You can’t save everything
I’m not an especially sentimental person. But for some reason, I have saved many items and photographs over time because they felt significant to me. I have about 3 boxes of sentimental items that have no actual use for me that I have saved for myself, curated down from the many, many boxes of stuff my mom saved for me and that I saved for myself in junior high, high school and college.
With three kids, I can’t save it all. I try to think about what is most important to me, what brings me the most pleasure, and let that drive my decisions of what to save. I’ve developed a few simple systems that I can actually implement (no elaborate scrapbooks here).
I print a photo book on Shutterfly every year for each child’s birthday. I upload mostly cell phone pictures from that year that feature that child, including vacations, holidays, and random snapshots. I don’t spend a ton of time editing it, or choosing perfect pictures. But I have one for every year for each child.
Birthday Book. I linked it - we do an interview with each kid on their birthday using the guided questions. Confession - I never put the pictures in because I have the photo book. Done is better than perfect!
I keep a file box with a hanging file for each grade. I keep report cards, my favorite art, special cards, ribbons, etc. Just a few pieces.
I love to buy special outfits for Christmas. I keep those in a box, and I’m planning to have a quilt made when the kids are grown up. For me…it will be my Christmas quilt. I hope to buy themed Christmas sheets and then make my bed over into Christmas in December.
Playroom wires. I strung up two wires in the playroom. The girls get to choose the art they want to display, and change it out whenever they want. All other art, unless I save it, which is rare, can be admired, then trashed or recycled. We don’t secretly throw it away - we have just been open with the girls about it and there are no tears. They have control if they want to save something, but only so much can fit, so sometimes something else has to go.
Journal. I have a journal for each child. I write them letters in the journal occasionally, and then they will receive it as a gift when they grow up (I don’t know when). I should do this more often, but it is what it is.
That’s pretty much it. I keep it simple and achievable, because with three kids and a business, I only have so much time and energy. I’m giving myself grace when I start to feel guilty and I see amazing projects by other parents that are more elaborate and involved than these. It’s generally a good plan - grace for yourself.