How to Organize Your Children's Keepsakes
The Best Ways to Preserve Your Children’s Sentimental Memorabilia
Your Options:
If you have a child who has reached school-age, you know one thing…they are coming home with A LOT of crap, ahem…I mean keepsakes! 🙃 We’re talking artwork, report cards, certificates, writing exercises, and more. And when they bring it home, it can be overwhelming to know what to do with it. But, putting together a system for organizing these sentimental projects will alleviate the stress you feel as a parent and will prevent “the stuff” from becoming a transferred burden to your adult child.
After you and your child have decided which items are precious and joy-sparking enough to keep, your next question to answer is, “Which format do I want to keep for this item?” Your options (and it might be a mix):
The Original physical format
Pros: It’s “the original” complete with detail and size
Cons: Color and quality deteriorates over time and the unwieldy size might make it difficult to storeThe Digital format
Pros: A total space-saver and documents item in its original pristine glory
Cons: Tendency to get lost in the great digital universeThe Display format (placed out as decor or repurposed)
Pros: Enjoy the piece
Cons: Color and quality deteriorates over time
Which format you decide on for each piece will dictate the best method of storage:
Memory Box
Designate a plastic storage tub for each child and add items to it. This is great because it sets a physical limitation on the number of items and will fit lots of different shapes and sizes.
2. Paper Memory Box
Designate a paper filing box for each child and use tab hanging folders to keep sentimental papers organized by grade level.
3. Digital Memories
Take photos of items and preserve the keepsakes digitally.
Take a photo of your child holding their artwork and save to a digital album – this is a sweet way to capture your child’s age and pride as he or she holds the artwork up for the photo!
Utilize digital album options to keep photos organized through platforms like Google Drive/Photos, Dropbox, iCloud, Box, and Amazon Photos (Prime members receive unlimited storage).
The Class Keeper app – a digital scrapbook where you can upload unlimited photos and organize them with albums and tags, invite collaborators, and journal funny memories and stories all in once place.
4. Display or Repurpose Memorabilia
Rather than storing items away from view, here are my favorite ideas for displaying or repurposing your child’s joy-sparking memorabilia to enjoy:
ARTKIVE – create a professional coffee-table artbook of your child’s artwork and framed mosaic prints. Or create your own artbook through a platform like Shutterfly (which also has great ideas for turning memorabilia photos into calendars, mugs, and more!).
ART Collage – this artist recycles your children’s artwork and turns them into beautiful works of art.
Sprout – turn your child’s artwork into custom jewelry pendants.
Turn memorabilia shirts into a t-shirt quilt with Project Repat or Memory Stitch.
Sew Me a Memory – this service turns baby clothes into personalized stuffed bears and bunnies.
Kudos Coaster Plus – turn medals, artwork, photos, and small treasurers into coasters.
Display photos and artwork on the fridge with magnetic pocket frames.
Designate a space in the home for rotating artwork pieces or awards.
Utilize favorite artwork as a bookmark or as unique writing stationery.
*Maintain your organizing system*
If you aren’t filing and storing items right away, add them to a file box to keep them all in once place and designate a day to go through them (this will help manage the influx of items). I highly recommend you create an automated calendar reminder to help remind you and to help establish it as a habit.
By age 5 or 6 years old, your child can also begin to help take on the responsibility of deciding what to keep and storing and filing away their keepsakes. Afterall, these memories are for them! 💖
