Hellobee Boards

I scan and save it on the computer. It’s also backed up in the cloud. From there I am able to throw away 75% of it, and I try to be picky about what I keep. If you use an iPhone, you can scan documents in Notes. Makes it easy if you don’t have access to a bed scanner.

Honestly, most of it gets tossed and I don’t even ask him if he wants to keep it! Worksheets for sure get recycled unless he wrote a cute story. I save some of his pictures and put them up in my office. I hate having a bunch of papers around. I ask myself if this is something he would want when he graduates high school and 99% of the time probably not.

I need to do better but here is what we do. I like the idea of scanning on iPhone!

I have a flat document storage box for each kid in the closet. I throw in things that seem meaningful to me and every once in a while go through and throw stuff out as I get a better big picture sense of what’s worth saving. Mostly sentimental stuff.

I didn’t find we got a ton of real artwork in kinder but we have 3 small binder clips hanging on command hooks in part of kitchen where I display art. So something new shows up front, the clip can hold more than that so I can kind of cycle things back and eventually throw away what’s in the back of the pile without a fuss.

Same idea of cycling for papers. SO MUCH PAPER. I make her choose whenever stuff comes home in the folder what gets recycled - of course she saves way too much but at least it involves her a little. Then at someone’s suggestion from her school, I have a standing magazine file with kind of a first-in first-out system. So whatever she wants to save - I tuck in one side. I try (and forget half the time) to clean out from the “old” side as she forgets about things, but if she wants something in newer memory it’s available. Honestly she hardly asks she is just happy to see I’m not tossing it right away. This summer I need to get it down to just a few things that go in the memory box and the iPhone scan might get me there! I do want to remember how far her writing progressed this year as she learned to read, and I love the sweet things she makes while Mommy is still cool to her

I really only plan to save a very few things like a worksheet that had a funny answer on it or maybe a picture I loved but other than that everything gets trashed. I might even take a picture and throw the original away. I know some families hang their child's artwork up in the playroom or child's bedroom and then take it down at the end of the year. As adults do you really care about your old school work? I know I don't. I threw away so much old shit that was saved for no reason.

DD is 3 and has been in FT daycare since 3 months old. I hang her art work from 5 clothespins in the kitchen. I rotate it out as she brings more home. If it's more than scribbles, I take a photo of it and toss it. If it has a good, clear handprint I save a hard copy. As she gets older, I'm sure my criteria for each level of preservation will change. I take the photos and make a 8x8 Shutterfly album from those free coupons.

@808love: Great recommendation on the Lakeshore portfolio! This will be awesome for the few things I save. I've never ordered from there before, any other must haves?

I also have something similar to the Keepsake album but pouch size is limited. That’s for the really really good stuff like annual pics and Dd’s personal memories.

@ShootingStar: I really, really enjoyed looking through my stuff from when I was younger, and I sorted through it and took the most sentimental stuff when going to college. Most of it is in under-the-bed storage and every move, I go through the box, enjoy the memories, and purge.

DS starts kindergarten in the fall and this is my plan. I'm going to get a large binder and protective sleeves. I want to make a page for each year that I can put his teacher, best friends, favourites etc and then keep half a dozen of my favourite from the year. This way we can flip through it and doesn't take up much space.

My in-laws moved a few years ago and presented us with boxes and boxes of DH's elementary schoolwork. It had to have been culled (some) but it was still a massive amount of paperwork. We spent maybe 10 minutes looking at some things and then chucked it all in the trash. We have limited space and very little interest in that. I felt pretty terrible that they had store it for 20+ years and we couldn't be bothered to really go through it. I kept wondering what they had been thinking.

With my daughter's preschool art, I did take pictures of my favorite pieces. We just moved and in the old place I had a clothesline of their art, but I chucked everything when we moved. I only saved one painting on canvas my daughter had done. I put it in my office space and she immediately came and claimed it. I had to tell her that if we were going to keep it, Mommy wanted to keep it safe. I haven't saved anything DSd has done so far. 🤭

I like the idea of making a photo book every year (a thin printed one, not an actual scrap book, no time for that.) DD starts K this year, so I guess I will be put to the test!