School Ends and Clutter Begins!
The final school bell has rung, the backpacks have been unceremoniously dropped by the front door, and suddenly your dining room table has disappeared beneath a mountain of artwork, notebooks, permission slips, science projects, and what appears to be seventeen dried-out glue sticks.
Welcome to the annual end-of-school stuff avalanche.
Before you shove everything into a tote labeled "School Memories – Grade 3" (we've all been tempted), take a little time to sort through it. Future you will be grateful. Start by gathering everything in one place. Empty everything out of backpacks, lunchboxes, and anywhere else your child stashes their most prized possessions. Seeing it all together makes it much easier to decide what truly deserves a place in your home.
Now comes the fun part: editing. Not every worksheet needs to become a keepsake. In fact, most don't. Instead, look for the items that tell the story of your child's year. Maybe it's the story they worked so hard to write, a drawing that captures their personality perfectly, a report card that marks a milestone, or a photo from a special event.
If you're struggling to decide, ask yourself, "Would I smile if I found this ten years from now?" If the answer is yes, keep it. If the answer is, "Wait...what even is this?" it's probably safe to let it go.
For younger children, involving them in the process can be surprisingly entertaining. Ask them to choose their five or ten favorite pieces from the year. You'll get a glimpse into what mattered most to them—and occasionally discover that the crumpled spelling test you nearly recycled is apparently the greatest achievement of the school year.
For the items you decide to keep, give them a proper home. A simple memory box for each child works beautifully. Limiting the space actually makes choosing easier. When the box gets full, it's time to review what still feels meaningful before adding something new. Oversized artwork and three-dimensional projects can be trickier. Unless you're planning to open a museum dedicated to second-grade dioramas, consider taking high-quality photos of the pieces before letting them go. You'll preserve the memory without sacrificing an entire closet shelf to papier-mâché.
While you're sorting, don't forget about school supplies. Test the markers and recycle dried-up pens. Save unopened notebooks, folders, and pencils for next year. Teachers often appreciate donations of unused supplies, too.
Backpacks and lunchboxes deserve a little attention as well. Empty every pocket—you never know what surprises are hiding inside. Give everything a good wash, make any needed repairs, and store them together so you're not hunting for a matching lunchbox the night before school starts.
One category that's easy to overlook is paperwork. Medical forms, class lists, calendars, and permission slips have done their job. Unless you truly need them, recycle or shred them with confidence. Clearing away outdated papers makes room for what actually matters.
If paperwork tends to multiply in your house, this is also a great opportunity to create a simple system for next year. Designate one spot for incoming school papers and another for items that require action. A little structure now can prevent the daily paper explosion that somehow happens every September.
And here's one final reminder: your child's memories don't live only in the things they bring home. Sometimes the stories they tell around the dinner table, the excitement over mastering long division, or the pride in learning to ride the bus are the memories that last the longest. The keepsakes simply help tell those stories.
So, celebrate another successful school year, save the pieces that genuinely bring joy, and feel good about letting the rest move on. After all, summer has enough adventures waiting without tripping over last month's math worksheets. Besides, you'll need the space for all the shells, camp crafts, rocks, sticks, and mysterious "treasures" that are about to arrive over the next few months.
Summer is also the perfect season to gently refresh your home and a little progress now can make the months ahead feel lighter and more enjoyable. As your friendly neighbourhood home organizer and KonMari Consultant, I encourage families to think of summer as a season of fresh starts. A little thoughtful decluttering now creates more space—not just in your home, but for the people, experiences, and memories that make this time of year so special. If you’re ready to do some decluttering and tidying this summer, reach out through my website: www.simplesanctuaryhomeorganization.com
Happy Tiding!