Parents! What are you doing with all the STUFF?!

[mommabritt]

My boys' last week of school is here and they are coming home daily with loads of completed work, projects, classroom decorations and other things from the entire year. I don't want to hurt feelings but I don't want all this stuff. I keep only a select few things from each school year. In years past, they've brought home binders with work samples made by their teachers/TA's. Those are wonderful!!@

What am I supposed to do with it and how can I nicely tell my kids that their spelling practice sheets and child-sized posters of a plant life cycle don't need kept? They're excited and all I see is clutter.

Pleas tell me I'm not alone...

[Celeste]

Originally Posted by mommabritt My boys' last week of school is here and they are coming home daily with loads of completed work, projects, classroom decorations and other things from the entire year. I don't want to hurt feelings but I don't want all this stuff. I keep only a select few things from each school year. In years past, they've brought home binders with work samples made by their teachers/TA's. Those are wonderful!!@ What am I supposed to do with it and how can I nicely tell my kids that their spelling practice sheets and child-sized posters of a plant life cycle don't need kept? They're excited and all I see is clutter. Pleas tell me I'm not alone...

I keep a few things with dds handprints (a turkey from thanksgiving, mother's day project). That's about it.

[TinaDeanette]

My kids aren't really sentimental with their papers so most of them go in the recycle bin. Occasionally they will put a picture in the fridge.

[MJLViper]

I only keep what is cute or special. Each child gets a smallish bin for each year of school for their special stuff.

[MDever]

We speak about the importance of recycling the paper so that new can be made without hurting trees. If there are special projects or work then I take a digital photo before recycling. Space on a portable hard drive is easy.

[abunchoflemons]

Yea I just keep few things. I just haven't gotten to scrapbooks....

[chandni3]

Bonfire? In highschool some kids would have a big bonfire at the end of the year and burn their books. That might make it fun, but it might give them the wrong impression of the importance of school work

[qsefthuko]

We keep one or two items for a few years and get rid of the rest. I am not at all sentimental. I would pitch it all if it were up to me so I wait until something more exciting comes along and get rid of the old.

Someone did suggest taking pictures of the artwork and putting it in an album. This way memories are saved with a minimal impact on space.

[mibarra]

Maybe have them help pick out, say, their 5 favorite things to save, so they have some control over the situation?

[Kimmyann]

I keep them for a few days then toss them.