#Stuffing August 27

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August 2026 several of us are going to take on the 30-Day Plugged in Coach4aday Challenge. Each day, we will feature an item from home or office that requires being plugged into a source of electricity to operate. We will reflect on how it makes life easier. For Day 27 it is the Envelope STUFFING Machine.

Before electricity, even stuffing envelopes could be a repetitive mechanical task. Mechanical envelope-stuffing machines eventually automated the process, and electric motors made them faster and more efficient. As businesses discovered the power of large mailings to increase sales the need for a machine to handle the volume became apparent.

Day 27-Envelope Stuffing

Like many of the things that have been profiled this month the availability of electricity started to make manual work easier or faster. Here is a timeline as it relates to getting envelopes stuffed and ready to be mailed off. These machines not only could stuff the envelope, but they could fold the letter.

Brief history

• Late 19th century: Businesses began developing mechanical devices to automate repetitive mailroom tasks, including folding paper and inserting material into envelopes.
• Early 20th century: Mechanical envelope-stuffing and inserting machines became commercially available. They used gears, rollers, belts, and mechanical feeders to automate insertion.
• 1920s–1940s: Electric motors increasingly powered these machines, allowing offices to process large quantities of mail much faster.
• 1950s–1970s: Electric folder-inserters became common in businesses, insurance companies, banks, universities, and government offices.
• Today: Modern inserting machines can automatically fold documents, insert multiple pieces, seal envelopes, and sort or meter mail.

Video

Here is an example of how a small office modern machine works.