What to Do With a Monthly Print Subscription
Print of the month clubs are booming and for good reason. They offer people a tactile touch point in real life, a way to collect art at an affordable price, and gives them something to look forward to receiving in their mailbox every month (and who doesn't want more happy mail?).
Another bonus is that the art is generally small—5x7 or even smaller—affording folks with little wall space to avidly collect art, even in a small space.
Thousands of people jump into a monthly print club every week, and sooner or later, the question invariably comes up, "But what do I DO with all these prints?"
While mall-scale collecting is designed to lower the bar (on price and space), it's not intended to raise stress. Managing your growing collection doesn't need a long commitment or massive effort.
Here are 10 solutions to spark your imagination:
FRAME IT.
Slip the print into a frame the same size as your print, or use a larger-sized frame (with a precut mat to the size of the print). Hang it on the wall solo, or use it as the start of a gallery wall that grows monthly throughout the year.
If you don't have a wall to donate to your cause, consider a single frame where you can swap out the prints monthly and enjoy the variety without consuming the space.
USE A WOODEN EASEL.
Grab a small wooden easel (they're only a couple of bucks), or a wooden block with a slit in the top (Made for displaying postcard calendars) to display the prints. This is a great way to display the print on a desk, counter, bookshelf, or nightstand.
Because you're not adding holes to a wall, it also gives you the ability to move it around (or swap prints) easily.
MAIL IT.
Write a note on the back and send it as a postcard. Or, use a piece of paper cut down to the exact size of the print, write on that, tack it down to the backside of the print and stick it in an envelope to deliver or mail. A little note with a cheerful print will brighten the recipient's day.
BUILD A GIFT AROUND IT.
Use the print as a theme for a gift basket. A zinnia print? Add garden gloves, seed packets, a trowel for gardening. A floral bouquet? Collect tea, chocolate, and handmade touches to match the mood.
ADD TREATS.
Deliver a plate of cookies to a neighbor or muffins to a friend. Fill a container with homemade soup for a shut-in who could use a hot meal and a pick-me-up. Stick the print inside the package to add a splash or color and cheer.
MARK THE MOMENTS.
Use the back of each print to journal a memory from that month. Date it. Reflect. At the end of the year, you'll have a collection of beauty and memory. A lovely archive of a slice of your life.
MIX, MATCH, AND SHARE.
Keep the prints you love. Tuck the others into a stationary drawer for future use—to mail with letters, or send as cards, or include in packages. You'll always have a selection to choose from without running out to buy something at the last minute.
CREATE A GARLAND.
String cotton twine across a window or wall and clip your prints up with clothespins. It's instant joy and whimsy. Enlarge it throughout the year, or start several different ones in new rooms. Or, if you want to keep it small, rotate out new favorites as they arrive each month.
SAVE YOUR PLACE.
Use the print as a bookmark, a jumping-off spot for a journal prompt, or a way to start a morning ritual of gratitude. Let it live in the pages of the stories that shape you.
BRIGHTEN YOUR WORK WORLD.
Take the prints to your office. Pin them to your bulletin board or tuck it in beside your monitor to bring color, calm, and joy to your work day.
The point isn't to use every print perfectly. It's to savor them.
Keep the ones that speak to your soul. Share the ones that might lift someone else's day. Allow beauty to move into and through your life in gentle, imperfect, creative, or spontaneous ways.
There's no wrong way to do this. Let it be easy. And fun. Fill your life and others with joy. Isn't that the whole point anyway?
If you're not already getting Petals in Post prints in the mail, now's a lovely time to start—for yourself or a gift subscription to someone you love. Make space for joy and beauty in everyday life. Learn more here.