Saving School Art/Papers

[Auspicious]

I'm planning to follow the advice I read somewhere to save only one or two pieces per year, so you end up with a "portfolio" of a couple dozen pieces in the end instead of an overwhelming pile. (I did take some photographs of the rest of it. )

Any thoughts on what to save this stuff in? Right now it's non-standard-sized finger paintings, but I assume that gives way to wobbly essays about how "My Mom Is Awesome" on regular paper?

I'm thinking some kind of box instead of a scrapbook-type thing? Anybody find something that works particularly well for them? Or other thoughts on this?

[BonBon]

I got decent sized plastic totes that I keep in their closets. I still have to fold some of the bigger stuff in half (let's face it, we're not going to be selling these @ Sotheby's...) but it mostly fits. I always write on the back name and age, because I WILL forget.

My kids used to get so offended by the knowledge that I actually recycled 99% of their masterpieces. They were okay after we watched an episode of Hoarders on Netflix.

[Vanquisher]

I got decent sized plastic totes that I keep in their closets. I still have to fold some of the bigger stuff in half (let's face it, we're not going to be selling these @ Sotheby's...) but it mostly fits. I always write on the back name and age, because I WILL forget.

My kids used to get so offended by the knowledge that I actually recycled 99% of their masterpieces. They were okay after we watched an episode of Hoarders on Netflix.

Ooooh, love the sitting down and watching Hoarders advice. I need to do that with my DD. I have a plastic tote for my kids as well.

[diggitydot]

We have a single "homework bin" that all three kids put stuff into that they elect to keep. The daily work stuff is typically recycled, but the larger reports, research papers, poetry projects and artwork get saved. And when I say "single bin" I mean a Christmas decorations-sized bin.

[PrincessFiona]

Another suggestion that I got too late is to photograph kid art and then make a digital album.

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[MrsK]

I scan everything for a digital album, save my favorites for framing, and send the rest to grandma and nana.

[corn poffi]

We have a single "homework bin" that all three kids put stuff into that they elect to keep. The daily work stuff is typically recycled, but the larger reports, research papers, poetry projects and artwork get saved. And when I say "single bin" I mean a Christmas decorations-sized bin.

My sister had a gigantic plastic bin. I had a paper box. Can you guess who was the artistic one?

[Momo]

There's a site called Lilian Vernon...you can actually order really nice large portfolios, I think withsections/folders for every year. Yoy can have them personalized for free. I'll try & remember to take a picture of 1 of them when I get home today and I'll try and post it on here.

[Phoebe]

A friend of mine bought a black portfolio folder from Hobby Lobby or Michaels using their 40% off coupon. She inserts the artwork she wants to save in the plastic inserts. On the cover she put decorative decals with their name and age. She sold Uppercase Living at the time so probably uses their products. She also left them on the coffee table as nice conversation pieces.

[diggitydot]

I'm now having a MadTV "Lilian Verner" moment.

[SoonerTexan]

My DH kept a construction paper snowman (circa 2nd grade) on his wall until we graduated from college and I made him get rid of it. Can you guess who the hoarder is?

[GreyhoundsRUs]

One of my friends talks about a Pringles can Santa that her husband made in grade school that he STILL needs to have up at the holidays

[houseelf]

I find that each and every move makes me less sentimental and more willing to toss.
Each kid has a giant baby box and that is all the memory preservation they get. Everything from little league pics to art projects to report cards fit in to their box. Everything else goes into the recycle bin or Good Will. Honestly, most of the stuff my mom saved about 6 boxes of my stuff. I've looked at once or twice over the past decade. Maybe someday I'll sit around sifting through it but really she could have pared down a lot more and I wouldn't have noticed or felt neglected.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I don't have stuff to save at this point - but I do have a mother who saved a ton of crap I have never ever looked at it...

I would be much more inclined to look at it if it wasn't packed up in boxes - I would probably have liked to have a book with photos of drawings and whatnot!

[DCJenn]

I have stacks of papers from each grade and each pre-school year and I shove it all upstairs in the attic and when I die, Nikolai can throw it all in the dumpster, should he so desire. Or, if we have to move (NOOOOOOOO) some day, I figure I'll be less sentimentally attached to most of it by then. I have had framed one thing he did with watercolors when he was in preschool because it's actually really pretty- it was his version of "Chinese writing."

Jenn