I've been writing letters to my future self since middle school— first on paper, then through FutureMe.org. It's been a great way to capture moments in time and reflect on personal growth. When the site moved behind a paywall, I built my own mobile-first version using Next.js and Tailwind. The design mimics the tangible feel of writing on paper, with letters "sealed" so you can't peek early. Letters are delivered via SMS link when the time comes. I'm currently integrating the Twilio API for delivery and plan to add features like photo uploads and Spotify embeds before a public release.
I have been writing letters to myself ever since I gained the realization that memories fade and life changes– which happened to be in middle school. I wrote my early letters on good ol' pen and paper. As a security measure, I reinforced the envelopes with tape to deter myself from reading letters earlier than the intended date of opening. The contents of my letters included status updates on friends and family, anxieties around school, musings about the future.
A letter from 12-year old-me, written to my 18-year-old self
In high school, a friend introduced me to FutureMe.org, a platform where you could send letters to your future self via email. This is not to be confused with the schedule send feature that all emails have. With FutureMe, once you send a letter to the "future," you cannot access or read it. Forgetting is intentional, making it a pleasant surprise when a letter arrives in your inbox. I used the site regularly, documenting changes through my high school and college years.
When I tried using the site recently, I encountered an error: "Please upgrade your membership to send letters." The formerly free service was now hidden behind a monthly subscription. I turned my frustration into action, and decided to make my own, improved version of the platform.
I made this for myself, so the aesthetic is based on personal taste. You may notice it looks similar to my portfolio! I used Figma to create the static designs and developed the frontend using Next.js and Tailwind in VS Code with the help of Claude Code. I used a mobile-first development process to ensure the user experience was frictionless across all screen sizes.
The backend is still a work in progress, but I plan on integrating the Twilio API to allow your letters to be delivered as links over SMS. I will conduct integration testing to simulate the passage of time, making sure the letters arrive at the right moment.
Mobile
Desktop
To capture moments more vividly, I want to add image upload and Spotify embed features. I also want to further enhance the tangible feel of the site with sound effects and haptics.
I made this for myself, but think others would enjoy using this as well. I'd love to release this publicly once I finish development!
Thanks for reading :)
