You, like most parents, are probably wondering what to do or how to store your child’s artwork. You’ve come to the right place, then. I am going to share some advice that has been tried and true in the past.
This shouldn’t be a problem if you tend to discard items without giving them much thought. Finally, you can stop reading this post! But if you’re a saver like me, you know you need to organize your stuff before it gets out of hand.
When one of my friends asked me what to do with the “mountain of artwork” her children were bringing home, it really struck a chord.
After surveying friends, family, my kid’s bookshelf, and browsing the internet, I came to a few conclusions I’d like to share!
The first thing I realized after talking with other parents was that the question of ‘what to save’ and ‘how to save’ their children’s artwork is a problem shared by all of us.
To help you manage creative clutter, we’ve gathered some simple storage ideas.
Turn a stack of papers into a Spiral-Bound Book
We adore this simple but effective idea for quickly transforming a stack of haphazard papers into a lovely spiral-bound memory book. Bonus: by storing your child’s artwork in one location throughout the year, you’ll be able to revisit each masterpiece before deciding which ones to keep.
Go Digital to store your Child’s artwork
Easy digital storage is at your fingertips; just photograph or scan each project separately. You can create annual photo albums or compile your favourite shots into a beautiful hardcover book.
Storing Photos in USB Drive
A USB Flash Drive is the most convenient way to store, transport, and share your photos all at once, and they can hold a lot. Click your child’s artwork and upload your photos to a flash drive and store them in a fireproof safe for extra security. Make extra copies to give to family to keep for you. This precautionary measure serves as an additional backup outside of your home.
For another handy option, save it on Cloud.
Stackable Multi-layer Drawer Storage Box
Try this great idea from Amazon, which uses plastic bins and hanging folders to organize all kinds of special keepsakes, such as artwork, birthday cards, school photos, and academic reports.
It’s a small, candy-coloured mini-filing cabinet. Brilliant!
You can buy it (here)
Expanding File Folder
Do not haphazardly place your artwork. Use this simple method to take your sorting to the next level. This method, like others, simplifies the process of filing papers and projects according to the child’s age or academic year.
You can use paint and stickers to personalize the folder and get the kids involved in the process.
You can buy it (here)
Related post: Questions for kids to get to know them better
Use a Binder system
If you want to keep things low-tech and low-cost, Waterproof File Folder recommends a simple system involving binders and art page protectors.
We like the idea of getting a binder with a clear plastic front so kids can personalize their binder. You can make a new binder for each school year and keep it on a shelf for easy access. Perfect!
You can buy it (here)
Make a collage out of small pieces of child’s artwork
Making a collage is a fun way to save memories of your child’s artwork! You can create something completely new and exciting that represents their hard work by taking bits and pieces from their artwork.
Frame your Child’s artwork
This is a DIY approach to displaying children’s artwork in frames. Even better if you can find used or reuse frames you already have. Spray paint your frames in a bright, funky color like the canary yellow shown below, or a pale pastel pink or blue if you prefer (my daughter loved this old rusty one).
You can buy a set of the same type of picture frames in different sizes for a more formal and clean appearance.
This works best if you know exactly what artwork you want to hang on the wall or if you don’t intend to change the pictures frequently.
Store child’s artwork which feels special–and Toss the Rest
It’s hard not to get emotional over every masterpiece your child creates, but let’s be honest—you don’t need 200 drawings of the family dog. It’s important to be ready to part with the artwork when it’s no longer serving a purpose in your life.
You can keep the art that matters most and preserve those special memories forever by implementing a storage solution that works for you and then enjoy your clutter-free memories of their creativity!
Let me know of any other ideas you used to sort and store art. I would love to hear!
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These are the sweet memories we should not forget to save jusk like their pictures.
I have mostly wall-mounted them and scanned them. Few, I have kept them in safekeeping. These are precious memories that I intend to cherish and leave behind for my grandchildren to see.
We don’t have any kids in the house. But how I wish, we had made spiral books of our artworks. It would have been nice to go over all those now. Your ideas are so good, I will share them among my circle of friends and acquaintances.
Such a lovey article. I’m collecting my son’s drawing since he was 2yrs and now he is 13. I kept them in file folder. And also click pictures of the same and keep them in my google photos. Not only art work I save his little written things: like I love you mom, Sorry Mommy…These are precious for me.
Managing kids art work can be a challenge! With the right children’s artwork storage solution, we can save every picture and memory.
I don’t have kids at my house but I would have loved to have a spiral notebook of my own artwork to look at
This is such an amazing article
Thank you for sharing this
Wow Anjali these are definitely great ways to preserve the child’s art work. I make it a point to take a point to take a pic, and send it to my daughter’s personal email drive.
These tiny memories are full of happiness and I remember my mum still has my first painting. In our generation, we can definitely click pictures and keep softcopy with us or else storing them in folders is a great option
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The artwork done by children has such emotional and nostalgic value, that you never want to give them away. Storing is of course an issue. These are some nice hacks, I personally would prefer going the digital way.
I used to.keep them in expanding file folders. But never have I tried the binders. They can be used to store the most creatives works it seems
I usually keep their work in a folder but a spiral bound is a great option. It’s important to save them as memories to show them when grow up.
Hey this is a great idea. I have always made them use canvas and re-do if its not all that great or I didn’t understand what they have drawn. But yeah framing them is a good motivation for them also.
I always frame the best of all. And keep changing it with every new piece. I have also have a bulletin board in my kids rooms and they are allowed to pin 4 pics in one go. I keep replacing it with the next 4.