have to keep it small because I don't have much storage space at present. I don't send that many boxes anyway, mostly letters, cards, and pictures, though I hope to be able to do so in the future.

Letter storage - I have a box that I put everything in. I keep it organized by who sends it. Right now the soldier mail pile is all bundled together, because I only have a few  If I get any emails, they get archived. I have gmail so all I have to do is search for the contact's name and voila! there they are.

It's cool to see how other people keep their stuff organized. Thanks!

I have a notebook where I enter the contact's address and any particulars. I make note of the date I sent a letter/card or box with a very brief description of the contents. I like to write the date I sent something in the event I hear back I get a better idea of how long it took to get there. I can easily take this notebook with me to work and usually carry a  tote bag with my note cards/envelopes and stationery and return address labels and when I have down time I write and can mail either on my way home or the next day.

I keep all my "free mail" in shoe boxes. Lucky for me I have a size ten foot!

My spare bedroom is my packing and storage area. I have flat rate boxes delivered to me and I also have a stash of different sized plain boxes as well as packing peanuts, customs forms,address lables,tape,anysoldier inclosure post cards,etc.

Budget...ahhhhh...yeahhhh...about that.......the plan is always to purchase a few things as I shop and when I fill a box send it, not buy enough to fill three or MORE boxes at a time....yeahhhhh...that was the plan......

Kristen - I also keep a stash of postcards and postage for them in a carry around ziplock baggie.  With my address book in tow, I can take them anywhere and write and send postcards to my contacts.  With friends and relatives around the country, they send me postcards from different states so I have postcards from all over to send.  And where ever I go, I'm always on the look out for them myself.  Even tho i'm a RED SOCKS/METS FAN I broke down and bought this really cool set of cards of the (ouch) Yankees last big series win for one of my contacts.  Actually I bought a couple of sets.  Happy mailing!

Ann