VANCOUVER(NEWS1130) - School is all done for most BC children and while there are plenty of wonderful memories, there's also a lot of stuff parents and students must wade through.
Things like leftover homework, worn textbooks, unfinished projects, scrap paper and of course, those mysterious items in backpacks and lunch kits.
Susan Borax with
Good Riddance Organizing Solutions says it can accumulate into a lot of what she calls C.R.U.D. (Completely Ridiculous Useless Debris), so start de-cluttering!
She says if you want to hold onto something, it should have some kind of value. "The best grade, maybe something that reflects the best teacher, an award or photograph. I think that this makes it more
Borax, a parent and former teacher, says it all needs to be scrutinized - a great activity to do with your kids.
She suggests starting a scrapbook. "When kids have some extra time, then they can go back and reflect on the year and decide what they really want to save and even show to their own children."
Some other tips from her new book,
"Good Riddance: Showing Clutter the Door:"
-Saving enormous amounts of your children's schoolwork, projects and textbooks is not advisable, unless you are prepared to put an extension onto your home. Set limits (how much and for how long) that make sense for the amount of space you have to devote to this type of storage.
-Throw away dried up markers, pens and crayon stubs and save only those that still have good life left. Clear storage boxes are great for leftover school supplies. Empty binders and save the usable ones for the next term.
- If there are homework and notes worth saving, rip them out of the notebooks, staple them and save in one binder rather than saving several notebooks.
- If there is artwork you just can't let go, consider scanning it into the computer and storing the file electronically.