Memory Boxes for Sale!

Are you overwhelmed with your child's school paperwork, artwork, and keepsakes? If so, you're not alone!! And now is the perfect time to deal with it, as the end of the school year is quickly approaching.

Years ago, I made these memory boxes for my kids:

And now, I'd like to offer the same service to you!
I am excited to announce that I am now selling memory box kits, that come fully assembled and ready to use! For $100, you will receive:

-12x20" split lid Rubbermaid file box

-15 hanging file folders (expand up to 3.5 inches!)

-15 custom labels (Birth-12th grade)

-14 "All About Me" coversheets
-A customized nameplate for your child
-A list of tips on how to organize your memory box

I have researched a bazillion types of hanging folders and file boxes, and I can assure you, that these are the BEST quality! Like I said, I have been using them for my own kids for years and they have really held up well.

Each memory box comes with 14 "All About Me" coversheets, and they are just the cutest :) They contain questions to ask your child on each last day of school, starting at Pre-K and going up to 12th grade. There is a spot to put a picture, and it's so fun to look back and reminisce on each school year! Once completed, put each coversheet as the first piece in the corresponding folder.

Take my word for it, it is SO nice to have all of your kids school artwork and keepsakes in one place!

For a complete list of options for the nameplates, be sure to check my Facebook page and look at the "Photos" and then click on "Albums." There is an album titled "Completed Memory Boxes" that you can browse, as well as a "Memory Box - Options" album.

*Comment below or message me today
to order your memory box!*

Click here to print the order form. Memory boxes will be delivered within 4-5 days; payment required at delivery.

Organizing Your Kids' School Memories

Is there anyone else out there relieved that it's summer, simply because it means that your kids are not bringing home 1,046 pieces of classwork & artwork each day?! (It's ok to raise your hand.)

 

Now, don't get me wrong. I want to know what they are learning each day. I want to see if they did well on their homework. I want to see what masterpieces they create at school. And oh, how I love anything with handprints!!!

 

{But seriously, the amount of paper they bring home can be overwhelming.}

 

Because this is by far the #1 thing my friends & clients ask me my opinion on, I'm going to let you in on a little secret:

I throw away most of it.

Now, you can judge me if you want. Or call me a bad mom. Or say, "oh, my kids would have a fit if I did that!" But, I'm here to tell you that I learned early on (my kids are 6 and 8 now) that it is not humanely possible to keep every.single.piece.of.paper my kids bring home. It's just not. Unless you want to fill up a storage unit with their paperwork & artwork from Pre-K up until they graduate high school!

Now, my system may not be for everyone. But, for those interested,  I wanted to share the system that I've found to work the best...

 

Everyday after school, I put the contents of their folders into a hanging file on the wall. Each kid = own folder. See below; this is the "command center" in my house:

 Then, at the end of each week, I go through the folders and only pull out only a few pieces to keep. A painting they were really proud of, a math test that we studied really hard for, etc. And the keepers go into tubs (pictured below).

 

*More on that later*

Let's back up for a moment. Because I realize that most of you are probably sitting on a few hundred pieces of paperwork/artwork from your kids' most recent school year right now. You didn't whittle it down during the year, and now you're staring at a huge pile and you're completely overwhelmed. Maybe you have 5 years of school memories staring at you! Well, I'm here to tell you that NOW is the time to get a handle on it.

 

For one hour a day, while your kids are in summer camp, or maybe even after they go to bed..... set a timer for one hour. Look through each pile to narrow down the pieces you really want to keep. If you have 27 pieces of artwork that have a cute little handprint on them and you can't bear to let one go, you must. Keep a piece or two from the beginning of the year, some from the middle of the year, and one or two from the end of the year. It's that simple! Same with pieces with their cute little handwriting....keep a few pieces throughout the year to show their progress. And then throw.the.rest.away. I am giving you permission.

 

Once that timer goes off, walk away from the piles. Because yes, you will be creating a lot of piles here! Do this for one hour a day for maybe a week, and I guarantee you will make huge progress and not be so overwhelmed!!!

