Back to School Tip: Preserve the Memories Without the Clutter

Backpacks aren’t the only things that come home overflowing this time of year. Soon you’ll be buried in artwork, handouts, team photos, yearbook portraits, and field trip snapshots. These pieces are priceless glimpses of your child’s school years, but they can quickly become a pile of paper and photos you don’t know what to do with.

Here are a few quick ways to stay ahead of the chaos and actually enjoy these memories:

1. Photograph Artwork as It Arrives

• Flat art: Place on a neutral background, use natural light, and shoot straight above to avoid distortion.

• 3D projects: Use a simple backdrop, soft light, and capture multiple angles. Including your child holding their masterpiece is a fun way to show scale.

A few minutes each week means no more mystery stacks in the kitchen.

2. Keep School Photos Organized

Sports teams, class photos, yearbooks, field trips, it adds up fast. Create a digital folder for each school year and drop everything in as soon as it arrives. Snap a photo of physical prints before they get lost in backpacks. Tag files with your child’s grade or activity so they’re easy to find later.

. Share and Repurpose

Once digitized, these memories can be shared with relatives, turned into photo books, or pulled together into end-of-year slideshows. The best part? You’re actually able to enjoy them instead of losing track in a drawer.

4. Don’t Let the Backlog Stress You

If you already have boxes of artwork, prints, and keepsakes from past years, you’re not alone. We help families sort, digitize, and organize everything, so you can finally enjoy those treasures without the clutter.

Ready to get those memories under control? Contact us at 206-679-3410 or studio@signaturephotoorganizing.com and we’ll help you turn piles into a beautifully preserved collection.