About Schrijfmaatje
Who we are and how it works
Schrijfmaatje brings people together with real post. You write a few warm lines for someone you don't know, we turn them into a card and make sure it lands safely on the right doormat. On this page we take our time to explain who we are, how it all works and how we look after your details. Read whatever you like and skip the rest.
Why we exist
Real post has become something special. The letterbox is full of ads and brown envelopes, and in among them a card from someone you don't know stands out at once. For you, with nothing expected in return. You read it twice, you stand it on the windowsill, and it says something small and something big at the same time: someone thought of you for a moment. That gives an ordinary day a different colour.
That's why Schrijfmaatje is here. We want to make doing something for someone else so easy that you barely have to think about it. No fuss, no account, and nothing about yourself you have to give away. A few ordinary lines are already enough, and we take care of the rest.
How it works, step by step
Schrijfmaatje is the go-between, and every card and every reply travels through us, both ways. That keeps things simple for you, and it means nobody sees the other person's address or name. In three steps your card travels from the screen to someone's doormat.
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You write your card
Tell them something ordinary from your day and add one everyday question. What you ate, something you saw outside, a song that was stuck in your head. It's the ordinary that makes it personal, and fine sentences aren't needed. You can leave off your name, and a few lines are already enough.
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We read it and send it out
We read every card ourselves and check that it's friendly and safe. If all's well, we copy it out by hand onto a card, with the recipient's first name at the top, and post it ourselves. Nothing ever leaves us without that look-over.
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Someone gets your card
A few days later your card lands on the doormat of someone from our list, written by a person they don't know. Something to set down on the windowsill and keep for a while. Writing back is welcome, but there's no need.
On paper works too
Not everything has to go through the computer or the phone. The whole route can be done by post just as well, from the very first card to the reply. Every letter and insert says how.
Write your card by hand
Prefer pen and paper? Then just write your card at home and send it to Schrijfmaatje, Vuurdoornstraat 9B, 8924 AT Leeuwarden. We read it over, copy it out where needed and make sure it lands on someone's doormat. Want the other person to be able to write back to you later? Then add your own address too. Only we see that, the other person never does.
Help out with stamps
Schrijfmaatje doesn't ask for money, only stamps. Every card travels by real post, and that's what we run on entirely. If you've a few spare in a drawer, they'll soon carry someone's greeting on its way. Read how that works.
Is it safe?
Yes. We work with real addresses belonging to real people, and we treat them with care. Nothing complicated, just a few things we've sorted out for you, so you can write or receive post with an easy mind.
- We read every card. Before a card goes in the post, a person at Schrijfmaatje reads it and gives it the go-ahead. If a message doesn't fit, we don't pass it on.
- Your address stays secret. We only use it to deliver the post, and we share it with nobody. The writer and the recipient never learn each other's address or name, in either direction.
- A 'yes' from the resident first. We only use a registered address once the resident has confirmed it themselves, with the account code we send by post. That way nobody can register a stranger's address.
- No account needed. You don't have to set up a profile anywhere, remember a password or log in. The code from the letter is all you need.
- Stopping is always fine. No more post? Opt out with your postcode, your house number and your account code, or let us know by note. You don't have to give a reason, and you can always register again later.
Frequently asked questions
What if I'm not so good at writing?
That really doesn't matter, and it's the ordinary that works best. A few lines are enough, and a little slip is no problem. It's about the gesture, not about fine sentences. If you're stuck for what to say, we'll help you on your way on the writing page with a few simple prompts.
Do I have to write back if I get a card?
No, you really don't have to, the card is yours to keep. But a few lines back are often a real treat for the other person, and they needn't add up to much. Something ordinary from your day is already enough.
How long does it take?
Because everything goes by hand and by post, it needs a little time: usually a few days, sometimes a few weeks. That's part of it, and it makes the card something to look forward to as well. Glance in your letterbox now and then, and beyond that there's nothing for you to do.
I've lost my letter with the code. What now?
No problem, the account code only comes by post and never by email, so we'll send your letter again. Haven't confirmed your address yet? Register it again, and we'll post the welcome letter to you again. Already confirmed? Ask for your letter again, and we'll send the same account code once more.
Who gets my card?
Someone from our list of people who'd love post but get little of it. We choose the recipient, so you don't know in advance who your card goes to. We put the recipient's first name at the top of your message ourselves.
Does it cost money?
No, taking part costs you nothing. We run on stamps, not money. If you've a few spare, you'll help the next greeting on its way. Read about the stamps.
How do I reach you?
We're small and read everything ourselves, so there's a real person at the other end. Send a note to Schrijfmaatje, Vuurdoornstraat 9B, 8924 AT Leeuwarden, or email info@schrijfmaatje.nl. No more post? Opt out, always fine and with no reason needed.
The two codes for writing back
Got a card and want to write something back? Then you always fill in two codes together: the conversation code and the account code. Each is eight letters and numbers with a hyphen in the middle, for example ABCD-EFGH. Capitals and hyphens make no difference, so you needn't copy it out exactly.
1. The conversation code
Every card you get comes with its own conversation code. It's on the insert with that card and belongs to that one conversation. It's how we know which message your reply goes with, so it reaches the right writer.
2. Your account code
The account code belongs to you and always stays the same. It's on the welcome letter that came to you by post, not on a card and never in an email. So keep that letter safe, because you need this code every time you write back.
Why two? The conversation code points your reply to the right message, and the account code shows that it's really you. So one code on its own is never enough. It works just like a bank card: you need the card and the PIN, and only together do they work. That's what keeps your post safe, and it means no reply ever just slips through.
Got a card? Here's how to write back
Someone wrote you a card, and now it's your turn to write something back. How nice. There's no need, the card is yours to keep, but if you'd like to it can be done two ways. For either, just have your conversation code and your account code to hand, and you're ready to start.
On the computer or phone
The card comes with an insert with a QR code and a web address. Scan the code with your phone, or type out the address at your own pace. Then you fill in both your codes and write a few lines. A short reply is already enough, and you give no name and no address.
On paper
Rather use pen and paper? Then just write your reply on a card or a note. Add both your codes, the conversation code and the account code (which ones those are, you can read above). Stick a stamp on it, put it in an envelope and send it to us:
Schrijfmaatje, Vuurdoornstraat 9B, 8924 AT Leeuwarden
However you do it: we read your reply over and pass it on anonymously to the writer. Your name and address always stay secret, and you and the writer never get to see each other's details, however often you write back and forth.
Schrijfmaatje and e-powerment
Schrijfmaatje is an initiative of e-powerment, which helps people lead a balanced life with their own strength and their own direction.
e-powerment believes everyone is the better for connection and for the feeling that you matter. Schrijfmaatje fits that seamlessly: a simple way to look out for someone else, and to receive such a warm message yourself. It's small and easy to step into, you need nothing complicated for it, and the effect stays on the windowsill for days.
Want to know what else e-powerment does? Then do take a look at their own site, where you can read more about it.