 

Now for the fun part......Once you're finally down to the paperwork you want to keep, it's time to create a system. I got these plastic tubs at Office Max but really you can find similar ones anywhere. Click here to find the link to mine.

 

But the real key to my system is the folders. Get 2" expandable hanging folders like these.

Designate one folder per grade level, starting at PK-3. And I have mine going up to grade 12.

 

 

I made some simple labels in Microsoft Word, and voila!

You have a school memory box for your child.

 

Before & After: A Closet Fit For a Princess

I had a pregnant client who was in full-on nesting mode, but just need a little extra help getting her soon-to-be daughter's closet ready for the big day. Nothing makes me happier than organizing itty bitty pink clothes, baby blankets, and tiny socks!!

All the clothes were put in size order, we moved the toys into a toy basket in the baby's room, and I went with a mint & pink theme for the bins and baskets, to match her nursery.

 The stroller was relocated to the garage, the highchair went to the attic until it was needed, and we stored odds & end in baskets and bins.

 A hanging organizer with pull-out drawers was used to store linens, carriers, bibs, and extra wipes. And of course, my all-time favorite label that I use with every client I can: the mini-hanging chalkboard! I love the look of the pink ribbon we used to attach them.

 Another transformation in the books!

Giving "Non-Toy" Gifts

I blogged about this last December, and I think I will continue to do it every December going forward. That's how important I think it is!

Kids these days have too.much.stuff.

 

Yep, I said it. And believe it or not, I'm as guilty as the next parent. I can't even tell you how many times I've said to my husband, "We have a playroom full of stuff that never gets played with!" Now, our family has scaled back quite a bit in recent years, but still, it's an ongoing process.

 

The kids & I evaluate their toys twice a year. (And sometimes, I do some small purging when they are at school!) We go through their toys / books / games before their birthdays, and before Christmas.

 

I tell them it's to

1) make room for new toys and

2) to give toys to those that don't have very many

 

Usually, it's a surprisingly painless task.

 

But herein lies the problem. Even if you have scaled back the amount of toys you buy your kids, there's always grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. that want to spoil them with lots of "stuff!"

 

So here's a few ideas for Christmas this year, for some non-toy gifts for toddlers.

Be sure to check out this blogger's non-toy ideas for Children, Teens, Teachers etc.

So this Christmas, consider asking family members to buy things like gymnastics classes, museum memberships, basketball tickets, zoo memberships, or ice-skating tickets (instead of a Barbie doll or another Lego set). If the gift is an experience that they can do with the child, it will make it even more memorable.

Friday Favorite: My Pool Bag

I don't know about you, but me & my kids spend A LOT of time in the summer at the pool / splash pad / beach. Anything involving water really, since Alabama is HOT in the summer!!

I must say though, I get quite a few looks every time we roll up to the pool and I have my H.U.G.E bag over my shoulder!!! Let me tell you though................it is the absolute best !!!

Local friends, I found this ginormous Scout Bag at Anna Kate & Co. a few years ago. And by ginormous, I mean that it's 24"w by 12"d by 18"h. (It's big. And amazing.)

*For those that aren't local, Amazon has a similar option. Click here to see that!*

And I promise you, it holds everything!!!

 I think the key with *anything* big is to break it down into smaller sections. So, I use 2 buckets from the Dollar Store in my bag:

The orange bucket holds all of our swim/dive toys & goggles, while the pink bucket holds our suntan lotion, bug spray, wipes, and my daughter's sunhat. These buckets really help to make sure all those small items don't get lost. Then I pack my daughter's puddle-jumper, the kickboards,

and water squirters on the sides.

For Layer #2, I put our towels on top of the buckets. There is still room left in the bag to store a small cooler or whatever else you might need on the left side.

Finally, I attached a small pouch on the outside of the bag - with a carabineer - that holds all my essentials.....ID, money, keys, comb, lip balm etc.

