MOM HACK: Kids School Filing System
SOOO most of you reading already know I’m pretty obsessed with organizing (if you’re new, please give my business a follow at Miracle Mama Organizing - I’ll be sharing more tips and tricks there as time goes on!)
What I love about organizing is not just the ‘pretty look’. Yes, this is a huge benefit, but I’m more interested in the functionality and ‘chaos free’ lifestyle organizing brings to a space. I also believe teaching children from a young age about organizing, as it instills important values from a young age that they can carry on with them into adulthood (taking responsibility, initiative, taking care of your belongings, recognizing importance and value of hard work, respecting your belongings, how to be self sufficient and on and on and on - those are just to name a few!)
This is one I don’t have my kids help me with, but I do for them. It also eliminates the mom guilt of, ‘should I save this?….is it okay if I toss this?’ So even if you don’t have kids in grade school, I believe this system is extremely useful for saving their little art projects, memorabilia, and things they draw for you :)
I started this when my boys were very young (they went to a ‘PRE pre school’ by age 2. They also have played sports and gone to church from a very young age and were getting their photos taken and/or drawing things.
I found these file boxes for under $7 along with these file folders for an affordable price. I gave them each several folders and labeled them accordingly:
•Photos (here I keep pictures that maybe the school takes professionally and also in the classroom, on field trips, plays, etc)
•Log Ins (all of their passwords to apps/platforms/grade access pages they need for school - periodically (in the beginning of the year or semester) the school sends a form home with each new one, and usually there are SEVERAL, to say the least)
•Awards/Notices (here I will keep any certificates they’ve received or ‘good job’ type of forms. My son was Student of the Month so those papers went in here, he also damaged a library book on accident and we had to pay for it- so that receipt went in here, too haha). Basically any sort of award/school receipt goes in this folder.
•Artwork
•Grades (pre k, kinder, 1st, etc etc)
I love this system because it literally grows WITH your child. My oldest is in 2nd grade and I still have plenty of room for the grades that will follow.
I label each file box (my fave label maker is this one) with their first and middle name and keep it in an area where I’ll have easy access to it weekly. I no longer have piles of paper every week of things the kids made or finished in school or possibly need my attention at a later date.
Let me know if you have any questions! If you don’t have kids, this system is great for filing tax papers, medical records, bills, etc! Happy filing :)