Let’s be real for a sec: If you’re anything like me, the “school keepsakes” situation can go from sentimental joy to chaotic guilt pile faster than your kid can hand you another glitter-glued masterpiece.
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You want to save the special stuff. The things that matter.
But what actually happens? You either keep everything and drown in paper. Or you toss something you regret later and feel like a monster.
And if you have ADHD? Forget it.
The traditional “scrapbook every memory” plan might as well be written in another language.
But after years of starting and abandoning all kinds of “systems,” I finally found a few simple strategies that actually stick. These don’t overwhelm my ADHD brain and let me save the truly meaningful stuff.
Whether your child has ADHD or not, these tips are built with you (the ADHD mom) in mind. And if your kiddo does have ADHD too? Even better.
These are designed to work with the kind of brain that doesn’t exactly love a 17-step organizing method.
Here’s what helped me go from shamey piles and lost drawings… to something that actually feels good and works long term.
1. Pick a Container That Sets the Limit for You
Let’s start here: your container is the boundary.
Not your guilt. Not your kid’s tears. Not your “what if I regret tossing this” anxiety spiral.
Choose one tote per child. I went with a plastic file bin that holds hanging folders. A banker’s box works too.
Just make sure it’s big enough to feel doable but small enough to force choices. Because yes, choices will need to be made.
But when the container sets the limit? You’re not the bad guy. The tote is.
This alone stopped me from keeping everything, because there’s simply no room.
Bonus: Having one physical home for keepsakes keeps me from shoving things in 12 different places “for now” and forgetting where they are forever.
2. Divide It Into Super Simple Sections
I used to get stuck thinking I needed 300 categories: “Pre-K writing samples,” “3rd grade math tests,” “first watercolor painting involving a turtle…”
Nope. Here’s the ADHD-friendly move:
- PreK / Kindergarten
- Elementary
- Middle School (optional)
- High School
- “Other Keepsakes” (sports, scouts, dance recitals, etc.)
That’s it. Keep it simple. Keep it broad.
Because the more sections you add, the harder it becomes to maintain. And honestly? Your kid’s not gonna care that you separated 2nd and 3rd grade when they look back through it someday.
3. Use a “Capture Bin” During the Year
During the school year, I’m not organizing. I’m surviving.
So instead of filing every single thing immediately, I use a cheap, open-top bin (about 9″x12″) for each kid.
It sits in the mudroom where backpacks explode anyway. Every day, my daughter drops in anything she wants to save. Artwork, writing, flyers, whatever.
No sorting. No decisions yet.
Every few months, I’ll do a quick sweep of each bin and gently “edit.” (Like, do we really need all 14 versions of the spelling list? Probably not.)
But mostly, we wait until summer…
4. Make It a Summer Project (Together)
Once school ends, we do a little “memory sort day.” My kids actually look forward to it (I know, I’m shocked too).
We sit down with their yearly stash, go through what’s in the bin, and add the special stuff to their keepsake tote. If the tote’s getting full, they get to decide what stays and what gets let go.
What I love about this:
- It gives them ownership
- It teaches decision-making and editing
- And it takes the pressure off me to be the curator of all childhood memories forever
Plus, doing this every summer means it never piles up to overwhelming levels. Because we’re always caught up.
5. Let Go of Perfection (and Guilt)
This one? Might be the hardest. But it’s the most important.
You don’t need to scrapbook every year of your child’s life.
You don’t need to keep every stick figure.
You don’t need to make it look Pinterest-worthy.
What matters is this: that your kid (and you) have a few special things to hold onto, in a way that doesn’t make you feel behind, buried, or broken.
Honestly? Most adult kids don’t want five tubs of childhood paper memories. One well-loved tote is more than enough.
And they’ll appreciate it way more if it isn’t buried in a garage they now have to clean out.
6. You Get to Redefine What “Organized” Looks Like
For moms with ADHD, “organized” doesn’t have to mean “perfectly labeled and alphabetized.”
It just means you know where things are, you’re not overwhelmed by them, and they’re easy to access when you actually want to look at them.
That’s the bar. And it’s enough.
If your system keeps you from panicking at every backpack dump and helps you actually enjoy the special stuff your kid brings home? That’s a win.
Final Thoughts: You’re Allowed to Keep It Simple
If no one else has told you this: you’re doing a good job.
You care. You’re showing up. You’re trying to make memories last without losing your mind in the process.
That matters more than any perfect scrapbook ever could.
Whether your kid has ADHD, or it’s just you navigating that beautifully chaotic brain of yours, these strategies are here to make life easier, not harder.
So next time you’re faced with a pile of paper and a pang of guilt…
Take a breath. Grab the bin. Keep the love, toss the clutter.
You’ve got this.