Kid Memory Binders: Organized and Easy!
This is a repeat post from last year that got so much attention, I just had to share it again for those who never saw it. And also to inspire those who may have a New Year’s goal of keeping your kid’s stuff organized this year!
For many people, part of their reluctance to invite others into their home is because of their disorganization. And I know first hand with 3 kids how the paperwork piles up! It can really get discouraging.
I’ve shared this easy system with many of my friends. Years ago my friend Anne got me started with this simple organizational system for saving my kids’ memories over the years, by filing them into a binder.
I do not have time to scrapbook so this method gets the job done!
Now my kids spend hours looking through their books! It’s worth the extra effort to be organized! I’d rather my kids’ thumb through their books than watch a mindless T.V. show!
Supplies
2″ white binders from Costco (4 in a pack)
Scrapbook paper (or plain colored paper)
1 box sheet protectors
Starting with Pre-K, I have saved art, special memories, class pictures, sports awards, first book report, every report card, articles their dad has written – you name it, and have filed these papers into these books.
Thank you notes from special people
Our beloved dog went missing
A letter to a teacher
What to wear on a field trip
Moving up to high school
Congrats on driver’s license
10-day backpack trip
Abby’s fist time away to camp
Sports pictures
Accomplishments
Special school speeches
Annual family Christmas letters
Abby’s first post right here on RE
You get the idea …
How to make the book:
• Have a place where you dump the memories (on top of my fridge!)
• When you’re ready to organize, make separate piles (3 kids in my case)
• Start with younger years and move forward (Pre-K is when I started)
• Create a binder for every 2 years (depending on how much you need to file)
• Slip memories into sheet protectors, sometimes folding in ½ or however you can preserve it
• Slip artwork into the front cover, or use a fun piece of scrapbook paper
• Make a side label with child’s name and year(s)
When my kids get old enough, these books will become their memories to keep!
For now, they are mine, and I find myself occasionally thumbing through them too. Of course I get a bit sentimental!
What’s the secret to this easy system? Have your books ready, so when the stuff comes home you can slip it right into the book!
Do you have an organized system for keeping your kids’ memories? Or, if you saw this post last year and implemented it, I’d love to hear how it’s working for you?
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I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Just followed the link from The Inspired Room to here – LOVE this idea! Going to start ASAP! :D
.-= N.´s last blog ..Post-Christmas Reds =-.
I wish I had known to do this when my children were younger… I love it. Can’t wait to see you at Blissdom friend.
And for all those projects that you can’t put in a binder take a picture of them. Then you can toss the project but still have a picture of it.
I love this idea – I’ve been wondering how to keep track of all the art work & such…and my daughter’s not even in school yet. This will work out so well if I have this in place *before* she starts school!
I, too, love this idea but I hate storing binders. While I LOVE The Container Store, I purchased some of their clear lidded boot storage boxes and I allow myself only that amount of space for their school year “stuff”. I do have a keepsake box for other things and save only the school related stuff in these (mine are young, so we don’t have lots of other stuff) but I do like the idea of having a place for all of their cards and memorbilia! Hmm…. how to combine the two systems!!…
I did this last year after reading your post. At the end of the school year we picked out the papers to keep and either punched holes in them, or if they were small used the sheet protectors. Great Idea! I love them. We just cleaned out their “school drawers” since they had gotten full and when school is out we will make a binder for this school year. Of course, if I were as organized as I should be we would aleady have the first half of the year bound!
OK But what are you saving it for? About 10 years ago my mother-in-law came over with a FULL BOX of my hubby’s grade school papers as a gift. He looked thru the box. NONE I REPEAT NONE of them brought back any memories for him. So he said thanks mom and then I asked him where he wanted to keep these papers. He said, “I don’t want them, neither did my mom, just throw them out.” I did. So again WHAT are you saving them for? Eventually they will all get thrown away. NO ONE wants their second grade papers. NO ONE. How long will you keep them around? Why spend the money and the time saving them? Just say Great job, give them a hug and throw them out. You’ll have more hours to spend loving on your babies and playing with them trust me.
I kind of agree. As a minimalist at heart I really dislike keeping things that aren’t very useful around, however I had a few pieces of schoolwork kept for me by my mother and thought it was really nice to look over every now and then. Sadly they didn’t survive my many ruthless clean outs, but I would have loved to share them with my children now they are old enough to see them. So I just keep the special pieces for my children(4 of them). My oldest child is 9, so been in school a few years now, and he doesn’t have a lot of papers. My children have what I call their precious box, which holds all their precious things, first outfit, baby album, hospital band, child health records, newspaper the day they were born, cards they’ve received, a diary the year they were born, coin set of their birth year and then the special school work/certificates/memorabilia.
