Spring Cleaning Tips: Children's School Memorabilia - What to Keep, What to Toss, and How to Organize it All

When my oldest daughter started preschool, I had a very difficult time getting rid of any of the papers and projects she brought home. Every ditto, note from the teacher and art project was kept in a large Rubbermaid container in my closet. One container quickly became two and then three and four. I was so sentimental about everything she did in school, that it broke my heart to even consider tossing anything. As my bedroom closet quickly became overrun with Rubbermaid containers and then my younger daughter started school, I knew that something had to give. As lovely as it is to hold on to every colored and printed paper your child brings home from school, it simply is not practical. Here are some tips on how to discern what should be kept, what can be thrown out, and how to make the most of the school papers that are simply too precious to part with.

Spring Cleaning Tips: Children's School Memorabilia: Holiday Pictures And Projects. Young children generally bring home at least one or two Holiday projects and pictures during the days leading up to Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. From paper mache pumpkins to strawberry container Easter baskets, Holiday projects are a popular assignment in the lower grades. Proudly display the project as your Holiday centerpiece and then store it with your Holiday decorations. Every year or two, go through your decoration boxes and replace the newest project with the older ones. Offer a Holiday project to Grandma and Grandpa or your child's Godparents to keep as mementos. If a piece has very significant meaning to you, by all means, keep it forever. Just be willing to toss less sentimental pieces to ensure you have enough room to store the ones that mean the most to you. Pictures of Holiday scenes made by your child can be framed and kept with your Holiday decorations to take out the next year. Again, only hold on the ones that mean the most to you and offer one or two to family members that will appreciate them. Paste several in a scrapbook once the Holiday is passed.