September is here.  Whether we are ready or not, life falls into more of a routine than our crazy summer.  It doesn’t take much time at all for me to get overwhelmed with everything that is being thrown my way.  Although I am completely ready to begin planning next year’s vacation, I’ve got to get a handle on things at home first.

I cannot control most of my paperwork.  It is one of my greatest sources of stress in my home.  There is one area, though, that I have a great system of organization….school papers.  I want to share it with you!  This system works incredibly well whether your child is home schooled, two and just starting Mother’s Day Out or 15 and beginning 10th grade.  I have been doing this for 12 years!

Note: if this doesn’t apply to you in this season of your life, please pass it on to someone who can use it.  🙂

You know the scenario, school is over for the day and your kids come home with papers….math, art, awards, etc, etc, etc.  What do you do with it all?

Here is what to do…

Buy an under the bed box for each child and find a convenient place to store them.  (Under the bed boxes even hold 12×18 masterpieces created on manilla paper.)  To be completely honest, I use a small drawer system that is in the closet under the starts that we refer to as “The Closet.”

Everyday when the papers come home, I take them from the backpack, look through them, discuss anything that needs to be discussed and throw them in the drawer.  (I also include awards, programs, testing information, Bible class papers, etc.)  Done…Finished…until the end of the year.  🙂

Now, here’s the disclaimer, the end of the year takes a little work.  But, it’s a one time job!

After school is finished and everything has come home, I clear a spot on the floor or on the dining room table and begin sorting.  For a preschool child, you might have piles such as colors, shapes, numbers, letters, name writing, artwork, etc.  For Skywalkah (1st grade last year) I had math, reading, language arts, writing, science, social studies, art, and awards.  For JoeJack (6th grade year) I had math, science, reading/language arts, world cultures, orchestra, and awards.  For Emily (9th grade year) I had English, Latin, Biology, Geometry, World Geography, choir and awards.

Once the piles are sorted I go through each pile.  I am looking for specific items:

• The best artwork from the year
• Spelling tests from the beginning and end to see a progression of ability
• Handwritten papers from each subject, not Xeroxed papers
• Timed math skills
• Journals
• Notes from the teachers
• Anything else that is special when compared to the entire pile.

 

Those chosen papers go in a file.  Everything else goes into the recycle pile and is gone from my house.  I buy translucent file boxes and legal sized according files from Office Depot.  I use one file per year and the box will hold several years worth of treasures.

 

 

Why is this a great way to organize school papers?

1. It allows you and your child a chance to review the year to see how they have grow and changed.  Warning:  If your child likes to keep everything, do this before school gets out or when they are away.  When Emily was little, she would have been crushed that I was throwing away anything.
2. It puts all assignments in perspective.  When each paper comes home you might think, “this is the best thing I ever saw,” but as you compare it to the entire year you can really tell what is worth keeping and how they’ve progressed.
3. If for some reason you need to find a paper from the year, you know exactly where to look.  I wish I could say that about all my paperwork.  🙁
4. If you home school, you have the items you need for your yearly portfolio.
5. It works for schoolwork, Bible class creations and artwork made at home.

I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. 🙂

How do you organize the other paperwork in your house?