How to address an envelope

Let me tell you a story about my friend Anthony (the name has been changed to protect the innocent).

Anthony was graduating and wanted to tell all his family and friends. He had never sent anything in the mail before but “how hard can it be?” After receiving his graduation announcement, Anthony sat down to address them all. His mom had given him an address list, so he was set.

First thing, Anthony ran into problems. He knew his address had to go somewhere on the envelope, but he couldn’t remember where. He also wasn’t sure where the recipient’s address should go. He was an adult, he could figure this out.

After an hour of addressing envelopes and putting a stamp on each one, Anthony was proud of himself and ready to mail the cards.

The next week when Anthony went to his mailbox, he was shocked to see all his graduation announcements. Each one had been stamped “Address Unknown” and “Return to Sender.” This was going to cost a fortune to fix and send out again. What did he do wrong?

Since we use email and texts to communicate, we have forgotten (or haven’t learned) how to address an envelope.  But Anthony’s mistakes can be easily avoided if you follow these easy steps.

First, make sure you have all the addresses you need. If you are only sending one card, this is simple. But if you are addressing graduation, wedding, or birthday announcements, you may have a long list.

Second, get comfortable. It can take time to address envelopes. But the effort is worth it.

1. Put the envelope in front of you on the table. Most envelopes are in rectangle form. The long edges should be on top and bottom.

2. Your address (called “Return Address”) goes in the upper left corner. You will need to write it smaller so it will fit in the corner and not go across the entire envelope. It should look like this:

Your Name                   

                    Your Street Address                   

                         Your City, State   Zip Code            

3.     The center of the envelope is where you are going to put the address of the recipient (the person you are sending it to). It should look like this:

Recipient Name             

       Recipient Street Address

                   Recipient City, State    Zip Code

4.     The stamp goes in the upper right corner of the envelope.

After those elements are finished, you are done! Put the invitation in the envelope, seal it (yes, you must lick the glue and it tastes nasty), then take it to the mailbox.

You did it! You successfully addressed an envelope, and you did it like a pro. Now watch your mailbox for a return letter.