Why would someone keep an empty envelope?

[Anothernamebite]

To ask why a person would keep an open but empty envelope with their name on the front. They haven't mistakenly kept it. I know this because it has been deliberately moved from its original place and hidden in a new place while they were tidying up.

I suspect you’ll have a better idea than any of us, OP.

People still print out photos??

Probably a specific photo was previously kept in it, then got taken out and either hasn't been put back in it, or has been put back with the rest of the photos.

This. I have several random post it notes and gift tags and an old shopping list that my mum wrote. They probably look like rubbish to other people but they are very precious to me.

What are the photos of?

Who gave the envelope, what did the envelope contain?

It's clearly imbued with magical properties, be careful you don't open the envelope under a full moon OP, it could be a portal to another dimension.

Just to wind you up and it's clearly working.

Yes, it is my husband, my husband's name written on the front.
Now the envelope is inside a packet of photos, photos that I had never seen printed before, random photos from his photo stream from seven years ago. Yes I will ask him but wanted to get some ideas first.

Well in this instance I’m assuming you live with the person that kept the empty envelope so the most logical thing to do is ask them and not people that aren’t keeping an empty envelope?

For sentimental reasons.

The person who wrote it means something to him and it is a part of them that he wants to hang onto.

I have a random envelope with my name on it from my mum after she had a stroke which very nearly killed her. She has really distinct handwriting and she couldn’t hold a pen and write for a long time afterwards. My stepdad wrote my birthday card one year but she wanted to try on the envelope because she presumed I would throw it in the bin immediately but would keep the card up for a bit so didn’t want her ‘messy’ writing being kept. Couldn’t tell you what I got for my birthday that year but seeing that envelope made me cry because I could see it was her handwriting and it had been such a long time since I’d seen it. It lives in my drawer and it’s really special. I’m the least sentimental person I know but that envelope will stay with me forever.
sometimes envelopes mean more than you think!

Do you suspect something OP, if so what? Can't think why you'd be this concerned about an old envelope otherwise.

What were the photos of?

So where was it before…?

I keep old envelopes for scrap paper (to jot down shopping lists, use as bookmarks etc.) The only way you’ll know why this person has kept this particular envelope is if you ask them.

(The true crime fan in me has loads of utterly improbable suggestions- fingerprints, DNA on seal)

There are photos of me, photos of DD, some family shots.

Could there be something written on the inside of the envelope that he wants to keep?

Could it be that he was looking through the photos and used the envelope as a bookmark to remember where he was up to, or to separate the photos into two sets (e.g. those to keep and those to scrap, given they're from a camera roll)?

Why won't you say what it is you're so paranoid/concerned about?

Probably best if you ask him OP, my Dh has an old envelope which I had had written my name & telephone number on the night me met, we’ve been married 45years so could be all manner of reasons possibly sentimental or not hope the explanation doesn’t upset you.

What is your concern about it OP?

Ask him.

Does it matter?

Maybe there was something small and apparently insignificant
inside the envelope, like a hair , which had a meaning for the envelope owner.

You didn’t notice the hair, it’s gone now, the envelope is meaningless.

Well done.

I would guess it has sentimental value. Like previous posters, I've kept an envelope with my name on because it's the last thing written to me by them (my late grandma). Is it from someone who is no longer in his life?

I would do this if it was a lost family member or lost love. Just to have something of them.

I'm guessing it's hand-written? This is a sentimental keepsake.

Or he's a hoarder!