Having said that, I love this idea. Perhaps for a minimalist like me it will be one album for the entire school years.
Even for a minimalist, which I am at heart, too … I’ve saved each years’ Christmas letters, special notes from people, accomplishments, music related awards and happenings, a few pictures in between, … and have included those in the books. So the books are a little MORE than each school year. Thanks for sharing! Love the ideas of what you’ve saved.
I also take photos of the things I want to remember.
My kids each have an accordion folder where they put away the stuff that they want to keep, cards, photos, etc. When It’s full I get them another one. It’s really easy, but I can see how yours is easier to actually look at later on.
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I’m a scrapbooker but like a lot of people, I’m way behind too. 4 kids equals a lot of stuff and a lot of time. I will stick with the scrapbooking for photos and such but now I know where to put all those certificates, report cards, programs ect…..
Thank you. You just saved me a ton of time. I might have to use it for entertaining!
That’s a great idea. We had a lady come to our MOPS group a couple years back and suggest taking a picture of the kids “stuff”, and make a folder for it on the computer. I’ve been doing that ever since. It really does help with the clutter. I can’t imagine how much paperwork is generated once children hit the school years! Thanks for sharing this idea.
Blessings!
-Sarah
Hi Sandy,
This is SERIOUSLY inspiring. I have tons of scrapbooking supplies, but I never use them for that. It’s too time consuming for the results to me. But this, I can do this! Thanks for the great idea!
Can’t wait to meet you in Nashville. I’m not going to Blissdom, but I’m definitely going to the Thursday night “homie” gathering. See you then!
I like this idea a lot. I did something similar for my son during preschool, but then was convinced I would have time for actual scrapbooking…so now I have all the supplies (at least they are useful fro crafts projects too) and not time to scrap. I can do this much quicker and may even be able to catch up to baby #2!
My son’s first grade teacher did a book for each child with their best artwork and writings in it…it was great! Don’t have to worry about the school aspect of 1st grade at least!
Love, love, LOOOOOOVE this idea….and I remember reading is way back when you first posted it (as well as looking it up since then)!!
Thanks for posting it again!
J
What a great idea, I saw the post last year but haven’t done anything to carry it out. Right now we have a box that all the special things go in and school binders since we home school. Thanks for the reminder to be a bit more organized!
That is such an awesome idea…wish I would have known you and seen this 14 years ago (C:
My girls do save all their notes and cards they receive from people. I save special things they have done here and there but not everything. I think I would but my hubby is not one for saving stuff so lots ends up in the round file. I should save more. I think my girls save the things that really mean alot to them.
I am so going to do this. I’m big on saving memories but not big on doing anything with them but sticking them in a box. I may sell my scrapbook supplies even as I’m not sure I’ll ever get to that craft. Thanks so much Sandy.
I like your concept — wish I had done this when my kids were younger.
But I have a suggestion that would result in a much more durable memory book that will not deteriorate as pages, drawings and other content surely will.
Scan all those materials — each drawing, letter, report card, paper — and upload to a photo sharing site like lifephoto.com. You can store your files and other photos there and create — at no cost — a digital photo book for each child. You can work on it at your leisure — your project will be saved. You can e-mail a “turning page” book preview to share the contents with Grandma via e-mail or on Facebook or other social media site.
When you’re ready to get a printed copy — and you might want to do this once a year — you can get a 20 page 6″x4″ photo book printed for $6.95 or an 8″x8″ (or 9″x6″) 20-page book for $12.95. These are softcover; hardcover are more. Each 20-page book can hold about 50 photos or graphics. You can put text in as well.
While a binder-type memory book is great for the short term — this is a terrific solution for a long-lasting child’s memory book and it doesn’t cost a lot to do.
See what you think.
great, great idea – thanks!
I may have told you last year, but I LOVE this – such a great idea. I won’t even go there that I’m so ridiculously far behind scrapbooking our kids’ memories – how I wish I’d had this idea back then – you make it very doable.
What a great idea..thanks for sharing it!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! :)
This is such a great idea! I remember when you posted this earlier and just never got around to doing it. I have rubbermaid totes full of school work to go through, and look forward to getting it down into a few notebooks! Thanks for re-sharing.
Blessings to you today…
Jennifer
I totally agree, these are great. Every house should use these. I started them last year because we homeschool, but I will use them for other items as well. My kids LOVE them.
cute!
Great system! My son is now grown, but I have boxes of memorabilia. This is a great way to break it down into more managable parts. = ) Thanks for reposting!
Sandy,
Thanks for resposting this one. This is an awesome idea.
I’ve got to get started!!!
Peace.