If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love to edit and purge. I’m not a big fan of clutter and I like for everything to have a place in our home. When it comes to kids, they sometimes have a hard time getting rid of things. It’s normal! Kids also go through so many different phases in their childhood and things have different sentimental value at different times. Incorporating memory bins for our kids has helped contain items and store tangible memories in one place. It helps get clutter out of their rooms, but they also know those items will be kept in a safe place. Here is how to create memory bins for your kids.
How to Store Tangible Memories
Honestly, you can use any storage container you like. I’m using a plastic bin with a lid for ours. Each child has two bins for 18 years worth of “stuff”. They are currently 16 and 17 years old and we are still filling with items. I think this is an adequate amount of storage and it doesn’t take up too much room. We keep these in the guest bedroom closet and it’s clear and visible how much room is left. Once they move out, they can take the bins with them and store themselves. At that point they might decide to edit even more, which I’m sure they will. What was important when you were 10 might not be important when you’re in college!
What Do You Keep In the Bins?
The idea of a memory bin in our home is not an excuse to keep everything! It is a way to save the most important things. Having limited storage space allows for our kids to really make good choices about what gets kept. Often times when purging with my kids, the idea of wanting to keep something to look at later (but not wanting to display currently) comes up. My kids now know to just say “let’s put it in the memory bin” if they can’t make a quick decision about an item. What is important to each child will vary, as it should be!
- travel treasures
- awards
- sports memories (jerseys, first home run ball, photos, programs, etc)
- items made at school (3D printer, ceramics class, special artwork)
- first passports
- special cards/gifts
- blankets/stuffed animals that have meaning
I also created school bins for each child when they started preschool. These bins contain report cards, school photos, notes from teachers, artwork, awards, etc. You could easily combine this concept into the memory bin as well. Do you have memory bins for your kids? I have found it to be a great place to store items and clear the clutter from their bedrooms. I’m sure they will go through these in a few years and get rid of a ton more stuff. The importance of “things” changes as we go through life, which is why it is so important to continue editing our stuff! XO
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