A Simple Way We Save School Memories (Without the Overwhelm)

If your kitchen counters are constantly covered in artwork and school papers, same. I love keeping the sweet pieces from each school year, but I need a process that doesn’t involve boxes of chaos or hours of elaborate scrapbooking.

So I created a one-spot drop zone and a low-pressure memory book for each kid. It’s simple enough that it actually gets done. No perfection required. Just a little system that helps us savor the moments before they disappear into the clutter.

Here’s exactly what we do:

1. Give everything a home
Each child has a scrapbook album and a designated drawer, basket, or bin. Throughout the year, anything I want to keep like photos, drawings, awards, or little stories goes straight in that spot.

2. Keep supplies simple
The basics: an album, a few tabs, fun tape, glue, and some extra paper for backing when needed. Keep them all together so you’re not hunting for supplies later.

3. Add pages when you have a minute
Whenever the drawer fills up or after a school milestone, I pull out the favorites and tuck them into the book. No need for perfect layouts.

4. Enjoy looking back
The best part is pulling these books out together and seeing their handwriting change, laughing at old jokes, and remembering big and small wins.

My Favorite Supplies: