The Gift of Organization

The Gift of Organization

Belinda @ Kids Matter

Ahhh! The frustration of giving the perfect gift for a baby shower! You don’t want to be blasé and just pick up the first thing you find. You don’t really have the time to peruse the long list of registered gifts. You want something that will last, but worry about buying clothes too big. Then you have the option of purchasing a beautiful lavish blanket and bedding but reality kicks in and you know in a few months it won’t be so lavish anymore. So… what to buy, what to buy… hummm? Have you ever considered the gift of organization? It’s a gift that will grow with the baby and be a complete blessing to Mom and Dad. Just think about this… how much time have you wasted searching for documents you needed for an appointment? How many times have you thought, “UGH! Why didn’t I put all those papers together?” This is the perfect opportunity to help someone else by giving them the gift of organization.

How about purchasing an expandable folder? Now, I know this doesn’t seem like a present to flip over but I assure you, one day the parent will come to you and exclaim, “You have no idea what a lifesaver your gift was to us!” They come in assorted colors and can easily be creatively decorated with the baby shower theme or any theme of your choosing. You can even personalize it with the baby’s name. The presentation of the gift is only limited by your imagination. So, think bold and outside the box.

The inside of the folder should be attended to as well. I know, from personal experience, that if we don’t go ahead and map everything out; the gift will not be utilized for its intended purpose. The more work the giver puts into it the more useful it will be to the recipient. The inside should be labeled preferably in order of events from birth. One suggestion would be to label the first file ‘birth records’. In that folder the parent could keep important documents such as the birth certificate, hospital documents, finger prints, foot print, vital statistics and possibly a CD containing all those beautiful arrival pictures taken moments after birth. (A quick tip… you could design a CD holder in the file for the parent to place yearly CD’s of pictures as the child grows. It’s not only for organizational purposes but also great memento storage.)

The next label in the folder should include medical records for the doctor, hospital, dentist, WIC, and immunizations. Keeping a record of trips to the doctor and the purpose of the visit is always a good thing. Years later when your grown child asks, “Did I ever have the chicken pox?” you can go straight to the box and give a definite yes or no along with the date and details. An insurance file should immediately follow the medical records. That way all the records will be in the same order and if there is a need to reference a medical visit for an insurance claim, all documents are right at the finger tips.

The remaining files should include labels such as: daycare, school (preschool – 12), and college. This would also be the perfect place to keep financial records directly related to the child such as savings accounts, bonds, and insurance policies.

If used for its rightful purpose, this expandable file folder will reach capacity long before high school. The chances of the parent purchasing additional folders are greatly increased in order to keep up the organization that makes life so much easier. This would also be a great gift for a college student. Inspiring organizational fortitude was best said by Florence Kennedy, “Don't agonize. Organize.”