Past School Items to Throw Away/Keep

I keep a binder for each child and use those plastic page protector sheets. All report cards, awards (school and non school), some artwork, etc. go in the binder. I'll keep writing samples (especially if it's an original writing vs copy from text kinda thing). At the end of this last school year, I went through all the notebooks and ripped out the pages I wanted to keep then pitched the rest.

I wouldn't keep textbooks unless you are truly the kind of parent that would use them over the summer to review. If you're not, then give them away - freecycle them or offer free on craigslist.

Once my guys get a bit older (they're heading into 3rd grade), I'll have them join me in the sorting process. For now, I know I want to keep somethings, but I only keep a very limited amount since it could accumulate to a bookshelf full of binders!!

I chose the binder/sheet protector method since most reports/awards are of the 8 1/2 x 11 size and even the smaller things won't get lost in there. These books can be taken down anytime and flipped through without fear of ripping a page or papers everywhere if you used a box.

Good luck,,,,,don't stress, enjoy the trip down memory lane!
J.

What I am doing is making an electronic copy so I dont have all the papers filling the house.

Hello! I know what you mean.

I have a box for each child.

For art work that I LOVE - I frame it and hang it. For the others? I take pictures of it and throw it out. That way - we will ALWAYS have it but NOT in LARGE form.

For the books/journals - I tear out a couple of pages from the beginning of the year and several from the end (showing the change in mindset and writing ability) and throw the rest out.

Hope this helps!!

Cheryl

Me too! Great question.

I have a box for each year, and store them in the basement walk in closet. However, my Mom is coming to live with us, and this stuff has to get cleared out, so I need to reduce the amount of stuff. I am intersted in any ideas!

I was thinking of having my daughter go through the things and decide what is still important to her; however, what she wants to keep and what I want to keep are different things. Are these her things or mine? I think they are hers and I need to let go. Am I really going to want this stuff when she is thirty? Hard to say.

Great question!

she really won't need them :) but as the mommy we want to keep everything...if you have the space, go for it. if like you said it's getting to be a bit much, have her help you sort what to keep and what goes, it might be a nice little memory lane moment for the two of you.

I say hand it all to her and let HER decide. She know's what's important to HER afterall. We have a Rubbermaid container and a big "portfolio" where all the kids art works are kept. Last weekend my 7 and 5 yr olds "organized" their stuff, including labelling the backs with the year they made it. THEY DECIDED WHAT THEY WANTED TO KEEP.

Now their rooms are clean and I am not stuck figuring out what's important to them.

Best wishes

No question about it. Keep.

I do not know what type of home you live in, but we live in a very small house. Our daughter wanted to save all types of workbooks and papers and ALL ART WORK! I purchased a huge rubbermaid container and had HER put anything she wanted to keep in there.. She never opens it unless I pull it out and have her clean it out a little more..

Over the years it has become more selective. I keep reminding her, this bucket will be sent to her when she gets her own place.. Now that she has lived in a dorm, where everything is stored in a basement each year.. that huge bucket, is really getting a cleaning and very selective....

We have a very small house too, and it my husband that saves everything! I really don't think it is necessary. My son is a good artist, and I scan the best drawings.

We have never actually gone back to all those old papers, tests, workbooks, etc.

I have also seen photo books with this artwork/schoolwork - you can take a digital picture or scan and upload to a photo site and create a photobook of all years (maybe K-6th?) - you can make photobooks with up to 100 pages. Time consuming, but at least it will all be in one place in a nice little book (and you can save the book as a project and keep coming back to add things as time permits). Also, certain times of year, they have the books at huge savings so you can create and save the book and print when on sale.

Workbooks are bulky and probably won't be looked at again. I think that some artwork and a few writing samples each year are sufficient. I also keep the report cards and programs that my kids participated in or were given awards at. I have a copy paper box for each kid in which to store information. Of course, however, I just have a pile of everything that needs to be sorted through and culled out....

I was a nanny for a lady with 7 kids and she had a file cabinet drawer for each child. Every paper, notebook, flat craft project, etc...that they brought home went into that drawer after it had been properly displayed. The kids would go into her office and reminisce often by looking at all those things. As they grew to adults they added less and less but still loved their drawers and shared the items in them with their own kids. They really appreciated the effort their mom went through to save those precious items. I don't know what will happen to all of them when she passes or if the kids even left them there or took them to their own homes but I know they loved having that opportunity to go back and look at their progress.

So, if you have room somewhere then I say keep them until the kids are older and can say if they want them or not.