OH! Organizing Hints: Keeping Kids’ Keepsakes and Mementos

Dear Geralin,

My twins started school this year and I’m curious—what do you suggest to keep their pictures and progress reports organized for long-term storage?

I only want to invest in a system once and thought if you have a product that you like, why should I reinvent the wheel.

I saw your presentation and you held up several products but the one that caught my attention was the “interactive” product for less than $30.00.

BTW, You gave a lot of good tips that day and motivated me to go home and “edit” all my bad photos. My girlfriend (also a mother of twins) actually went home and organized all her shoes after hearing your talk! We want to keep going.

Geralin, we can hardly wait to hear back from you.

Thank you,
Grace and Abby

Dear Grace and Abby

WOW! It is really rewarding to hear that you two were inspired and took action. Thanks so much for sharing the news with me. Sometimes a little pep talk is all we need to get moving. And, once in a while, a product suggestion is helpful too.

You two must be remembering the “School Years Memento Keeper” from the Family-Facts line of products. You are correct; I did hold it up as one of my very favorite products for containing kids keepsakes. It’s perfect for keeping papers, school photos and a limited number of keepsakes nicely organized in a book-like format (12×12 hardcover).

For each year of school, Pre-K—12, there is a page/ pouch for storing report cards, favorite artwork, special awards, school pictures, or other important mementos. On the pages next to each pocket are prompts for writing height, weight, allowance, and all sorts of quick, easy-to-answer questions. It’s an easy to use system and requires no learning curve or set up.

You gals are wise to plan ahead. Before you know it, you and your children will look back fondly on all of the treasures and childhood milestones. I especially like the “signature” spot where the child signs her/his name every year. Their signatures change almost as much as their school photos do from year to year.

One of the nicest surprises about the FFMK (Family Facts Memento Keeper) is the quality of the paper used. A lot of times, I may like the idea behind a product, but if it feels yucky or flimsy, then it’s just not a good fit for me. Not this time! The pages are made of nice, thick cardstock, and the book is spiral bound for easy page-turning. Also, the colors are good for either a boy or girl.

I saved the best news for last; School Years Memento Keepers retails for around $25.00 through the Barnes and Noble website (type, “Family Facts Memento Keeper” in the search bar).