Question for those of you with kids About This Page:

[loobyoxlip]

What do you do with all the artwork your kids bring home from daycare/school? I am at loss. We hung some on the walls in the basement and of course a few are on the fridge, but I literally have hundreds of papers all over! And heaven forbid they see a piece of their artwork in the trash (even if they just drew a line on a piece of paper [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img] ) They take is out and I get accused of not liking what they did and then I feel horrible [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] I can't figure out anything other than just putting them in a big box... [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

*~*Tina*~*

[AKLRULZ]

With three kids it sure adds up here, too - my wife is in charge of the memorabilia here and she has purchased those big plastic storage bins for each kid and she calls them their "forever boxes". She employs the kids to assist in choosing which things they'd like to keep and of course keeps nostalgic or sentimental things we want too. Just an idea - they are big and my oldest son and daughter have 2 bins already - we keep them in our attic so they're out of sight and out of the way.

[luvnwdwgal]

Tina, that's exactly what I did....kept everything in a big box. I went through everything a couple years ago looking for stuff to display for DS's graduation party! I cleaned some of it out, but I will always have a box under the bed with his "school memories"! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

[DisneyNutMary]

We have files for our kids stuff in the filing cabinet. I tend to weed out only what is special, sentimental, or just too darn cute to throw away. We also keep report cards, certificates, and cards in the files....at the end of each school year, the file goes into a storage tote. When my kids get married, they will each receive their tote, with all their stuff, plus some pictures from each year that I have weeded out to go with their artwork. My mom did this for me and my siblings, and I found stuff in there that I had no memory of ever doing, it was pretty cool.

[chezp]

We don't have kids, but I do still keep one picture which DN drew for me about six years ago on the fridge door. She's now 13 and dies of embarrassment every time she sees it, but she always tells me - "Auntie Cheryl, you're the only person who keeps my drawings. Everyone else throws them away after a while" which makes me feel like I've done the right thing... and it's a lovely picture of Eeyore!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Cheryl

[denwol]

We also use the storage bins....

but first, DS has a wall in his room that is completely covered in cork and burlap! He can hang anything with push-pins, without making any marks in the wall, and never runs out of room! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Plus it looks good too - burlap (in Navy blue) goes well with the rustic nautical theme of the room.

Now, if I could only figure out what he drew... [img]graemlins/ukid.gif[/img]

[Colexis Mom]

We too use the storage bins. I have a very large bin (I think it is 15"x24"x12") that is almost full. With both of them in daycare since they were 4 months old, we are piled high with the stuff. I don't keep as much of DD's stuff anymore. She comes home just scribbling on little notepad paper (some days 15 pieces) and I just end up throwing it away when she isn't looking (bad mommy!!)

[Joanne929]

Well, at night, when the kids are sleeping . . . and then DH comes home in the am from work . . . the trash goes out. Now, don't get me wrong, I have LOTS of their drawings, school papers, reports cards, etc. but you can't keep everything [img]graemlins/dizzy.gif[/img]
My 3 kids have gone to the same pre-school for one year each and they put together a "memory book" with pictues, papers, stuff they did, so that saves me a whole bunch and the boys have theirs on their shelf. (DS will get hers in 2 weeks when she "graduates"!)

So, big clear sturdy containers are excellent (or even the boxes reams of paper come in) and just pick and choose and put away whatever you can and when they 'need' something or you're feeling sentimental, just pull out the box(es) and enjoy [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Teresa]

THROW IT AWAY!!
MY sister and I are working with mom to get her house empty so it can be sole. She has not lived there for over a year. We found some old school papers and art projects and we THREW THEM OUT!! We were not interested in them at all.
I have weeded out things here as a result, and I feel o guilt.
A bonus- My house is cleaner now.
I also heard of someone that took pictures of a whole wall of stuff her kids had done and then threw out the stuff.

[OffKilter_Lynn]

We have a 'one-month' holding bin which does just that... holds all art work for one month. At the end of the month, DD (age 9) & I go through and choose our favorite. The favorite has the 'place of honor' on the 'fridge for the month, then it's stored in a big plastic box. I also have her sign & date the back (neat to see the evolution of her handwriting). This really cuts down on the mountain of paper and I can actually see the fridge!

If she has a large / 3-D project, I'll take a picture of her with it.

DS is 4 and not into the whole artwork-thing yet, but I'm sure his sis won't mind sharing the fridge space when that time comes!

[loobyoxlip]

Originally posted by Disneymom2kids:
We have a 'one-month' holding bin which does just that... holds all art work for one month. At the end of the month, DD (age 9) & I go through and choose our favorite. The favorite has the 'place of honor' on the 'fridge for the month, then it's stored in a big plastic box. I also have her sign & date the back (neat to see the evolution of her handwriting). This really cuts down on the mountain of paper and I can actually see the fridge!

If she has a large / 3-D project, I'll take a picture of her with it.

DS is 4 and not into the whole artwork-thing yet, but I'm sure his sis won't mind sharing the fridge space when that time comes!

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">What a great idea!!

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

*~*Tina*~*

[Yoopermom156]

Emilys goes on the fridge. On the night before garbage goes out I weed thru everything and toss some while she is sleeping.. She has yet to notice.
I also have a tote with stuff I have kept. Her 1st dress, a camoflauge onsies that says daddies girl, that kinda stuff. I will also put folders in there from each year of school. My mom kept some of my stuff and gave it to me after Emily was born.

Signed,
Cant find the fridge!!!!
or Dawn

[SarahJ]

We're just starting to get into this since Madeline's daycare has started sending home projects. My parents also used to keep the really special stuff in a box or file for my brother and I. But I read this idea in a magazine somewhere. They suggested using your kids' art work as wrapping paper or cards for gifts. I thought it was a great idea and we will probably do this for family birthdays or even holidays.