You know that moment when the backpack unzips and suddenly your kitchen table looks like a paper explosion?
Spelling tests everywhere. Finger paintings stuck together. Those sweet construction-paper Mother’s Day cards that make your heart melt.
It’s precious. It’s also completely overwhelming.
Don’t forget to save this pin for later! Trust me, you’ll want to come back to these sanity-saving tips.
If you clicked on this post, I’m betting you’re like me. You want to keep those special school memories, but the actual process feels impossible.
There’s the guilt when you even think about throwing something away. The endless paper piles taking over your house. That nagging fear that tossing one scribble somehow erases a precious memory.
And if you’re a mom with ADHD? Add executive dysfunction to the mix. Decision fatigue hits hard. That voice in your head saying “I should be doing this perfectly” gets louder.
No wonder those keepsakes end up stuffed in bags in the closet. Or shoved in drawers. Or (let’s be honest) still crumpled in the bottom of their backpack from three months ago.
Here’s the thing though. You can keep the most special school memories without drowning in clutter.
These 14 solutions work for ADHD moms, overwhelmed moms, and perfectly imperfect moms. They’re simple systems, not superpowers required.
Whether your child has ADHD or not, these will help. Because they remove the pressure and add the ease.
Take a deep breath. Pour that coffee. This is going to feel so good.
1. One-Tote Limit per Child
Start here: one bin per kid. That’s it.
No “maybe piles.” No future sorting sessions that never happen. Just one tote about the size of a banker’s box to hold everything you keep over the years.
Whatever doesn’t fit gets tossed or digitized (more on that in a minute).
Setting a physical limit frees your brain from those endless decision spirals. It also gives your kids clear boundaries when they’re older and want to go through their stuff.
2. Use Just 4 Simple Sections Inside the Tote
Inside the tote, break things down into four labeled file folders:
- Pre-K / Kindergarten
- Elementary School
- High School
- Other Keepsakes (sports, activities, etc.)
You can add “Middle School” if it makes sense for your family. But honestly? Don’t overthink this part.
Fewer sections equals less stress.
3. Add a “Drop Zone” Paper Bin Near the Door
This is your daily safety net. Get a simple open bin with no lid, nothing fancy.
Your kid drops their papers in after school. No sorting required. No decisions needed.
Put it somewhere easy but not in your face. Entryway, mudroom, bedroom closet. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re not drowning in scattered papers.
4. Purge Quarterly (Not Daily)
Once every three months, grab that bin and do a quick sort.
Toss the math worksheets. Keep the stories, the art, the stuff that genuinely makes you smile.
Set a timer for 15 minutes. You’re not curating a museum here. You’re just making space for what actually matters.
5. Turn It into a Summer Project with Your Kids
At the end of each school year, make it a tradition: “Keepsake Week.”
Sit down together and go through the bin. Let them help decide what makes it into the official tote.
They get to participate. You get help making decisions. Everyone wins.
Pro tip: Older kids usually love this more than you’d think. Frame it as a fun memory-sort, not a chore.
6. Use a Binder with Sheet Protectors for Flat Art
Some things are too cute not to flip through regularly.
Slide the best drawings or short writing pieces into a simple 3-ring binder with clear sleeves.
It’s instantly viewable. Way more satisfying than a pile. Easy to do while watching TV.
7. Snap a Photo, Then Let It Go
Can’t keep that bulky macaroni necklace? Take a picture first.
That volcano diorama taking up half the dining room? Photo it, frame it if you want, then toss it.
Digitizing bulky items is honestly the ADHD mom’s secret weapon. You don’t have to keep everything physically to preserve the memory.
8. Rotate Favorite Artwork in Display Frames
Get a few inexpensive frames and let your kids pick what to display each month.
When you swap pieces out, either add them to the binder or snap a photo. Instant declutter, and your child feels seen and celebrated.
9. Mail Extras to Grandparents
If your child made five drawings of the same flower, keep your favorite and mail the others to grandma.
Or aunts, uncles, whoever might enjoy getting that surprise in their mailbox.
Bonus: it cuts down your storage and spreads some joy.
10. Label Everything Visually
Use big, clear labels on totes and folders. Add icons or color-coding if that helps you.
ADHD brains crave visual clarity. The fewer seconds it takes to figure out where something goes, the more likely we’ll actually follow through.
11. Use Open-Top Bins Only
Seriously, forget the lids.
If you have to wrestle with a top every single time you add something, it’s not going to happen consistently.
Open-top bins equal low friction. Low friction equals follow-through.
This one change made a huge difference in my house.
12. Let Kids Decorate Their Own Bins or Binders
This adds instant ownership to the system.
They’ll be more invested in keeping it up. You get one less thing to manage completely on your own.
Make it a fun craft day. Stickers, markers, whatever makes them excited about their special memory keeper.
13. Schedule a 5-Minute Weekly Reset
Pick a low-key time (Sunday evenings work great) for a tiny tidy session.
Grab the paper bin. Toss what’s obviously trash. Straighten the rest. Done.
Keeping it small and regular is the secret. No more marathon sorting sessions that never actually happen.
14. Celebrate Small Wins, Not Perfection
Did you label those folders today? High five.
Threw away just one worksheet? That’s amazing progress.
Every little bit genuinely counts here. This isn’t about creating some Pinterest-worthy memory archive.
It’s about making space. Mentally, emotionally, and literally in your home.
Your future self will be so grateful you started.
Let’s Be Real for a Minute
This stuff isn’t easy, even though it looks simple written out like this.
It’s real-life hard when your brain’s juggling a million tabs. When your kid’s having a meltdown. When that paperwork avalanche keeps coming no matter what you do.
But these tips? They’re actually doable.
Not because you’re suddenly going to become more organized overnight. But because they were designed for how we really live, not how we think we should live.
Whether your child has ADHD or not, whether you do or not, these systems work. They remove pressure instead of adding it. They create ease instead of stress.
They give you just enough structure to hold onto the memories without drowning in clutter.
That’s really what this is about. Keeping what genuinely matters. Letting go of what doesn’t. Creating a little more calm in the beautiful chaos of family life.
You’ve got this, mama.
🩵