I'm Drowning in Art Work!

I have a wall where I display a lot of their art. After a few weeks up there, we know which ones we want to keep forever. I also keep ones that I just really love or that the kids can tell me a lot about. At the end of the year I look at the ones I kept and then go through them again, the favorites go into a keepsake box.

take close up photos with a digital camera then got to SNAPFISH and you can make a book out of the photos.
I did it for my husband one year for christmas - it was the best gift
good luck, Cindy

Try www.ShareMyKidsArt.com - I love this website! It's free and lets you store and organize your children's art. The thing I like it about the most is it has these little buttons so that you can email or upload to your facebook wall pieces of art; this is really nice for us because we live in California and my parents live in Hawaii and my wife's parents live in NY. If one of our children create something we want to share with the grandparents, we simple press a button.

The only thing is you need to scan or photograph the art, which seems like a hassle but it's actually fairly easy. Good luck!

Take a picture of it with your digital camera if you have one. That way you will have them on your computer and later make a scrapbook out of them.

I keep only the really outstanding pieces. and throw the rest out.
You will get hundreds of them through out the years.
I have a bin I put art in and when it gets full I go through it and keep what I especially love and throw the rest away. I CAN'T keep it all. It's impossible to keep it all especially since I have two kids bringing it home.

Someone told me to scan or take digital photos of them. Also hang a clothes line in his room, and hang them from there? I haven't done either yet, and the piles are mounting!

I have 3 boys 17, 15, and 6. I know taking a picture of stuff and then tossing it is the majority thought, but its is not the same as holding it in your hand years down the road. So I have a "things to save" bin for each of the kids and save what I/or they feel is worth saving. When it is full just close it up and store it somewhere, its easier to store when you know you are not going to be retrieving it in the near future. I also let them put things in there that they want to save from their junk drawers or whatever. It will be absolutely wonderful going through that with them when they are older.

You can use clear contact paper to coat some pieces to use as placemats, coasters, bookmarks etc. There are frames that allow you to change the picture whenever you want. You can buy a large portfolio and stick some in there. You can pitch things where he can't possibly know you've thrown them out. You can have an area for a little gallery and have him choose what will be on display. You can give/send some pieces to relatives after he's signed them or written a sweet note. You can look for an out of the way spot to display some that you just tape up - basement, back hall etc.

How about repurposing them into wrapping paper for family gifts? Or if the back is usable you can use it for shopping lists or chore lists. I had 4 kids with a ton of artwork and I have a couple pieces around the house that were interesting. The rest went in the recycling bag. Sorry but not ever piece of paper my child touched needed to be saved. They are all grown into fine adults so I don't think it's been detrimental in any way.

Take a photograph of them and then throw them away :-) That way you still have a picture of it and you don't have the clutter. At some point you can even make a little photo book of the artwork if you wanted to through snapfish or whatever place you like to use.

Hi I recently have been trying to do the same thing and when it comes to art work save a few take photos of the rest. I lay them on the floor in a collage.
I am having a struggle about throwing it away too but I grew up in a house where my Mom was a hoarder. Keeping things makes it hard to move forward in to furture!!!
Happy cleaning!!
T. K

Make him a photo or scrapbook album and take pictures of each project and put them in the book. Then after you have proudly displayed his project for a week(ish), you can donate or dispose of it and always have a picture of it.
C.

I just took pictures of all of my kids artwork that had been piling up. I plan to keep a few pieces. But the photos of their artwork will go into their photo albums.

I've taken pictures of my son's artwork, and kept the pictures in a folder on my computer, and yes (gasp) thrown what I take pictures of, out. I keep my favorite few pieces, but there are far too many years and kids ahead to be holding on to it!

I started taking pictures of my kids' work. I can't possibly save it all and some of it wouldn't really survive time. I have not done much with the photos I have, but at least they are preserved. I have heard others say to get a digital frame and load the picture into there. Then you have a photo display of your child's art work!

Good luck!

Take digital photos, print them out and put them in an album. Also, you can burn a CD for your child for later on.

I don't know how old your son is, but when they hit about 3rd grade, a lot of the artwork coming home slows down. :)

theres a company that take pictures and creates a story book out of them. if you put them in an order and send them to them i think they could make a keepsake book of all the art work than you could through them out but still have them,

Share them with family and friends. Grandparents and others that love your child may appreciate the artwork. Frame it and make is special for them. I also love the idea of taking pictures of the pictures.

I had a huge art book of the kids artwork but it got destroyed in a flood. :-(