Tips for Organizing Kids’ School Papers – tame your child’s school paper clutter with this simple filing system. Contain their precious school momentos from pre-K through grade 12 all in one place. In the post you’ll find a list of supplies, free printable labels and yearly questionnaires to get you started.
This is a project I’ve been meaning to tackle for years now and at the beginning of September I was finally able to get the kids school paper clutter under control thanks to our new School File Boxes.
You guys! I don’t know why I didn’t do this sooner. This has seriously been life changing! Not only do these file boxes give us a place to store all of the kids papers long term, it has also helped us cut down on daily paper clutter as it comes home from school.
With this file system in place I find that I go through the kids papers more regularly. We have a place to organize the things we decide to keep and because we have an allotted space where we can store things, we have to be selective about what we hang on to and what we let go.
This certainly isn’t the only way to get a handle on all those school papers, but it’s worked like a dream for us so I wanted to walk you through how you can easily set up this system yourself if it’s something you think would work in your home.
Supplies you’ll need
You can purchase any of the supplies listed at your local office supply store or on Amazon, the prices were very compatible at both when I was shopping around. Once you have the supplies you need you can start putting together the file boxes. I decided to put the boxes together for all of my kids all the way from pre-K to grade 12 at the same time so they’re ready for each grade as they come and so they’d all coordinate. It was also easiest to print out all the labels I needed at the same time.
Here’s a quick little video tour of our file boxes:
Print out the file labels according to package directions. Attach them to each folder. Place the hanging folders inside file box. Add one or two grade folders to each hanging file.
In each grade folder I include things like report cards, notes from teacher, special assignments and small pieces of art.
Any projects too large to fit inside the file box we photograph and discard or we store them in a separate container for larger keepsakes.
Beyond the school papers themselves, I also include a 5×7 school photo in each grade folder. I attach them to the front of the folder itself. I wanted to include some key information about each child in the corresponding grade so I put together some simple questionnaires that the kids could fill out.
Have kids fill them out at the beginning or end of each school year with information about their teacher, age, friends, etc. and they can illustrate them with a quick picture. Slip the questionnaire into the grade folder or glue it inside the front.
I also printed out a label with the kids name on it for the front of each of their boxes. I created some simple artwork, printed them on Avery shipping labels and then attached them to the front of each file box. You can download blank file box labels using the links below. The “school memories” graphics are on them, you just need to add your child’s name.
Have your child write their name or add their name using your favorite photo editing program or at PicMonkey.com using their text editor. If you want to just print the school file labels, use the PDF file link below. If you want to edit and add text yourself then download the JPG file.
I can’t tell you how pleased I am with how this system has been working for us so far. We’ve simplified the paper mess ten fold in our home thanks to these handy file boxes. If this helps you get the paper clutter under control in your home too then my mission here is complete!
If you have any questions at all feel free to shoot me an email or ask in the comments. I’m happy to help.
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What a great idea!! I wish something like this would’ve been around when my daughter was younger (she’s 21). I’m going to share it with her, maybe she can do this with her children.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I purchased file bins years ago with this intention and then haven’t kept up — or made a cute label, so thanks for this. I’m wondering where you print your photos to get the small white around the edges – or did you edit it to make it that way? I love it.
Thanks for sharing your system! My littles haven’t yet entered public school, but the amount of papers and projects that they bring home from preschool is unreal. I will definitely need to get going on this before kindergarten!
Would you mind sharing the font you used on the name part of the label. Thanks this is awesome!
This is such a brilliant idea, my daughter has brought so much home already and I was looking for a neat way to ‘filter’ out some of it lol! Is there any chance of getting the link to the jpg version of the labels for the front of the box, only it doesn’t seem to work. Thanks 🙂
Just made these, thank you! You would also love the jpg file of the front labels if possible. Link isn’t working. Thanks!!
I’ve been using the school memory type books for years and get frustrated because they don’t hold all the papers I need. My kids are now in the 8th and 11th grades….wish I would have used this system sooner. 🙁
I’ve used the same system, though not so attractive with the printed labels. My system is survival – get it into a box and sharpie someone’s name on it – hopefully onto some tape. Each of five children has multiple boxes, because I keep almost everything…. filled out workbooks, birthday cards, spiral notebooks, certificates of achievement. It’s sad. I’ll let them go through it all later. How lucky they are! haha
Hello Rebecca, I love this system. I was looking for something like that and finally thanks to you I find it!!! But I have a problem because I can´t buy the box here in amazon Spain I don´t find a box similar here in my country. is it possible that you buy for me and send me to Spain? I need three and I now they have a amazing price but the shipping cost in Amazon US is very expensive for me! Thanks a lot
Love this! Thank you for sharing! I would like to use the jPEG but the link is not working. Is it possible to fix or get it emailed to me?
Hi Rebecca, this is perfect for my kids paperwork. This is just what I needed. I purchased the boxes and folders and I’m about to print the labels. Would you mind sharing the font you used for the child’s name? Thank you again for the great ideas you share on your blog. x from a french fan 🙂
I have been dreaming of starting this project for months (maybe even years) – it’s finally time. Now that my oldest is 20 and I also have a 16 and 13 year old but I have saved all their important school items – well, they are in a huge pile on my craft room counter – anyways, I am still going to go thru it all and get it organized. Even though I know it would have been extra special to have them write in some of the pertinent information in their own handwriting/printing I still think it will be great to have it organized. Besides, on the papers in the files will be their work, which is in their handwriting/printing. I plan on having all three ready to go and then just going thru the mountain of papers and more-less just file what I plan to keep. I am sure there is stuff in that pile that I can pitch. Next will be the artwork in the frames that I too found on your site. Thanks for the great ideas.
Could you provide a JPEG version of the school bin organizer label?
How did you decide what to keep and what to get rid of? That is the hardest thing for me. Did you keep report cards?
We did keep report cards! We also keep special assignments the kids worked on, journal entries that tell about events from that school year or share something special about the kids personalities. Any notes from teachers or awards, etc.
What about all the Valentine cards your kids get year after year? Keep? Throw out? And birthday cards?
Love this, need to just do it. What do you do with all the other stuff from the year, like dance recital programs, soccer team stuff, etc.
Love this!! Had been using a School Memories folder book but it fell apart by Grade 2! lol I’m now all organized except, having trouble adding my kid’s names to the awesome file tote label. Any tips?
Thank you!
Love this idea. I came upon your blog a couple years ago and am just now getting supplies ready to start this project. I am trying to print the bin labels but am not able to add my child’s name to it? Can you please tell me how to get an editable version. Thank you