How to Know Which School Papers to Keep (and Which to Toss)
Last Updated on August 15, 2024 by Alicia Michelle
All of our kids school papers and art projects are adorable aren't they?
But how do we know which school papers to keep and which to toss?
Because, I'm telling you, if you don't have a plan for your kids school papers and school memorabilia they will take over your house.
(Trust me–I've got 4 kids. Enough said, right?)
I'm convinced that those adorable school papers launch a silent-yet-sinister crusade to transform open counter space into (un)organized chaos.
And then, before we know it, we find ourselves with a giant shovel (and a not-so-nice attitude) as we sift through the piles wondering, “How am I supposed to organize all these school papers?!”
When that clutter builds up, we're left with overwhelm, exhaustion and even anger by all the school paper piles.
No more, my friend. NO more.
I want to help you find relief from the chaos of school paper overwhelm (and not knowing which school papers to keep)!
I want to share with you two powerful strategies for knowing how to organize kids school papers:
- First, 6 questions to ask yourself about which school papers to keep and which to toss; and
- Second, a simple, effective way to beautifully store your kids school papers for good!
Yes, you can have a powerful, easy system in place for handling school papers!
Imagine—no more crazy piles! And no more guilt about not keeping every single paper your kids create!
It’s a system that I use in my home, and it works! I can't wait to show you about it!
But first, let's talk about how to know which of your kids school papers you'll keep. Because we need to be able to slim down those paper piles before we organize them, right?
How to Know Which School Papers to Keep (and Which to Toss)
First, we need a way to decide what to keep and what to toss (I’ve got 6 questions you can ask yourself).
But before I share the 6 questions, I need to you do one big, important thing. Ready?
You need to release the guilt behind throwing away your child’s artwork.
Repeat after me: You are not a bad mom if you throw away something your child made.
Instead, consider this: Are you really giving honor to your child’s creation by keeping everything he/she makes and letting it pile up everywhere?
What if instead you chose to keep only the best things (you make the call on what those “best things” are) and released the rest of that work to the garbage can?
I’d argue that, in the end, this is much more honoring to your child’s efforts.
Therefore, the purpose of the 6 questions is to help you determine which items you’d like to choose to represent your child’s best efforts.
6 Questions to Ask About Your Child's School Memorabilia
- Is this a good example of my child’s work?
- Do I like it (or is it special to the child)?
- Is it something that I'll regret not keeping?
- Have I already saved other examples of this type of school work/artwork?
- Do I have to keep it for state record keeping (if homeschooling)?
- Is there a special memory attached to the paper/artwork?
You don't need “yes” answers to all of these questions in order to keep the item!
You make the call on a case-by-case basis. You have the power to choose!
Sometimes, one question will override the others and it will be enough for you to keep it. That’s OK!
In the end, which school papers to keep and which to toss is an emotional decision that only you know the answer to.
Ultimately, these questions are collectively asking one bigger question that’s based around a simple concept:
“Does it bring you (or the child) joy, and will it do so in years to come?”
Let joy be your guide as to whether or not you keep it.
This can be a really hard process at first, but it really is freeing!
But What If My Child Wants Me to Keep All His School Papers?
But now you're asking: “But what will my child think about me throwing away their paper?”
I totally get what you’re saying. Your kid made it, and they’re really, really attached to it.
If that’s the case, I’d err on the side of keeping it, or at least temporarily displaying it in a place of honor in your home (yep, the side of the fridge will do).
But if after a few days it’s clear that your child is no longer attached (and neither are you), then by all means, feel free to release it to the wastebasket.
Remember, you're not throwing away your child's work; you're choosing which school papers are the best to keep.
How to Keep Your Kids School Papers Organized (For Good!)
Now that you’ve selected the “best of the best” of your child’s artwork, what will you do with it?
How will you store your child’s work of art so that it doesn’t:
- get lost in a pile
- be accidentally thrown away
- have something spill on it
- or just get lost in that void where missing socks go in your home?!
Ready for my secret weapon for keeping school papers organized?
I designed it just for moms like you and I who wanted a central place to store each child’s artwork—all the way from the toddler years to twelve grade!
It's called the My Memory Box™: School Paper Organizing System.
My Memory Box™ is a simple and effective way to organize your child’s artwork into a beautiful, centralized keepsake that they will cherish for years to come.
You just simply set up the system for each child and then add papers into the files as you go. Easy peasy!
Most of all, you have an organized place to put those papers you want to keep. Wouldn’t it be awesome to think that you could effortlessly build a beautiful keepsake of your kids’ school work?
And not just school work… what about:
- school/sports awards
- academic achievements or special goals they’ve met
- yearbooks and other small memory books,
I really like the My Memory Box™ system (instead of a binder) because you can store small memorabilia (such as school ribbons, buttons, etc) and oversized items in one space.
Plus you can keep track of fun little facts about your child at each age (such as favorite sports/activities, best friends—and even their signature!).
I also like that once the box is made, it’s made. I don’t have to keep adding to it or doing anything to it. SO much easier than a scrapbook!
And did I mention that it costs hundreds of dollars less than if you were to make a scrapbook or binder of your child's school memorabilia?
With My Memory Box™, all you have to do is put the papers in the file and that’s it!
Plus, I’ve found that My Memory Box™ is especially helpful for kids who are more emotionally attached to their artwork/creations than others.
When they see that you really are treasuring and honoring their work by displaying it in the My Memory Box system, they understand that you place a high value on their work like they do. That speaks volumes to kids.
This 26-page printable PDF includes (in four colors):
(1) 8.5 x 11” My Memory Box™ Box Label
(15) 3.5 x 5” (approx.) Folder Labels, one for each age/grade from toddler to twelfth grade
(15) 2.25 x .5” File Folder Tabs, one for each age/grade from toddler to twelfth grade
Since there are four colors of each box label, folder labels and file folder tabs, you only need to buy one copy for your entire family.
You’ve done the hard part of deciding which school papers to keep and which to toss. Make sure you have a place to keep your kids’ homemade treasures!
Go here to purchase and download the files. Then you can have your system in place and you’ll be ready to go!
Can you imagine how awesome it will feel to have a system that keeps your kids school papers organized—for good?!
My Memory Box™ gives you an easy system that keeps those papers a blessing (not a burden). And as busy moms, we all know that having a method for handling everyday things (like school papers) keeps family life as simple as possible!
It’s one less thing to have to manage, right?!
Go here to learn more about My Memory Box™ and get this organizing system rocking in your home.
Other Posts About Organizing School Papers for Kids
How to Make a School Memory Box for Your Child
How to Organize Your Kids School Papers (for Good!)
Recommended Supplies for Your School Memory Box and Memory Pages
Love this idea! Thanks for putting it together and sharing. We’re trying to utilize Shutterfly to take pictures of the kids artwork, then print off their own books. They love it, but it’s a bit of work. lol.
I don’t know what in the world I’d do without a digital camera and the ability to keep a memory of almost everything that way! Thanks for joining us again at #FridayFrivolity!