Hey there! Catherine here. In this post I’m sharing how I organize, capture, and document school work throughout the year.

I’ve recently shared an overview of how I’m approaching documenting our two sons’ school years and how I set up templates for title pages and timelines to keep my albums consistent throughout the years.

Organizing school work

In the past, I’ve tried a few systems for tackling school work throughout the year: cute trays in the kitchen, taping things to the wall “temporarily,” etc.

This year, I’m taking a really simple, utilitarian approach to catching the school work as it comes through the door.

I’m using a few tools I found at Target:

• Hanging files
• Manila letter-size folders
• A plastic bin to hold it all
• Markers to label the files

It’s not pretty, but there’s a place for everything. And I’ve found that the simpler the process, the more likely I am to follow through.

Our issue seems to be that the folders come home filled with papers and if I’m not in the mood to sort through them in the moment, they tend to just accumulate.

So I labeled three files for each of our two boys:

• Sort
• Photograph
• Keep

I also added archive files for each kiddo for each year in case we have a few “keepers” that don’t make it into the pocket page albums.

Here’s how I organize their school work.

As work comes out of the kids’ backpacks and folders, I date the back in pencil (month and year). If not in the mood to sort it, I stack it up on our dining room table and at the end of the day when I’m tidying up the house, I put it in the “Sort” file.

When I’m ready to comb through the “Sort” file, I go through each item and put it in one of two categories:

• Keep: yes, I want to document this either by photographing it or putting the actual piece of school work in the pocket page album.
• Toss: good job, but this isn’t heirloom quality.

I move all of the “keepers” into the “Photograph” file.

I give the “toss” items to the boys. They can hang them up around the house or recycle them.

Basically, this system forces me into a workflow. As the “Sort” file fills up, it reminds me to go through that stack of papers and make some decisions.

Capturing school work

Once you’ve decided what to keep, how do you capture those little creations?

You can break out the scanner, but I prefer to photograph school work rather than scan it. Honestly, it’s easier for me and I like having photos of school work that show dimension rather than a flat scan.

But do whatever works for you.

Here’s how I capture school work.

Once that “Photograph” file fills up a bit, I use a piece of white foam board and my iPhone to capture each item.

I just place the foam board on the floor of a bright room, turn off any overhead lights, and keep the board out of direct sunlight.

Hold your phone or camera parallel to the floor, directly above the item you’re photographing.

For the larger pieces, I’ll have the kiddo who created it stand against a wall and hold it so you can see the size of it in the photo.

That works especially well for larger items, sculptures, or birdhouse-type creations that you love but might not be able to keep. Take a picture of your kiddo holding it and you’ll preserve the item along with their little face.

When I download my phone pics to my laptop (every once in awhile), I move those school work photos into one file on my computer.

That way they’re ready to go when I’m ready to document them.

Documenting school work

I’m using one pocket page album for each kiddo to document their school years and I include a few layouts for each year.

• Some of the things I include in those few layouts are
• Pics from the first day of school
• Their school photo
• Sports photos from that year
• Field trips
• Friends

And of course

• School work

I document school work either with a photo or with the actual item slipped into a pocket page.

Then I fill in with journaling, captions, patterned papers, or design elements from Liz’s school kits.

My goal is to have all of our kids’ school years documented in one or two pocket page albums. I love the idea of documenting a huge amount of time in one place, so as you flip through the layouts, you see the progression from preschool through high school.

I don’t feel like I need to keep a ton of stuff. Just a few special items reminds me of that year, and mixing the school work in with photos of our boys reminds me how little (or big!) they were at the time they created those special things.

How are you documenting your kids’ school years? I’ve love to hear your thoughts, ideas, or best practices when it comes to organizing, capturing, and documenting school work.

You can see our first day of school pic over on Instagram and check out my new custom memory-keeping services over on my website.

I hope this series has been helpful!

XO, Catherine

My favorite Paislee Press school designs: class in session templates and journal cards, timeline layered templates, school years journal cards, school years word art, back to school photo templates, back to school journal cards.