What School Papers to Keep (and What to Let Go)
What school papers to keep, and what to let go
Thirteen years of school means thousands of pieces of paper coming home. You can’t keep it all, and you don’t need to. Here’s a simple way to decide.
See where it all goes- P
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If your kitchen bench disappears under artwork every Friday, you’re not disorganised. You’re a parent. The trick isn’t keeping more. It’s keeping the right things, in one place, so they’re easy to find and lovely to look back on.
The quick guide
Worth keeping
- School reports
- School and class photos
- Awards and certificates that meant something
- A handwriting sample each year
- Notes and cards from teachers
- Two or three favourite artworks
- First day and last day photos
Fine to let go
- Worksheets and homework sheets
- Duplicate or participation certificates
- Artwork you’ve photographed
- Newsletters and permission notes
- Anything your child doesn’t remember making
A good test: will this help them remember who they were at this age? If yes, keep it. If it’s just proof they did the work, let it go.
A ten minute system for the end of each term
Empty the pile
Once a term, gather everything from the fridge, the bench and the bottom of the school bag.
Let your child choose
Ask them to pick their favourite pieces. They’re far more ruthless than you’d expect, and it makes them part of the story.
Photograph the rest
Snap anything you’re unsure about before it goes. The photo keeps the memory without the clutter.
File it by year
Reports, certificates and chosen artwork go straight into that year’s pocket so nothing gets mixed up later.
Every paper has a place
- A spread for every year, Prep to Year 12
- Guided prompts, so you’re never stuck on what to write
- A clear keepsake pocket for every school year
- Large 250 x 320mm pages with room for class photos
One journal per child. Buying for more than one? The bundle is on the product page.
How to store what you keep
Keep papers flat, dry and away from direct sunlight. Avoid rubber bands and sticky tape, which yellow over time. Most importantly, keep each year together. Papers sorted by year are the difference between a box of clutter and a record of growing up.
“I never want to lose those little school memories because they’re the things that become priceless later.”
Melissa C., Glenelg SA
What if you’re already years behind?
Start with this year. Then work backwards whenever you have a quiet afternoon. Beginning late is so much better than leaving everything scattered, and imperfect memory keeping still becomes precious over time.
I started Vanda Baby after losing both my parents. What I wanted most afterwards wasn’t their things. It was the little details: their handwriting, their stories, the everyday moments no one thought to write down.
Our kids’ school years fly by. Ten minutes at the end of each one is all it takes to make sure those moments aren’t lost.
Sarah, founder and mum of three
One book. Every school year.
Reports, photos, awards and the little answers you’ll want to remember, all kept together from Prep to Year 12.
Shop the school memory bookDesigned in Melbourne by a mum of three.
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