Growing up, my mom kept all of our family albums and sentimental pieces in her antique buffet {the same one in our dining room}. I’d open it sometimes in awe of just how MANY photos and Christmas Cards she kept. I didn’t appreciate it just then, but I was just impressed at the magnitude of it all. Now that I’m a mother myself, I can’t get over how loving it was that she took the time to save it all. While in the thick of toddlerhood, the last thing a mom probably wants to think about at 10 pm is sorting through cards and albums. It’s really easy to let it all slide. But yet, moms still take the time to write down those milestones, fold the sweet smocked dresses, and save those first pair of ballet shoes.

One question I get asked often via e-mail is how I sort and save baby keepsakes. I’m no pro, but this is the method that works for me! I don’t write down everything to perfection, but I do need to get better about it! The phrases 3-year-olds say are hilarious and I don’t want to forget them! But this method allows me to keep things organized, saved, and under control. If you throw things in 20 different plastic tubs, it can feel easy to get overwhelmed.

Containers

I use these storage containers from Target to house the baby keepsakes and paper items. They have them in pink, blue, or clear depending on your preference. I just use one color for each child and it keeps it easy to find. You can keep these in your children’s closets or a guest room closet so that throughout the year, you can easily store what you need. You don’t have to feel like you need to take 7 hours on a Saturday and get it all sorted. I’ll toss an ultrasound or sweet card in a bin, and then every 2 months or so, I’ll sit for 10-20 minutes and file the item away in the container. These containers hold the baby box, cards, baby books, baby blankets, birthday scrapbooks, photo albums, and any other sentimental paper goods.

If you do head to Target, I’d grab two in the same color for each child. I use one to store the paper goods and one to store clothing I’m saving for myself. I have two methods of saving clothing that I will get into, but did want to note you’ll want two of these tubs for this storing process.

Note: I use a much smaller container like above to save her art papers and school papers. I have yet to make a system for that because she is only in Mother’s Day Out and will start preschool next year. For now, I just keep that piece in her closet and when she makes something special for us after it has had its glory on the fridge, I ask her if she wants me to save it. If she does, we take it and put it in her special box. For school papers, I keep all the “big” ones or the ones that are laminated or for holidays.

Baby Boxes

You’ll hear these called many different things from memory trunks to baby boxes. These are specialty boxes or trunks made to store your baby’s keepsakes. Mine was a gift from a reader when I was pregnant and it was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. I saved her hospital swaddle, all of her hospital iD cards, baby Bibles, birthday candles, first baby bonnet, and more. I even kept the receipt from Paul going to Whataburger when we were in the hospital having her! ha. I use these clear containers off Amazon to sort things by like items such as ultrasounds, birthday candles, etc. In the wise words of Jessica Simpson, “You must keep your wishes!” The clear containers keep everything nice and neat. I also keep the yearly letters I write to her on her birthday each year in this box.

You can totally make this yourself or give it as a gift! If your friend is pregnant and you want to get them something sentimental, grab a box from the craft store and make a personalized one. If you want to order one, I’ve seen that Petite Keep on Instagram sells them.

Baby Books

Her baby book is from Artifact Uprising. I love that it has pockets to put letters in. I saved letters people wrote to her when I was pregnant and a letter Paul wrote to me the week of her due date. Baby boy has this baby book, which I had also purchased and fell in love with. I thought it would be fun for them to have two different types.

Cards

I keep all of her cards from my baby shower with her to her birth announcement, baby dedication, and birthday parties on one binder ring clip. I hole punch in the corner of the invitation or announcement and then place them in order of the event. I save extra invitations in a box, but this allows her to see them all when she is older.

Birthday Scrapbook

This was one of my favorite gifts I was given when I had Maxi! One of our family friends from church made me a birthday scrapbook. It has a spot for each birthday until they are 18. You place a photo of them on their birthday and then can easily see how much they grow and change throughout the year. She is making one for baby boy, too, which I’m thrilled about!

Photo Album

It can be tricky to find a nice, leather photo album. I get mine for my children at Mark and Graham. It doesn’t take up as much space as a wedding photo album and looks beautiful with their custom monogramming.

Suitcase

I stole this idea from Joanna Gaines and I LOVE it! Joanna keeps a suitcase for each child and gives them some of her favorite pieces of their clothing as babies and toddlers. She writes a letter to them in it, and then when they are grown they can have the suitcase. You may have seen in my blog post yesterday, there is a linen suitcase in baby boy’s room. That is what that is for! Maxi and baby boy’s suitcases are from Steamline Luggage, but I’ll link some other cute options as well. I saved the dress I got her to surprise Paul we were having a girl, her first dance shoes, birthday party outfits, baby gowns, and monogrammed pieces in here. Then, I keep one of the Target bins for myself and fill that to the brim with Maxi’s clothing just for me. When we found out baby #2 was a boy, I found I had like 20 tubs of clothing. A lot of my friends this year had girls, so I let them borrow most of that clothing, and was able to sort my favorites and keep what is most sentimental to me in the suitcase and Target bin.

How do you store your baby’s keepsakes?! I’d love to know! I’ll also have an IGTV on my Instagram today showing you these details up close and explaining more.