how-to approach paper clutter: end-of-school edition

School is OUT!

I’m really excited for summer. Some big leaps and milestones are being celebrated in our house, so we’re all abuzz this weekend. PLUS starting to make real plans for how we’ll spend this season with family and friends feels so good (and necessary!) after these past unpredictably awkward summers.

But...before we dive in we’re going to take care of all that comes with the end of school: lots and lots of PAPER. If you’re a parent with one or multiple backpacks coming home filled to the brim, this read is for you.

tackle the paper clutter NOW

When my first daughter finished Kindergarten, we were so relieved to have gotten through the hybrid in-school/remote learning we just left everything until the start of the next school year. It took us a long while to tackle what to keep and toss, so I highly recommend taking this on sooner rather than later.

it takes TWO

My second girl finished K on Friday, so I took my advice above and started the paper decluttering with her right away. I fully believe having your child be a part of the process helps them understand that letting go is: (a) okay, and (b) allows our imagination to grow and make space for new things.

You also need their input! They’re the creator so what they find significant may not be what we think. Start this process on a large flat surface, such as a kitchen table or rug that’s clear of anything else. Loosely lay out their work and have them pick out their favorites. They 100 percent will say, “But I love them all!”, so it’s helpful to set a number or use your flat surface as a limiting parameter. I made sure what my daughter chose fit on our kitchen table, then took an aerial photo to capture the collage of her work. We now have a beautiful digital memory of her efforts that we can look back on years down the road.

divide, edit, repeat

This part takes patience (you) and stamina (them) but the satisfaction felt after working through the paper clutter is worth it. Here’s what worked for us over two 2-hour sprints:

1. Categories: Keep it simple and broad, like Art, School, and Play.

2. Boxes: I love a pretty basket but for schoolwork and homemade crafts there’s no need to search for or spend money on a fancy container. When I receive a package in the mail, I assess the size and condition of the delivery box. In 2021, I accumulated a few cardboard boxes of the same size and turned them into bins. Simply cut off the top flaps and make two 1”x4” cutouts on opposite sides of the box. Voila! A quick DIY storage bin with handles! A little spray paint hides logos and gives them a finished look. At the very least LABEL each by category so your kiddo and you know what each box is meant to hold.

3. Divide, Edit, Repeat: Time for patience/stamina to kick in high gear...you've got this!

   1. Divide: Using our categories, my daughter and I divided all of her work accordingly (i.e. Art: hand-drawn coloring, paintings, or collages; School: written works; Play: crafts used for make-believe).

   2. Edit: We then lay out the pieces of one category at a time and she chose what she wanted to discard.

   3. Repeat: Our largest category was Art, so we did a couple of editing rounds to pare the pile down to her faves. You may find multiples of a specific subject they’re into (in our case, butterflies and flowers), so you could photograph a mini collage as a keepsake to help them through the process.

How much you can or want to get through is totally up to you. It’s not a race to finish. It’s a practice to start.

I’ve been working on paper clutter with my littlest for a year, so she’s familiar with the categories and knows, “When the bin overflows, something’s gotta go!” And after practicing with my oldest in K through second grade, she now takes it upon herself to edit her bins during the school year before it gets overwhelming. Practice makes progress, my friend, and starting somewhere IS good no matter how small or at what age.

how do you celebrate the end of school?

As a kid, I reconfigured my room and did a deep purge of my schoolwork. What can I say? It puts me in a happy place, which is why I love helping others do the same. I’d love to know what rituals you have for ending the year and/or kicking off summer in the Comments below. Whatever you do, I hope you have FUN doing it and include carving out time just for you, too.

Always,