With the new school year rounding the corner, I’m sure you have created a space for all the paperwork coming home. Right? The seasoned parents all know it’s coming…prepared with ink in hand, ready to sign your life away. I start the year loving it; the organization, preparation, involvement. Until about the third week of school, then I am done with the paperwork and ready for a shot of calgon mixed with whiskey.
Throughout the school year, there are things I keep and things I wholeheartedly toss. A friend asked me to share my system for the keep-worthy items. I found it on Pinterest years ago, and wish I could find the original gal who created it to give her a cupcake and the credit she deserves. This has made our life so much easier. A place for everything meaningful that we wished to keep; school photos, team photos, essays, art drawings, awards, ribbons, letters and birthday cards received, all-things-sentimental. The boys love pulling out a book and flipping through the pages from time to time. And I love hearing, “Hey, I remember this!”
Before this system, each darling of mine just had a box with everything just thrown into it. It was unorganized and overwhelming. I implemented this 5 years ago, and have continued to not only love it, but more importantly USE it.
Start this system by diving in and separating by school year, beginning with Mother’s Day Out through Senior year. You’ll need: Three-ring-binder(s), dividers for grade levels, clear pocket folders for each grade level, and sheet protectors.
Each grade level starts with a divider – labeled with the appropriate grade level, a clear pocket folder, and a set of sheet protectors.
* Dividers for grade levels
The clear, pocket folders hold the small things; ribbons, medals, bday cards…. Basically anything that doesn’t fit snug in a sheet protector.
Everything else goes inside a sheet protector.
There you have it!
You. Are. Organized.
Plus, you have another reason to use that handy-dandy label maker. 😉
**Disclaimer – The number of binders does not equal a favorite child.