What do you do with all of the artwork?

[MommyAllison]

If you don't want to throw it away? DD *loves* to draw, color, paint, make collages, etc. and probably creates an average of 5 new pages every day. I've been hanging it in the playroom, and stacking it in the spare bedroom, but the stack is huge and the walls are covered (as is our fridge and her bedroom wall!), and I don't know what to do with it all. I know I can get rid of some of it, but a lot of it I would like to keep for now. My idea so far is to hang long pieces of ribbon across the playroom walls, with clothespins to hang artwork from (right now it is taped up, and falls off easily, is crooked, etc). But still, we will have a lot that needs to be stored somehow. Do I just buy a Rubbermaid tub and toss it all in? Help!

[Babymakes3]

I would either put them into a container of some sort or one of those huge portfolios that Michaels carries. A blogger that I follow found them on major clearance at Michaels and pick up a couple to store all her sons artwork in.

[egoldber]

I throw it away. I save a few things here and there that mark milestones, but after that I throw it away. There is just absolutely no way that I can save it all.

[elephantmeg]

I throw away a lot. Milestone pieces I keep (first time DS did his own drawing vs coloring a picture), first recognizable letter etc. I send some to grandparents/great grandparents for their fridges and then I throw a TON. I always think "what would I have wanted my parents to save/what would I be interested in". My answer is not much!

[JoyNChrist]

I photograph or scan it and create a poster like this (http://www.simplycreatekids.com/product/childrens-artwork-collage-9-square) in Photoshop. I did the first one last year when he was 2, and will do one each year.

[belovedgandp]

I photograph the bigger things and then pitch.

I have two long clip hanging rods in the kids' room - the kind that would hold drapery panels. I hang artwork from there. When it gets full we do a week of photographs, pitching and filing.

I have a plastic tub that has hanging file folders in it. I try to keep only milestone pieces and pieces from each year/grade etc.

I have one tub per child. My oldest is almost 7 and his tub is about 2/3 full - it also has key birthday cards, school papers, and artwork. So I'm pretty brutal on the weeding. Sometimes I'll keep stuffing in a folder for a year knowing it is too much and then go back and weed it 6 months or so down the line when it is easier to toss stuff.

I'm working on making my first photo book for the 7 year old of pictures taken of his bigger projects.

[hannah]

I save each kid's art work for a year. Then we (me and DD or DS) go through the art work, take pictures of all of it and then make a small photo book (like a paperback one from snapfish or shutterfly). Then we keep about 4-5 of the best pieces per year. The rest goes in the recycle bin. My DD loves going back to look at her preschool artwork books.

[kristac]

I have 2 of these for display:
http://www.amazon.com/Lil-DaVinci-Store-Display-Cabinet/dp/B000IF7JYC/ref=pd_bxgy_ba_text_b

[infomama]

I keep everything. i have a Rubbermaid container for each dd and i get a new one each year.

[neeleymartin]

I save each kid's art work for a year. Then we (me and DD or DS) go through the art work, take pictures of all of it and then make a small photo book (like a paperback one from snapfish or shutterfly). Then we keep about 4-5 of the best pieces per year. The rest goes in the recycle bin. My DD loves going back to look at her preschool artwork books.


this is a great idea. i think i will do the same. thanks for posting.

[MommyofAmaya]

We have been using artwork as wrapping paper for a while now. It is always a hit at parties.

[kristac]

We have been using artwork as wrapping paper for a while now. It is always a hit at parties.


We do this as well.

[inmypjs]

This is a great question and great ideas! I have been pondering this myself and appreciate all of the suggestions.