Most of you reading already know I’m pretty obsessed with organizing. What I love about organizing is not just the ‘pretty look’. Yes, this is a huge benefit, but I’m more interested in the functionality and ‘chaos free’ lifestyle organizing brings to a space. I also believe teaching children from a young age about organizing, as it instills important values from a young age that they can carry on with them into adulthood (taking responsibility, initiative, taking care of your belongings, recognizing importance and value of hard work, respecting your belongings, how to be self sufficient and on and on and on – those are just to name a few!)
This solution is one I don’t have my kids help me with, but I do for them instead – and it also saves my sanity. It also eliminates the mom guilt of, ‘should I save this?….is it okay if I toss this?’ So even if you don’t have kids in grade school, I believe this system is extremely useful for saving their little art projects, crafts they make at home, and things they draw for you 🙂 I started this when my boys were very young, as they went to a ‘PRE pre school’ by age 2.5. They also have played sports and gone to church from a very young age and were getting their photos taken and/or drawing things. I use these file boxes for under $7 along with these file folders for an inexpensive price. I gave them each several folders per box.
Here are a few tips I have with these boxes once you buy the supplies:
-Be intentional about what gets saved and what doesn’t still. I still throw a lot away (and I don’t feel guilty anymore, because I know what I save is what I really want to hang onto)
-It’s okay if you don’t put it away right when they bring it home/make it. What helps me is making a pile every week and then by Friday night it gets put away into their individual box. That way I’m not reaching in every day because that was just getting to be tedious.
-Keep them in an accessible space. Not behind a bunch of heavy stuff or tucked too far where you won’t see them/think about them each week.
-I make several different labels on the file folders themselves. Art, photos (sometimes the teachers will take random photos in the classroom, on field trips, etc), log ins (all of their passwords to apps/platforms/grade access pages they need for each grade), awards/notices (I keep any certificates or ‘good job’ papers, along with any receipts they acquire from school), and finally, their grades. Conner is currently in 3rd grade and I still have a ton of room left in his box to probably get thru elementary school. It’s already so cool to look back when he was in Pre K (where Honey is now!) and see how far he’s come.
I label the outside of each file box (my fave label maker is this one) with their first and middle name and keep it in an area where I’ll have easy access to it weekly. I no longer have piles of paper every week of things the kids made or finished in school or possibly need my attention at a later date.
If you’re not a parent, this system is great for filing tax papers, medical records, bills, etc! Happy filing 🙂