So tell me....what does your pool bag look like?!  Are you carrying 3 small bags plus towels plus a cooler plus - oh yeah - having to hold your kid's hand so they don't dash across the parking lot?! If so, I recommend you invest in a large bag like mine. It's so nice to have everything in one place. And, as an added bonus, it weighs 20+ pounds once everything is inside. So, you get a workout in too! :)

Organizing Video Games & DVDs

Have video games & dvds taken over your playroom?! If so, here are some tips to keep them under control & more easily accessible for your kids.....

If you use a media cabinet for storage, I recommend using clear bins. This blogger separated hardware/accessories, figures, and games. Super easy for a kid to grab a bin and find the video game or piece they need!

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 Instead of having a media console, another great idea is to repurpose a dresser. Again, use bins to separate games from accessories. Each drawer can even have it's own purpose....1-movies, 2-video games, etc. Like I mentioned earlier, the goal is to make this system kid-friendly!!

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Another option is a lidded option. This is my favorite! I love how everything has its' place and then you can just close the lid and not see it :)

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Use a back-of-the-door organizer to store video game controllers & accessories.

 I don't expect everyone to be able to build a swivel tower like this blogger did, but I love the pegboard idea to hang controllers etc. So, if you have the wall space, hanging a pegboard would be a great option.

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Finally, those pesky DVDs...... I love the idea of getting rid of the cases and just filing them in a cd sleeve. This blogger has a whole system of inventory sheets printed out, but if that's too extreme for you, I would just color-code the movies. (Example: Blue = brother's movies, Red = sister's movies, Yellow = Mom & Dad's movies....)

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Happy Organizing!

Tuesday Tip: How to Organize Kids' Toiletries

I couldn't decide which of these simple ideas to store kid's toiletries was my favorite, so for today's Tuesday Tip, you're getting both!

 

1. Simply purchase a utensil organizer and use it to separate toothbrushes for each child. Slip it in the vanity drawer to keep away from bathroom germs floating around. Easy peasy!

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2. Or if your vanity doesn't have a drawer, consider purchasing a small, 3 drawer storage compartment like this one:

 

 Store this in your bathroom cabinet, and designate a drawer for each child. Use their drawer to store toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, and any other supplies they made need.

{Source}

What is your favorite way to store your kids' toiletries?!

Peek Inside: A Professional Organizer's House....{Nate's Room}

It's the last day of the month, and you know what that means....."Peek Inside" time! And since we've been talking about boys' bedrooms all month, today we'll get to look at my son Nate's room.

 Zone 1: Desk & Lego corner. My son is in first grade, and does not have a tremendous amount of homework. (He can knock it out in about 10 minutes, so we just use the kitchen table downstairs.)

So, the main purpose of his desk right now is to:

1). Serve as a work area for building Lego creations and

2). Display his creations.

 He has one tiny drawer in his desk and I've allowed him to keep whatever he wants in there! I hate to call it a "junk drawer," because it's not junk to him. (But it is to me, ha!) I just threw a few drawer organizers in there from the Dollar Tree. I make him go through the drawer every few months when it's getting too cluttered & full.

I did a post earlier this month on storing Legos; click here to view that post. But basically, Nate likes his Legos sorted by BOTH color & set. These plastic drawer systems came from Target & have done the trick so far. As well as more drawer dividers from none other than Dollar Tree.

 Zone 2: Bookshelves. I absolutely adore the built-in bookshelves Nate has in his room. (They came with the house when we moved in 3 years ago; we got really lucky!) And since my son is an avid reader & Lego builder, these shelves provide plenty of storage for both of his passions. Look at the below picture for each corresponding number:

1. All of the book series he has read.
2. Coin collection
3. Bin of action figures & bin of binders with all of his Pokémon cards
4. More Lego display
5. His "nightstand" - a tray corrals the current books he's reading, a booklight, and Kleenex
6. More Lego storage; see second picture down for more detail.

