I feel like there must be an obvious solution that I’m just not seeing, so I put out the call in the hopes that you folks will be my thinking-brain humans. =)
I prefer to print addresses out, as they (1) take up a lot less space on the postcard, leaving more scope for fun stamp choices, and (2) my handwriting is less than stellar, and I’d rather not make the card difficult to deliver – and I’ve got no skill at all any glyphs not used in American English (okay, I can handle accents and umlauts – but I’d never manage Cyrillic or Katakana).
I tend to be printing one, or at most three, addresses at a time. I print the address, cut it out of the sheet, glue-stick it to the card … and then throw away a lot of paper. I mean, I can use it for scrap, but I only need so much scrap. I’m trying to find a less-wasteful way of printing addresses.
I could use label sheets, but many countries have address formats that won’t fit on the ones readily available to me. I could buy sheets with oversized labels and trim more compact addresses down before affixing them, which would at least waste less paper. I could print on plain sticker paper, and attempt to carefully cut just the address part off the backing with a craft knife, but I don’t like my chances of doing that consistently.
What do you folks do? Or do you just print the silly address on a sheet and not overthink it?
You could print the address on a scrap paper. A sheet of paper you no longer need (could be anything, really, an invoice for example) will do the trick just fine. Put it in your printer with the already printed side up, and your address will be printed on the blank side (for most printers it will work this way). If you put it upside down also lengthwise, then you could use it another time (because then the other corner will be printed).
Printing address can avoid the mistakes.That is why I usually print them.I used to made few mistakes when I was still hand writing all address.The letters will never get to the friends I swap. That made me sad,After that unless the people I swap insist me to hand writing his/her address,I use printer instead of my hand.
I’ve recently bought a label printer mainly for Chinese addresses - a really small printer which prints on sticker paper on small rolls. There are ready cut labels, but I started with “endless” plain white sticker paper. The printer has a “scissor border” to cut the printed label by tearing it away. You need an app to transfer and design the address, the printer connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone. The handling is pretty easy, I liked my first printed addresses.
Everyone has a method that works for them, here’s mine (using a PC):
when you request an address, after the page comes up, click on the address that’s in the “You should mail it to” section (it’s a picture!)
right-click on the picture and save it to your desktop - it will be a PNG named with the postcard ID number*
open a page of address labels (I use template 8160)
with your cursor in the space for the next available label, click “Insert”> “Pictures”> “This Device”, locate the picture you saved on your desktop, and double click to insert it on the page - it will automatically resize to fit the label!
print, and then peel and stick onto your postcard (trim if necessary)
*NOTE: In the case of TWO addresses, you will need to edit the PNG so you can insert each address separately. If you need those instructions, please let me know.
It’s a Phomemo M02S for about 80€ with a special envelope design. The more basic model M02 costs about 50€. I admit it’s not cheap, plus you have to buy the little sticker paper rolls… It was a treat to myself.
Just a short question: why copying the png with address from the site and not the address from the E-Mail?
It’s much more easier to handle (in my opinion).
My very first printed address was the png too (as I was too lazy to open my E-Mail software which was a bit trickier than good ol’ Outlook) but it was blurry (maybe nowadays It’s better) and not so easy to edit.
Since then I copy the addresses from the E-Mail.
I use Arial Unicode as font so also cyrillic ect. are properly formatted.
I print out the addresses with my Brother P-Touch. Its costs were around 100 € almost 8 years ago. It’s zero-ink printing and the label rolls cost about 40 € / year. But just if you print a lot - really a lot. I ordered my last labels in 2019.
This printer is connected either via USB or can be provided in your home network (I use this option).
But I also use Avery label sheets. You can use their online software, but not every printer works properly with it (the templates are not correct in software) or their “designpro.exe” - sadly it is no longer provided, at least not on their website. I still have the version of around 2010 and it works perfect also with the latest Win 10 (32 or 64).
At least in Germany Avery provides every imaginable label sheet size, also some US sizes.
When I print addresses - my writing will also push some postal workers to their limits - then I do it like Schalottslady. By using paper with very little print. Backs ide or the bottom is most time available. The address is copied into a WORD document, edited there and then the address is printed. So I can sometimes use the paper several times. Because after the address has been cut out, something remains of the sheet. Should I ever come to the number region of Cassisia, i.e. send hundreds of cards, then I would also consider buying a printer. Because the idea is not bad. Saves time.
I’m not copying, but downloading the PNG (it’s also attached to the email you receive). I use that method because I’m already interacting with the page that comes up, i.e.:
uploading a scan of the postcard I’m sending
opening the profile page of the recipient so I can visit their wall and check their favorites and also see what cards they’ve received from my country and avoid duplicates
In addition, it solves the size issue the original poster mentioned, without needed to retype or resize the font. Again, this is what works for me (and it’s efficient).
I use a Seiko SLP 650 label printer. I print to diskette/name badge labels which are 2 1/8" x 2 3/4" (54mm x 70mm), using cut and paste of the address from the email. The software is decent, and allows some level of formatting, font and font size selection. It prints in cyrillic, and most Asian characters. You can save specific label profiles (for round robins, direct swaps etc.) and Seiko is pretty good about keeping the software up-to-date, both Mac and PC compatible, it is a USB printer. It is a thermal printer and uses no ink or toner. I bought it just after I started and have been very happy with it. Here is the manufacturer’s product page:
I use a Dymo labelprinter… already had it for my own business… so a few labels per month are not that costly and the addresses are very clear for the post office.
I use peel & Stick labels, a Word document formatted for Avery labels, 30 per sheet, and an old Epson wireless printer. I copy and paste from the email I receive. 3 & 4 line addresses fit fine on one label. For 5 lines, I print 4 on the label and handwrite the last line - either the country or postal code. For 6 line addresses, I use 2 labels, 3 lines on each. My handwriting is appalling, and this also allows me to print letters and characters in other languages which in my experience, gets the cards to their destinations quicker.
While investigating the various suggested Avery options, I found that they make a sheet of 1.5" x 1.5" labels (Avery 22805). I’ve downloaded the template, and will do some testing to see if the auto-resizing (thanks, @Heartlover1717) does a legible job with various address formats. I shall report back on my findings, in case anybody is interested.
And, of course, I am also now eyeing the various recommended label printers…
Some testing with the Avery 22805 template suggests that this will suit my needs perfectly; the 1.5" width fits well within the address area of the postcards I tend to send (I often customize them with a wider correspondence area, where that option is available) without making the characters too small to read easily; and the 1.5" height accommodates, for example, six-line Russian addresses perfectly. Methinks I shall order me a box of labels before having lunch.
The more basic model M02 costs about 50€. I admit it’s not cheap, plus you have to buy the little sticker paper rolls… It was a treat to myself. 
