How To Get Your Kid’s School Stuff ORGANIZED!

It’s the end of school year.  They came home with backpacks chock full of…stuff.

Piles. Piles. Everywhere!!

Piles of art that Ella worked on for hours making just perfect. Piles of stories that Ethan wrote with his crazy imagination that are too cute to toss. Piles of Kindergarten memories from Matthew that I cannot let go of because he cannot grow up.

And it is about to drive me out of my ever-lovin’ mind.

I am about Type A as they come. I love for everything to have its own spot. If it doesn’t, I break out in a cold sweat. If I could have a shopping spree at any store, it would be The Container Store. If I could add anything to my house, it would be a tricked out laundry/mud room. Hooks, shelves and cubbies for everyone and everything.  My favorite Pinterest board is my Organization one. These are the few pins that I actually attempt to execute.

A few months ago, I finally had enough time to tackle a Pin that I knew would get the piles off my floor and desk. And today – hallelujah – it took me about 2 minutes to clean up the piles and put the piles right in their own spot.

One of my favorite blog’s is http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com . That is where I found the project that would save my sanity – The School Paperwork Storage System: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2010/11/school-paperwork-storage.html Praise the Lord! Something to help me with the piles of school treasures that I want to save!!

I did a little different veFile Foldersrsion, but it was very similar. I decided to use a file box so I could stack them up. You can get them from any office supply store for about $10. I got brightly colored hanging files because colors make me happy. 🙂 I have a folder for each grade – preschool through 12th grade. She had some pretty colored labels you can print. However, I am too cheap to buy a color printer. I went a different route with my favorite thing in my office – my beloved label-maker. I get down right giddy anytime I get to use it!

In each grade, I put several things:

  • Art
  • Keepsakes (not just from school – church or made at home too)
  • Copy of their school picture (and sports picture for the boys)
  • Brownie/Cub Scout
  • Star Progress Reports
  • Teacher Conference Notes
  • Year End Report Card

If I had lots of extra storage, I may put them in a closet. But I don’t, so I made them extra snazzy and put an 8×10 picture of them on the front. They are so cute, why would I put them in a closet anyway? It is actually handy having the boxes accessible. Then as things come home, I can immediately either toss in the trash or file in their adorably organized box.
File Boxes

Piles Poof! Be gone.

Very Happy Mama.

Inaugural Post – Steph Re-Branded

I started another blog at the end of last summer. It was titled: Full Heart Empty Womb http://fullheartemptywomb.blogspot.com .   I started it at the urging of many people.   I was in the process of writing a book about my near ten-year battle with Infertility. It was a great way to keep people updated about the progress about my book. I was also able to try my hand out at blogging. I have really enjoyed blogging at Full Heart Empty Womb. The blog has opened doors to so many amazing people and have been able to help a lot of people dealing with Infertility. Given the name and nature of my book, I made every effort to be very conscious about what I wrote about. Writing about my children or parenting successes/failures could be quite harmful to someone in the midst of a battle with Infertility. I have been there and I know. Infertility has been and always will be a part of my life. It will always be one of my biggest struggles yet also the biggest obstacles I have overcome in my life. However, that is not all that there is to Stephanie Greer. I am sure I will also continue to write about Infertility periodically because it helped shape who I am today. However, there is much I want to write about that goes beyond my trials. For that reason, I decided to start this new blog. Hooray!!!! I am super excited about it. I have been racking my brain for weeks trying to come up with the right name. Each time I thought I came up with a completely original name, I would search it and find it was taken. Drats!! I gave several people the task to try to help me come up with a name too. Zilch. Finally, yesterday I sent a text to my group of girlfriends from college – the Zeta Lovelies. Within an hour I had my name: The Southern Lady Mama. Born Southern. Raised a Lady. Blessed Mama. Score!! I abbreviated it in the text to SLM. According to Cassie, “Nicknames and acronyms are the hallmarks of greatness.” We get pretty deep and philosophical in our texts 😉 I have no clue if that is true or not, but I am totally buying it. Later Y’all Steph…the SLM           BAM!