 

Nate's Lego cabinet, where we store larger sets

 

Close-up of the Left side bookshelf

Close-up of the Right side bookshelf

Zone 3: Closet. Nate's closet is the smallest in the house, so we had to get creative on some of his storage.

1. Sleeping bag

2. Basket of quilts

3. Bin for all his cards/mementos

4. Short-sleeve polos

5. Long-sleeve polos & sweaters (aka "church clothes")

6. Bin with extra sheets

7. Bin with Holiday Books (My mom is a retired teacher, so we have 10+ books for every holiday from Valentine's Day to July 4th to Christmas!)

8. Bin with Summer stuff (mostly bathing suits)

9. Bin for clothes that are "Too Small"

10. Play clothes - long-sleeve & sweatshirts

11. Play clothes - pants

12. School uniforms

It's essential to have clothes where your child can reach them easily! (So you don't have to hear "Mooooom! Where's my ______?!") On Nate's lower hanging rack, I have his school uniforms to make mornings go more smoothly, and then he can easily change into play clothes when he comes home.

Close-up of closet bins; I just made a simple label with my labelmaker

 Zone 4: Taekwondo Gear. Nate takes TKD two days a week, so I wanted a place where he can easily find his uniform, as well as keep it wrinkle-free. (They are strict at TKD!)

So there you have it! :)

Let me know your favorite part of Nate's room, as well as a favorite spot in your own son's room!

Organizing Your Teen's Desk: 11 Must-Haves

Do you have a teenage son with an unruly desk in his bedroom? Is it being overrun by Legos, clutter, puzzles, books, papers, or even dirty laundry?!

 

If so, it's time to clean that sucker off & start fresh....clear the clutter, and implement some new storage systems that will help your son to stay organized. It's important for your son to have a designated spot for homework, and if it's organized, I bet he'll be more willing to sit there and do it :) So, without further ado, here are 11 of my "must-haves" for organizing your teenage son's desk area:

 

 

1. Charging Station. Since every teenager these days has multiple devices, it's nice to have one place to corral them (and charge them at the same time). I love how this one conceals

all the cables with an easy lift-off lid.

 

2. Shelves. It's always best to maximize vertical space if possible, and a system of shelves (or even just one shelf) is the perfect solution over your son's desk. It's the perfect place for storage boxes, books, and even knick knacks. Just make sure the shelf or shelves are deep

 enough to hold the pieces you want!

 

3. File Box. Pop some hanging folders inside, and a file box is the ideal place to store important documents, notebook paper, and extra paperwork from school.

 

4. Metal Locker Bin. Concealed storage is key when dealing with clutter, and I love how this bin resembles an old-school metal locker.

 

5. Lamp. If your son's room doesn't have the best lighting, it's important to have a lamp to provide it. You know, just in case they're up late, burning the midnight oil & doing homework :)

 

6. Magazine File. My son is only 7 but already has two magazine subscriptions! I love these magazine files as a place to store their favorite issues.

 

7. Pencil Cup. You can never have enough pencils when it comes to homework...

 

8. Wall Organizing System. Whether it be a corkboard, dry-erase calendar, chalkboard, or memo board, it is essential to have some type of wall organizing system for your son. It's a good place to pin up weekly assignments & important reminders from school, or even just favorite pictures, mementos, or awards to personalize the space.

 

9. Storage Boxes. In my opinion, storage boxes are my #1 favorite organizing product. They are great for storing extra cords or miscellaneous items not used often.

 

10. Desktop Storage. In case your son's desk does not have a drawer, I adore this option for storing extra homework supplies. (Think: markers, scissors, ruler, and colored pencils.)

 

11. Drawer Organizers. Because ideally, the desk does have a drawer or two

to store homework supplies :)

 

 

*Just in case you need a little more inspiration on organizing your son's desk area, here ya go!*

{1 / 2 / 3 / 4}

And one more thing: I would advise having your son involved in both the de-cluttering & organizing process. Find out what his ideas are, his needs & wants, and what you can do to make it his new favorite place to be productive. Good luck!