What do you do with all the your kids school work/books etc

[disneyfan2]

but yesterday was the last day of school and i had been putting all the kids (primary years) stuff in bins, well after getting the big piles of stuff to add to the bins, i am now overwhelmed.

I am trying to downgrade the amount of stuff i keep and the kids want it all, but i hate getting rid of it and yet there is too much too keep, any suggestions?

 

[drakes]

I have experienced the same think and then the totes were getting out of hand. I select the items that truly reflect my child's level of art, writing, math etc. Things that will trigger memory or allow us to compare how much she has improved. The art work usually reflects her favorite things at that time. I also keep the special projects - things she spent time working on as a term project. I have also started to take photos of the big pieces as we do run out of room. I then have a variety of shots from the overall right down to the details. My dd likes this as it makes her feel like a star to have her work in pictures

Hope this helps.

 

[michelle1]

After many years of saving absolutely everything I have finally realized that it is ridiculous to store so much stuff. I got rid of everything except a few special pieces of art from each year that they were young and any stories/journals specifically about each child. Each child now only has 1 small bin with their school items and report cards.

 

[bluenosemickey]

I have three in school now and the stuff is unreal!

I think I will adopt the "if something goes in, something comes out" of the totes.

They each have a tote box and I will purge as I put the new stuff in. I think the stuff in the older grades is not as necessary and I suspect that the saving will stop after elementary, or junior high?

 

[justjulie]

My children have taken to throwing it out before they leave school grounds - I didn't even get a chance to see it!

 

[striker3636]

I have an 18x24'ish clear tote that will be the limit of what I am keeping for each child. During the school year, I keep it all in a large bag down in the laundry room and then in the summer I go through it and keep the best. I often keep samples from the beginning of the year/end of the year to show progress, and anything arty with more detail or sentiment. In the earlier grades I would keep anything with handprints and such too. Now that the kids are going into grades 2 and 4 (eek!), I tend to keep more stories and journals. We make calendars for the grandmas each Christmas that showcases the kids' artwork, so I try to save smaller pieces that are 81/2 x 11 for that. This year my daughter came home with a million worksheets, and I got a little more picky about keeping things, and automatically recycled anything but the best. I used to keep absolutely everything, but yes, after a few years you have to make some difficult decisions.... unless of course you have unlimited storage and can keep a tote for each year! I try to think of what I/my child what like to look at 20 years down the road, and go from there!

 

[disneyfan2]

thanks., i bought some clear bins on the weekend. I hope to put 2 grades in each, then after a few years, i may "downsize" again,. Unfortunately, my DD saw the pile of "recycling" and now is having issues with me throwing stuff out

 

[F4disneyfan]

We toss it all in the recycle bin or the garbage depending on what it is.

 

[SandraC]

Take a couple of pictures of the kids with a special project and

CAMPFIRE the rest!

 

[OatsZoo]

We do the same thing, we take a picture of the kids with large projects and art that won't fit into the bin.

I seem to keep more the first time I go through things and then in a couple of years I go through it again and think "why am I keeping this?" and get rid of more.

This year I just keep my DH and DD's journals, spelling books and some math tests. All the thick work books I recycle.

 

[calliemom]

Now finishing grade 3, I go through my dd's stuff and pull out things that she might find amusing when she is "old" like her mom! Things like school journal entries, art work or an exception book report. I put all these things in an envelope and staple a school picture on the outside with the works "grade 3".
Not too much stuff but just enough to have a good keepsake.
I have other friends who scan these things onto their computer so they can look at any time.