What is an efficient way to store all keepsakes that one's children have made?

Question

I have boxes and boxes full of stuff: greeting cards my kids have received, crafts they have created, school papers on which they've done well, and certificates/awards they have earned. I've also got a couple of outfits they wore as babies, the coin collections their grandpa is providing for them, and a bunch of other stuff. I really have weeded out the majority of the clutter, but I feel it's important to keep these things for them as a partial record of their childhood. But what do I do with them? It would be nice to have one place for each kid where I can put all that stuff - neatly and well-organized. Seems like somebody would have thought of this by now, and come up with some product to do the job...

Answer 1

If you try to keep everything, you'll never have room for anything. I tried this and pretty soon, I had no room for anything. Kids don't really expect you to keep everything either. We have a bulletin board up of her "best" or favorite projects. Other school work, we can and save on CD since there's lots of room on one of those and papers take up lots and lots of room. Before you start to throw things away, make a collage or scrap book. They'll be practicing writing every year in school, so that's not something you need to keep. However, you will want to keep the first time they wrote their name....stuff like that. Collage it or put it in a scrap book. Don't go crazy on the book though. Designate 2-4 pages per year. Let them participate and choose what they want to add to the collage or book. Then it's something created by both you and the child and more special. I don't know any kids that don't like cutting and gluing. It's just a suggestion, but you really don't need to save everything. Certificates and awards are special, so be sure to hang onto those. Put them in a book in order they were received. Special collections can be on display in their rooms. I found that greeting cards add up fast. Each year, we collage the front of the card and a small snip of the gift wrap. We do this in a scrapbook so that each year is "logged in" and preserved forever.

What you store the final projects and papers in can be another craft project. Have the kids help you design or decorate a box or something suitable for them. Just make sure the chosen box is the same size for both and decorate according to what the child likes and such.

Answer 2

My grandmother had a cedar chest where all that stuff was kept. It was always sort of magical knowing that your drawing was going to the cedar chest. Maybe find a nice medium sized trunk for each child, you can try thrift stores or antique shops to find some unique and well taken care of ones. You can then put several smaller plastic boxes in there separated by year for both the past and future stuff. Accordian files are great too. You can record exactly what the special item is at the top or any other info you don't want to forget. The great thing about those old trunks is that they can serve as other things like benches or night tables.

PS ~ I think what you're doing is great. It sounds like you've weeded out a lot of stuff. Some ppl are sentimental (like me) and others are not. You have no idea how your kids will feel about it later on. Me, I'm grateful for anything I have from my youth or mementoes from my grandparents etc. A few years ago I had to clear out my grandmother's apt when she passed away, and it got me thinking that even though she was a pack rat and saved a lot of things, they really don't amount to much of anything when you think about the future. If I have more than one kid, and they have more than one kid.... everything is whittled down to nothing eventually. You're not just saving this stuff for your kids, but for their kids and their grandkids as well. By the time it gets to them, each child may only get a few things. But It's still important not to keep *everything* otherwise nothing will feel special.

Answer 3

Try to get it down to one box per child. Then go buy a nice wood box or something (craft stores have them and you could let the kids paint their own).
My dad died and I was having a hard time deciding where I should put stuff I had of his; so my MIL bought me a wood box to store all my stuff in. She also made a mosaic on the lid. It seems to work very nicely for storage, and it is pretty decoration in my house as well!

Answer 4

i would sort through them and decide what things you really think your children will want to keep when they are older.... Some things you just don't need. Awards and honors are keepers, but all of there drawings ans such are maybe not as important. After you have went through everything I would be a tub, a big plastic tub label them so they each have their own tub and go from there. but don't keep every last thing you child has ever made because they truly wont care later.

Answer 5

When each of my children turned 18, I gave them a 'gift' of all the mementos I had been saving and holding for each of them, in Rubbermaid tubs, which stayed on the closet floor - serving as a shoe shelf, over the years.

Each birthday eve, I took the box out, and culled the collection - throwing away many items, to make room for the new things that would arrive, in the coming year.

This system worked well for us - I presently still have the box for my youngest (who is now 30), because he travels, in sales, and having his mementos safely stored with me, is better for both of us.

Answer 6

Well it depends where u have it now maybe u should put some in storage. Also, u should try and separate the stuff that's more important from the stuff that is just not. Try and encourage the kids to help separate the things that way it doesn't seem so harsh.

Answer 7

First,some people are right don't keep to much,you'll have to choose what you think THEY might find funny or cute or love when they are older.
I took cards and school papers and special little things and put them in secure plastic bags,then wrote each kids name on a white large envelope and placed in a box,just one,taped the box including some things that my parents gave me.
Shoes were a favorite of mine and theirs,1st sneakers etc. stuffed with paper,used english leather oil in and out
filled small luggage bag with paper and zipped it up securely.
The clothes that I saved were things they liked to wear and I liked,several items each kid(3) at first just kept in draw,with a washing once in awhile,then put in plastic,still washing ironing keeping in good shape.
It as been 39 years most are excellent,I was able to give my Granddaughter a little nightgown her mother wore when she was three.
I thought my daughter was going to fall over when she saw it and my granddaughter loved it.
It was white covered with red hearts and said,"MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY"
Well worth the effort,Don't forget the pictures,it really embaresses them.

Answer 8

Well I have laminated about everything that my child has colored, written, or drawn on to save those, and I've laminted all her certificates and awards, pen pal letters and many other things. I have bought scrap books and photo albums to put in other things like valentines from every year, and christmas cards, wrapping paper from each gift each year, list of gifts and who they are from, birthday invitations, pictures, birthday cards, christmas, easter, thanksgiving, st patricks day, ect you name it. I've saved absolutely everything and my house is NOT cluttered with anything, they are neatly in books. I've even saved the tickets from each movie we went to, and all her teeth, poems, homemade cards, and lots of other stuff. The art I can't put away is in frame on the wall, or they decorate my tables, kitchen, and coffee, and end tables, and bed side tables. I even saved all her posters from all her reports, they are stored behind the couch. so I've saved all of it and things are not over crowded here. Good Luck to you !

Answer 9

If you feel you must keep these mementos, place like sizes in zip lock bags with a fabric softener sheet and store in an air tight plastic bin labeled for each child. The fabric softener sheet will keep the items from smelling musty when opened.

Answer 10

If they are paper objects that can be scanned, scan them and put the images on a CD/DVD. You may need a large flat-bed scanner for this to work (perhaps your mother or someone would let you borrow one). If not, you may be able to make some sort of collage or quilt or something. May God bless and keep you.