organizing in the new year

do you have a folder hanging around your house that looks something like this?

this one in particular is full of will's preschool treasures.  each day he comes home with at least one or two sheets.  he is SO proud of them.  we typically hang a few in the playroom for everyone to enjoy- then the rest go into this folder.  once in a while we rotate the hanging art which too finds itself in this folder.  ok, at this point i feel i must admit something.  i have EVERY single sheet jack did his first year of preschool.  this means i have like 5 folders from that year.  i know, it doesn't make sense.  i'm sure i have sheets that have rotten cheerios glued to them.  he is the oldest....what can i say?  i promise in an effort to get organized i am going to tackle those folders as well.  and yes, i have a few folders from his second year of preschool too.   but let's not get off track with all of that :)

today i decided to make a change.  my super organized friend renee gave me a great idea!  she actually makes custom binders which are WONDERFUL!!  right now her etsy shop is on a break- but you can buy the diy version from her. 

i used inexpensive 2 inch binders for this project.

i used scrapbook paper that i had to decorate the binder.  i simply measured, cut and slid it in the plastic cover.

next i went through the folder making two piles- keep and .....toss!  sorry will!  i threw away anything that resembled a worksheet.  you really can't keep it all.

left pile is trash- right pile is to keep

next i simply hole punched each page i wanted to keep and put it in the binder.



finally i added dividers and labeled them with the year.  it's such an easy project- and i feel SO much better having it done. 

ta-da!

i decided the stars were a little girly for will so little sister gets it. 
tomorrow's project?

do yourself a favor and start this early.  it can get pretty overwhelming as they get older!  i forgot to mention- the best part about this is how great the kids think it is!  will loves that he has his own "art-book."  i have heard of people simply scanning their children's artwork on disks.  and while i do love that idea- i think there is something sweet about being able to actually have it in my hands. 

i call them "treasures" only half joking......cause i'm one of those mama's who really does treasure this kind of stuff.  happy organizing!