Friday, August 7, 2020

School Memory Boxes


So I finally got to do a home project that I have been wanting to do for several years... school memory boxes for my kids! I had a lot of friends respond on social media on how much they loved these boxes and for me to share my work (or create packages for them to purchases!). I will preface this post that I did not completely start from scratch on this project. So I would never feel like I could sell these to other people.  I actually found someone on Pinterest that already had made the printables for labels and grade cover sheets. These were already perfect and someone had already completed all the "dirty" work for me so to speak! So, I am going to show my before and after pictures, link to free printable pages, link to the products I purchased of Amazon (for cost effectiveness), and also include the only thing I did design for my kiddos...the box labels. 

So first, what you will need for each Memory Box:

  1. Plastic File Box
  2.  Labels for folders (file tab and cover pages)
  3. 15 File Folders
  4. Hanging File Folders (NOTE: I used 8 to hold the 15 file folders. Each held 2 "grade" levels, except for Kindergarten that I kept on its own since that one tends to hold the most "memories")
Next Supplies:
Below are the Amazon links for what I purchased. I had to duplicate everything for 3 boxes so this was the cheapest place I found to get what I needed for my family. 
  1. The Plastic File Boxes (set of 4)
  2. Full Letter size label pages (pkg of 100) *see note below if you want to use a full page label or regular printer paper
  3. File Folders (page of 36)
  4. Hanging File Folders (pkg of 25)
NOTE: You will also need address labels (Avery 5260). I had these already so I did not need to order them. Also I needed 45 file folders and this new package only came with 36. I found another 9 in my office.

Finally Printed Items:

1. The File folders labels can be found at Heather Moritz Fine Designs! It is a free download that is emailed to you once you request. The file folder labels will print 4 different color sets of the 15 "grade" labels (Preschool, PreK, KG, and grades 1-12) Here is the page for the School Paper Organization

2. Next, I printed the grade memory binder pages, also from Heather Moritz Fine Designs. I printed this on the full page label sheets that I attached to the front of each grade folder. You could print this on regular paper if you preferred. Here is the School Memory Binder pages. *You can also search Pinterest for other cute and free School Memory Box printables. I had several pinned, the Moritz Fine Designs is just what I decided to use and so that it what I am linking on this post. 


3. Finally, I designed and printed cute labels for each memory box. I used 2 labels per box, one on side and another on top of each box. Feel free to use the blanks ones I have include below. You can add your child's name on an at-home printing program or just use sharpie.
4. Lastly, I just stuck all of my grade labels and memory pages on the file folders and attached my memory box names accordingly. Rex's box was complete first since had nothing yet for his memory box. Then I separated and sorted Evy's next since she only a couple of folders to complete. And lastly I finished out with our sweet first born's memory box. I have been making them "first day of school" posters every year so it was quite easy to get all of the memory sheet info. I also went back through the last 5 years of first day of school photos that we have taken to attach to each of their files. And this was another great use of that full page labels!

I think this about sums up my adventure of creating school memory boxes for my children. I love office organization! I am also a very sentimental person and these school memories were already being kept in individual file folders in bins and stacks throughout our home. So this project was to combine my need for organization and my sentimentality.  I also must admit, my desire to create these boxes came about about 2 years ago after Hurricane Michael (a CAT 5) ravaged our hometown. I knew so many people who lost so many of their childhood memories or the school memories they were saving for the children after that day on October 10, 2018. We didn't evacuate far from our home that day and our home was greatly spared the destruction so many around us faced. However, if ever we were threatened with another storm like that day and we needed to leave in a hurry...these three boxes (along with another 2 small boxes of childhood Christmas ornaments) would be one of those things that I could put in the back of our car as we left. It's precious memories of artwork, report cards, school pictures and certificates of achievement...all papers that can might seem insignificant in their worth to some, but priceless because of their irreplacability to our family. 

Until next time!












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