As the seasons change and the clothes in the closet change, we do a donation pile and a garbage pile. As tax season passes, we shred old papers from four or five years ago. This time I pushed our de-clutter time a little long. So now we are going extreme by opening each box in all the closets and reorganizing like mad!
Until last year, my biggest weakness was the kids artwork. I had no idea where to put it as it came in the door, nor what to do with it until the end of the year when I could take my time, compare all the projects and keep what we loved.
Then I discovered after school boxes. Take a box that is big enough to hold your needs, but small enough for your child to handle. I have three blue boxes that are approximately 9" by 12" by 3" with a hinged lid and an id. label. These boxes fit easily into my small cabinet space.
In each box are items that help with homework and after school entertainment. Chloe has pencils, erasers, a ruler and a math lapbook. Mea has pencils erasers and colouring pages. Rafael also has colouring pages, pom poms to make insects and felt monsters which entertain for what seems like hours. You can find some great ideas for the monsters here; Monsters.
With the boxes, everyone can sit at the table and "work".... if the legos and cars don't distract first. The boxes are also a great place to temporarily store colouring pages that come from school, and finished projects too.
When the after school boxes start to fill, I do a quick toss of items that never got fully finished, and that I know will not make it to the school year box. After the quick toss, the projects that are left are put into a drawer until the end of the school year, when we go through each and every project to decide what we keep in our school year box for the next 20 some years.
I've seen those cute little school year books at Chapters. I can't imagine having to dwindle down my childrens artwork to a few pieces to fit into the little pocket of this book. So I opted for something a little larger.
No, that is not my child! This idea came from iheart organizing with free printable labels, and cover sheets to boot! All three of my boxes have files and file holders with labels, and cover sheets from preschool to grade 12, even though my little man does not begin kindergarden for another 2 1/2 years.
The boxes sit in each closet and the girls love to go through them every couple of months and remember! I will love it in 10 years!!
Do you have secrets for entertaining the little ones while big sister/ brother needs help with homework?
The boxes sit in each closet and the girls love to go through them every couple of months and remember! I will love it in 10 years!!
Do you have secrets for entertaining the little ones while big sister/ brother needs help with homework?
