Saving School Papers Without Getting Overwhelmed

From the moment a baby is born (and many time even before!), we start collecting momentos of their lives. Ultrasound pictures, that first lock of hair from a haircut, the blanket they were swaddled in when they first arrived; all of these evoke strong memories and are pleasant to view. A little cedar chest and a baby book is wonderful way to safely store these.

When school starts, suddenly, the amount of momentos increases. There are adorable pictures scrawled by tiny hands, those adorable hand print turkeys that everyone makes around Thanksgiving, and you cannot forget about those "letters to mom." But these are mostly paper and other crafting materials. Speaking from experience, the sheer volume of artwork from the first 3 years of school is phenomenal and overwhelming.

But that being said, the sentimentalist wants to keep some things, and it's good to do that, but not EVERYTHING. How can you do that while still showing your child that you care about the work they do? Here are some helpful hints to keep the school paper monster from swallowing you up!

First, and this is so important, deal with the papers at least once a week. Otherwise, it will pile up so fast and you won't get to enjoy anything. In dealing with the papers, get your kid to help! Have them pick out the paper that they are most proud of. Hang it on the refrigerator.

If it is something that you definitely want to keep for a long period, like a report card, story, or those cute letters to mom), get a storage tote. It doesn't have to be large. A 20 quart container will work perfectly.

This part is where you need to prepare for the years ahead. Get some file dividers and attach thick pieces of cardboard to make them able to stand up. Label one for each grade through school. Then place the project or document you want to keep under that coordinating grade. If you want to really be organized, put them in document sleeves and label the sleeve with the date.

As you go through the years, keep the best of the best and take pictures of the rest!Then when your child graduates you have something ready for the graduation party.

When you are looking for totes of all sizes and colors, check out Edge Plastics. This woman-owned, made-in-America company offers private labeling on all products and a unique color palette for customers to choose from. Their products can be found at large retailers throughout the United States and Canada.

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