Drowning in artwork!!

[jwmcdaniel]

Help! I'm drowning in artwork! In dd's 5 short years, she's made so many cute pictures and things that I hate to part with, but my gosh! I'm running out of space to keep the 'keepers'.

Anyone have any good ideas for storing these 'masterpieces'? I've managed to part with some, and have them somewhat sorted by preschool year, but then what to do ..... other than good 'ol Rubbermaid??

[arianna]

MM! I place art work in oversized envelopes which are labled with child's name and year, then tuck them between the mattress and box spring. With 4 beds in the house I doubt I'll run out of space anytime soon. They all stay nice and flat too ! Works for me ! ßß!

[KarlaB]

I am curious to see what people have for ideas because I already have a ton saved and my oldest is only 4! :) I think I read somewhere once to try to cut them down and then either save them that way or to try to make a framed collage?

arianna - I like your idea and it makes a lot of sense!!! :thumb:

[RCT]

curious here too to see what you all are doing, I love the mattress Idea Ari...just went through ds stuff and kindergarden alone took up one space saver box...yikes...

[MaryL]

This is what I recommend: Save your most precious items...(if you can choose! That's the hard part!)...and take pictures of the rest. In our house, we have certain doors, fridge, etc that we devote to our boys' artwork. After it has filled up and been displayed for a while I snap a picture and choose the items I will save. This works out great, and is wonderful for scrapbooking. I have a couple of pages labeled "artwork", where I've collaged these pictures. It's fun to look back over their artwork, and I really don't have to "have" each piece in the house to appreciate them. I know people who save every worksheet...yikes! I keep a couple (tests, written stories, special projects, etc) and toss the rest. Ds made a teepee display on a large sheet of cardboard. Thank goodness we're in the habit of taking the pictures, because where in the world would we have stored that????

I'm a Kindergarten teacher, and that's what I recommend to parents who are thrilled with all of the neat projects...but at their wits end about how to keep it all. Hope it helps.

[coulie]

MaryL,

Your photo record idea is brilliant! I am going right away to buy some film and snap away at our cherished "masterpieces". Course, once I develop the film it then goes into my photo tupperware containers :)
Oh well, it'll still take up less space.
On another note,
Each of my kids saves their school work in a bin throughout the year. When school lets out I sort through it, saving only the work that contains self perception writings or views they hold about thier family, friends and the world they live in. I save only a few peices of art work and I always throw the worksheets out. The bin idea came up because my kids were setting thier work in too many different spots around the house. This inevitably led to lost homework. We've used the bins for five years now and it's great.

[Sheryl]

Another thought is to laminate them and put into a big book.

[MaryL]

Another idea....use bigger art projects (paintings, etc) as wrapping paper. Use smaller art projects as cards, etc. Send items to "grandma" for her fridge. How about donating some things to a local nursing home to decorate a lonely person's room?