The Skeletons in our Closet

From the outside we look like one big, happy family, who lives in a clean,well-organized home, where everything has its place.  And other than the slightly maniacal looking child in the front of our family picture, we do not look like a family with a deep, dark secret.  But we do have one, and I am going to share it with you today!

I should tell you that this is incredibly hard for me.  Please do not judge me too harshly.

Okay, are you ready for this?

Ahhh!  Look away . . .  the horror!

This is my bedroom closet.  This is the one place in my home where I throw everything that I have no place for, or no idea what to do with but am required to keep.

My name is Krista Skov-Nielsen, and I am a closet slob.

So, as you can imagine, each year when my little darlings arrive home with their backpacks overflowing from a year of learning, I go into a full blown anxiety attack.

What am I going to do with all of this stuff?

AND this is only the boys' stuff.  Zoe has not even emptied her desk yet, but then again, for those of you who are familiar with middle schools in New Brunswick, I would be pretty surprised if she came home with anything at all.  Oh, but this is a whole other rant that I will share with you at a later date.  Aren't you lucky?

I could throw it all into a folder and shove it at the back of my closet, where there is already an accumulation of school years' memorabilia:

Hey, I think there may even be a little space left in there!

But no . . . not this year!  This year I am prepared thanks to http://www.71toes.blogspot.com/.  I love this woman!  I really think she should move to Canada and become my new BFF, or at least my personal assistant.  I need people!  Have you grown tired of hearing me say this?  I know Derrick has . . . tee hee!

So, her idea is not rocket science, but it is brilliant in its simplicity. Each child in the house is given a file folder box that is kept in their own closet.  You then schedule some individual time with each child to sort through their school year stash (she admits that trying to find time in a day for each kid is the most challenging part of the process).  You grab a hanging file, label it whatever year your child has just completed, and fill it with projects and assignments that mean the most to both of you.  For bigger projects like Elliot's habitat project, which he got an A+ on, you take a photo of it and place it in the folder.

Who really wants their mama taking photos of them in the morning anyway?

Oh, and by the way, projects like this, if not assigned on a regular basis and given ample time to complete, do make for positive homework experiences.  I only poo poo on the tedious, mind-numbing worksheets that come home week after endless week. But, I think you have heard enough about this.

There you have it!  It is so simple, but so helpful.  I can't wait to get started!

Your little darling gets a box of all their most treasured memorabilia, and you get your closet back.  It's a win-win situation!

Now, this post is all complete for those of you who are content with the "71 Toes" solution to organizing school year treasure, but for those of you who rather enjoy how we here at Shenanigans Inc. operate, I have one last tidbit for you.

What do you do with all the stuff that is not deemed box-worthy?  Well, you stoke up one huge bonfire and have an annual end-of-the-year book burning!  Yes, we are a little savage around here, but it is important to have family traditions.  In fact, I think I will even take a picture of our bonfire this year, complete with three wee Websters dancing around it . . . tee hee,  so they will each have one for their boxes!

 Again, it's so simple, but brilliant . . . right?

Happy Last Thursday Before Summer Vacation!