86 - 3 Things to Consider When You Are Saving Your Kid's Memories

For years I just "organized" my piles in cuter containers, better systems and a larger house. But organization is not about containers or beautiful systems. It is about keeping what you want and love so you can enjoy those items now and in the future. So today I want to talk about the items you are saving for your kids. Specifically - kids artwork, clothing, school papers, old toys, pictures, cards, books, old sporting equipment, etc. 1. What do THEY want? The first question you need to ask is what does your child want to keep? So often I and other mothers save everything "for our kids". But what I realized is I was having trouble letting go. Letting go of memories, stages of life and opportunities to do more in their short years at home. At first we save ALL their clothes in case we have another child. But when no more children come, we just say we are saving the clothes for grandchildren. REALLY?! I DID like it when I had some of my baby clothes to reminisce with my mom about when I had my children. But none of them fit. The stains you can't see now - we glaring when I looked at those clothes 30 years later. My kids are pretty good at getting rid of things when they are done with them. WE put them in the basement! :) So really ask your kids - starting at the age of 4 - what THEY want to keep. 2. What do YOU want? Honestly your kids do NOT want every. single. spelling test they ever did. But I know a mom who keeps them all. Her child's handwriting is so precious to her. That is TOTALLY FINE. Just know you are saving the for YOU not them. Think about it this way. What if your mom showed up today with 18 boxes of every single school paper you ever did? Nostalgic? Would you like to see them? Sure of course! For a few hours. Would you want those 18 boxes in your basement? How about your baby clothes? 5 large tubs full? Every single toy you played with? 3. WHEN do you each want it? I'm not totally clueless. I know your storage room is accumulating boxes of things your kids DO want to keep. And those kids want to keep things at YOUR house long after they leave. It's all about making decisions. While making a scrapbook of pictures, a binder of school papers and a baby blanket {more below} all take TIME - and lots of it. They are a way to: Process through the piles. Pick the best. Experience the memories together. Enjoy a NEW creation. Empty out your storage room without emptying out your heart. I have explained in great detail how to make photo albums and save your kid's school papers in binders. Today let's tackle baby clothes. Head on over to the blog post to see how I turned our kid's baby clothes into blankets.