🪄 Not Fixed Number
No one-size-fits-all rule exists — the number of boxes varies with the material's difficulty and the frequency of reviews.
🔢 Standard Arrangement
The common setup for most learners involves 5 boxes: Box 1 holds new cards, Box 2 is for short-term review, Boxes 3–4 are for mid-term and Box 5 is for long-term masteries.
🎯 Principle of Simplicity
Three boxes should suffice for a beginner — it is still a simple process and yet the advantage of spaced repetition is being utilized.
📆 Intervals for Reviews
The usual intervals are: Box 1 — daily, Box 2 — every 2–3 days, Box 3 — weekly, Box 4 — biweekly, Box 5 — monthly.
⚙️ Memory-Friendly Adjustment
In case of frequent forgetting, decrease the interval or add one more box to get an increase in review frequency.
🧩 Adjustment Based on Subject
While language students may need 6–7 boxes, other students who need to recall facts or formulas might only require 4–5 boxes.
🚀 Slow Expansion
Begin with a few boxes and later increase the number as your collection of flashcards grows or your schedule becomes more stable.
📊 Online Tools
Software and mobile apps take care of the “virtual boxes” automatically, thus allowing you to spend more time on learning instead of managing intervals manually.
💡 General Guideline
In case you are unable to cope with your reviews, it is an indication that you have more boxes than necessary — make the system simpler to remain consistent.
🎓 Customization Based on Goals
When aiming for mastery in the long run (e.g. exams or fluency in a language) use more boxes; whereas when the memorization is for short time fewer boxes will suffice.