That's Neat! Blog

Four…three…two…one! Has school already begun?

The countdown is on for back-to-school, and now is the time to set up (or create!) your systems to stay organized. In my home, during the summer we have different routines and have been on vacation…so we don’t always follow our typical ways of doing things. This is part of summer and the change is good!

Just don’t forget to get ready and set for school.

Be sure that you have a way to deal with:

• the coming deluge of school papers, including homework, permissions slips and artwork you want to keep
• packing bags and backpacks
• making lunches
• scheduling activities
• finding the right equipment for those activities (soccer ball, ice skates, tap shoes)
• finding what you need to get out the door!

A “system” doesn’t have to be complex – it is just a process or routine for regular activities to help us stay organized. And simple is often better.

For example, use a basket on the kitchen counter to catch incoming school papers that need your attention. Update your family resource binder with the new class information. Make lunches and have kids pick out clothes the night before. Use a family calendar – paper or electronic – to schedule activities and school days off.

These are just a few ideas. For more, search our blog under the categories “kids” or “school” or contact That’s Neat! Organizing and we’ll set up a customized system just for you.

It’s that time of year: school is almost out for summer!! This year, as school winds down, plan 30 minutes  to organize or "reset" the papers from the end of school craziness. 

In just 30 minutes you can get a lot done. Here’s how to get started:

• Purge last year's school papers from your notebook, folder, or the pile on the kitchen counter where they have been sitting all year. Much of this paperwork will not be necessary to keep.
• If there are papers such as class lists you want to keep, you can 1) file in a manila folder labeled with your child’s name, school and year…or better yet, 2) scan the document and toss the paper!
• Start a file or binder for the incoming papers you'll receive for the new school year. Label this folder/binder with the school name and year.
• Sort and purge the pile of school projects or artwork. Save the special pieces in a file or box (be sure to date them), and archive them in a dry, out of the way spot such as your attic or a closet.
• Pick 1-2 creations to display and enjoy. (For more ideas on displaying and using artwork, see this article on my website.)

You can even turn this task into an end-of-school year ceremony with your child. Go through the projects and artwork with your child and have him/her help select the pieces to keep. Celebrate the year's achievements and then enjoy some special time together getting some ice cream, taking a walk, or playing your child's favorite game.

Take some time now to reset the school papers for summer...and in September you'll be glad you did!

Note: This article is based on one originally published in the July/August 2009 edition of The Neat Sheet.

My project is done: the artwork is sorted and stored!   Though I recycled a lot, I still have folders full of my daughter’s masterpieces: one folder for each year to date. In addition, I kept some 3D sculptures, and a great scrapbook put together by her pre-school. All are stored in a plastic bin to protect them from water and dirt.

Actually, this project didn’t take as long as I had expected. Three or four nights after dinner working on it and I was done. The longest part was that it took me four weeks to feel comfortable enough to recycle the art that didn’t make the cut. Admittedly, I looked through the recycle bags a few more times before finally letting them go. I know that what I saved is really the “best” and that it is plenty for us to enjoy looking at in the future.

Inspired by Janna’s post, I pulled out some of the seasonal artwork to display at the holidays. 

I was surprised to find a pumpkin very similar to the one made by Janna’s daughter. Here are the pumpkins created by our daughters…about 15 years apart! 

My artwork organizing project isn’t complete yet, but I’m making progress. I’m nearly done with the sorting stage. (Did I mention that after my Part I post I found another box of my daughter’s artwork in the attic, and two more boxes of mementos I had saved in her closet?!)

Here’s my photo of everything sorted, with the “recycle” pile on the left, and the “save” on the right.

Sorting is hard work, and it took me a while. If any clients are reading this: I understand what you go through when you are sorting and purging. Whether it is kids’ creations, shoes, books, model trains or soccer balls…it can be tough to let go.

What helped me in this case was time: I was ready, and the time was right. I probably couldn’t have purged as much when my daughter was in Preschool or Pre-K, but now that she is bringing home Kindergarten creations, I realize I don’t have to save every “purple crayon” drawing as Janna says.

Keep the best, and toss the rest.

Still to come: my final sorting and storage system.

We are pleased to have a guest blogger today. Gabriela Burgman, a trained archivist and professional organizer, shares her secrets for preserving special papers. In future posts  to our blog Gabriela will also share tips for preserving fabrics and photographs. Enjoy!     – Elizabeth

Often the paper in our lives is transitory. It comes into our homes bearing information we might need from never (junk mail) to forever (birth certificates). A majority of it will end up in the recycle bin. Some of it will end up in storage for awhile until someone else wants it or it loses value.

Today I want to share tips for storing paper that you want to preserve, from a few years to forever. When you begin thinking about storing paper ask yourself these questions:

• How long do I want to keep it?
• How valuable is this paper to me?
• How many other people are going to handle it besides me?

How Long? Time is the enemy of paper (besides heat, humidity, and the environment). Some papers are made to last longer than others. For example, newspapers are created with the intention that you are going to throw them out in a week. This is why they tend to yellow and become brittle in a short period of time.

Paper will last the longest when it is stored in dry environments (so it doesn’t mold or stick together). Paper likes cool environments. When it is too hot, the fibers become brittle. Paper also likes non acidic environments. Acid is already present in its make-up as well as the pollutants in the air. It will slowly break down the fibers in the paper. If the papers are surrounded by folders and boxes that also contain acid, then the deterioration just accelerates.

How valuable is this paper to me?  After reading about all the coddling paper needs to remain around for a long period of time, you need to ask yourself is it worth it? For example, you only need to keep tax papers for seven years just in case you get audited. Since these papers have a short term value, just invest in plastic boxes to protect them from water and critters. Don’t worry about storing those boxes in a garage or basement, where the temperature will likely fluctuate, speeding up the deterioration of the paper: the environment you keep your taxes in only needs to be good enough to protect them for seven years.

Documents you consider priceless, on the other hand, such as birth/wedding/death  certificates, special news clippings, baseball cards, and children's artwork, need a bigger investment in their care if you wish to preserve them.

To preserve these kinds of papers, make sure your container and folders have been "buffered" (aka "Acid Free"). Buffered is when "the addition of alkaline agents such as calcium or magnesium carbonate during the papermaking process [is added] in order to counteract the effect of acidic contamination."* You can purchased buffered boxes and folders. In fact, some archives even put blank sheets of buffered paper between each document in a folder to halt the spread of acid contamination. Another good practice is taking newspaper clippings and photocopying them onto buffered paper which will last far longer than newsprint.

How many other people are going to handle the paper? If you know certain items are going to be handled repeatedly, you may want to go so far as to put each document in polypropylene (chemically stable plastic) sleeves. If not, then storing them in buffered containers is good enough.

Storing papers. After you have all your documents properly stored in their containers, you need to place them in a safe place free from humidity and temperature fluctuations. Often, the best place for your containers is on a closet shelf. By having the containers off the ground, you avoid the possibility of damage by flood water. The rooms in your home tend to maintain a consistent temperature when compared to your attic, garage, or basement. A closet is usually closed off to direct sunlight and if you are storing clothing in these closets, you are already making sure that insects and humidity are not affecting the items being stored.

Resources. Here are my favorite resources for products mentioned to help preserve your special papers:

• Gaylord Brothers
• Hollinger Metal Edge 
• Light Impressions 
• University Products 

If you would like to learn more, I highly suggest visiting the website for the Northeast Document Conservation Center.