Jeepers Keepers…

Another school year approaches and you wonder what you’re going to do with all the art work and special papersyour child just has to keep. Every year, I get asked the same question how do I organize my child’s special papers without letting them take over the house?

Just Simplify: Create a Keepers Box. There are some fabulous decorative boxes on the market. Purchase one box for each child (about the size of a bread box). Get something that looks nice placed in their room, the mudroom or even the living room!

As papers come home, sort & purge. As kids empty their backpacks, let them put their favorites in their keepersbox. Don’t let them throw everything in the box, but don’t worry about too much just yet. As the school year goes by and you add more, revisit some of papers already in the box and see if they are still keepersor is your child ready to let them go.this is a key phase, one that can be used again and again to teach your child how to organize and prioritize. Read papers again, enjoy them, and then….let them go.

Encourage kids to let go and just keep those few very specialthings. This one box should be sufficient for ALL their school years. Yes, I mean ONE box for ALL 12 years! At the end of each year, do the BIG PURGEand review all of their work from the current school year. Again, encourage them to let goof older pieces and keep just those that really stand out.

Help kids prioritize. If there are 5 pieces of artwork, limit artwork to one or two. Have a goal to save only 5 or 6 outstanding papers for each year. Know that earlier years you might have more items and as the years go on there will be less. Also, as you get ready to start a new school year, look back at previous years’ keepersask again, are you ready to let go of your first grade spelling test now? Keep only the stand-outs. Awards, achievements, report cards and special work can all be corralled in one place.the keepers box.

Norma Conley is a Professional Organizer and owner of Just Simplify of Walpole, MA. Norma has a knack for taking any project (big or small), breaking it down to the simplest detail and establishing what needs to be done first. Norma has a huge amount of energy and loves new projects. She is great with deadlines and will keep you on track. Norma has a good sense of style and loves re-designing a space. Norma can help with color, furniture selection & placement. She organizes attics, basements and everything in between!
Norma Conley phone: 617-365-1237 email: norma@justsimplify.com web: www.justsimplify.com