Scrapbook postcards so both sides can be seen
Arrange scrapbook postcards with their picture and written side visible, or use paired copies. Group by trip, sender or place, and keep dates and postmarks connected to the correct card.
Decide whether to show the picture, handwriting or both. For mailed cards, keep a view of the reverse that includes the stamp and postmark.
Separate blank holiday purchases from cards someone sent you. You may want to arrange the first by place and the second by sender.
Make a book from these memories
Add your photos and keepsakes, then put the book together in your browser.
Capture the whole postcard
Make a clear image of both sides, including the edges. Use matching file names for each pair so you do not attach the wrong reverse to a similar view.
- Use a full-card image before cropping a stamp or architectural detail.
- Check written dates against the postmark without assuming they must match.
Keep the reverse accessible
For new albums, the Library of Congress advises non-adhesive photo corners and acid-free, lignin-free paper. Copies let you show both sides without fixing the original down.
- Leave enough space around a paper holder to remove the card without bending it.
- Put a copied reverse opposite the front if the original sits in corners.
- Avoid attaching tape directly to the postcard.
Choose an order for the collection
Group bought scenic cards by place. For correspondence, try sender groups or date order. Choose the order that makes the cards you want easiest to find.
- Keep addresses out of any public image of the reverse.
- Ask the writer before sharing handwritten words publicly.
- Use your own index for a large collection rather than shrinking cards into a crowded grid.
Pages to make
One card in full
Put the picture side on the left and the written side on the right at similar sizes, with no decoration covering either.
One place, several views
Put fronts from one place in a row, leaving a gap between them. Keep their corresponding reverses in the same order on the next spread.
A sender over time
Use cards from one sender in date order. Give readable space to the handwriting and maintain each front-and-back pair.
The details
Show the whole card beside a closer stamp or postmark image. Keep both views paired with the same postcard.
Questions
How do I put postcards in a scrapbook without hiding the back?
Use a removable holder or put images of both sides on facing pages. Keep the handwritten side large enough to read.
Should postcards be grouped by place or sender?
Use place groups for a scenic collection and sender groups for correspondence. Choose date order when the travel sequence matters most.
Can I share pictures of old postcard backs?
Check addresses and other personal details first. Ask before publicly showing someone else's handwritten words, even when the card was sent to you.