What To Do With Children’s Artwork– Storage, Repurpose

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Imagine your child has just gotten home from school, a bag full of goodies. What are the first things they do? They get a snack and dump out their backpack, right?! It is all too familiar! Parents want to cherish all their kid’s artwork, but they can decide which to keep and save. Let kids protest; if it has meaning to them, try to save it.

Old artwork can be turned into wrapping paper during holidays or repurposed into new crafts or gifts. Some parents frame or scan the artwork into a computer. There are ways to digitize artwork or make art portfolios.

Today I wanted to write about ways to preserve, digitize, and reuse old artwork. I created a list of many things parents can do with old art projects, ways to keep art projects more organized, and some simple ways to declutter art corners.

What to do With Old Art Projects

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Artwork provides an extraordinary window back into children’s previous developmental stages. Parents and children have memories attached to some pieces; some art provides learning opportunities helping children recall particular subjects.

Listen, I know you can’t keep it all, but you can save some of it.

Pinterest is full of ideas for preserving children’s artwork, and it is fun to see some of the creative ways people turn their kid’s artwork into new household items.

Keeping all kids’ artwork can seem like a daunting task, but there are some ways to keep them kicking around longer, given the kids haven’t kicked them around with their muddy feet already. 😂

Here are 11 things to do with your kid’s old artwork!

Frame it
Scan it
Wall Projects
Stack Them
Hang Them
Repurpose Them
Gift it
Wrapping Paper
Recycle it
Digitize Artwork
Preserve it

1. Frame Artwork

Many people frame their children’s artwork. Try using customizable picture frames for a unique look, or bulk purchase them to have them ready when you need them.

I like making my own. Check out this tutorial on how to make a frame. Try using artwork to make a frame too! Once you cut out the perimeter of the frame, use random strips of old art to decorate the frame!

Here are some other cool picture frames to check out!

2. Scan Art into the Computer

Kids love seeing their old art projects in a new form. Why not put the image on the computer? Some parents use their kid’s artwork on the computer –screensavers, background images, profile pictures. Don’t forget to remind your kids of their original art, so they remember the image and the memory of that particular time.

3. Make a Wall Project

Encourage your children to use old art for another project! Sometimes, it works if you show them different ways to turn the original piece into another structure. My kids love stapling artwork into paper quilts, cutting them out into letters for a wall, or using them for more elaborate dimensions.

Here are some wall projects to consider.

Paper quilts
Art garland
Happy Birthday/holiday banners
Paper lanterns
Paper bag art

4. Stack Them

Consider stacking them if your kids want them all on display. Use Scotch painter’s tape to stack them. Start with one, then gradually add more on top of each other, but put the tape on the wall. It is like you are making an art book crawl up your wall.

It might look messy, but it is fun and meaningful. If your kid wants to see them, they will have to lift each piece. It is a temporary fix, but it’s still a fun solution for kids who like them all on display.

5. Hang Kid’s Artwork

Like framing, there are many ways to hang kid’s art. Use wire curtain lines, rope, or clothespins to hang it.

Here are a few purchases to consider for hanging artwork.

6. Repurpose Old Art Projects

Trying cutting it up to make something new.

It is fun to transform old art into new art. Consider tracing animal shapes, letters, or geometric shapes onto the old art. Cut it out. Frame the shape you made from the original piece.

Here are some ideas for repurposing old artwork.

Paper crowns
Use stencils
Envelopes
Laminated placemats
Paper chains
Holiday ornaments
Homemade gift tags
Art collages

7. Gift Old Artwork

Use art to put in care packages for distant relatives or for presents during special birthdays. Family members like to see children’s art projects, especially if they are far away. Sending them art in the mail or giving it to them in person creates memories for people!

8. Use Artwork as Wrapping Paper

Okay, I know this is technically repurposing, but I thought it deserved its own section because it is genius. There were some huge projects during the pandemic; they were made on giant paper and involved a lot of mindless scribbling and stamping. I wrapped them into a scroll shape and put them in a corner. During the holidays, I unroll them and use them as wrapping paper. Obviously, this doesn’t need to be Covid-19 anxiety wrapping paper.

😟😞😢

Use whatever artwork you have lying around to tape into the shape of a gift during the holidays or on someone’s birthday.

Wrapping paper? Check!

9. Recycle it

Parents, you do have authority over your kids. It is OK to recycle some of it, even if it makes them feel sad. They want to keep it all, but that is impossible. Sometimes, parents must chat with their kids about different ways to keep things around. Some will stay, and some will go.

Explain that you want to listen to their preferences and will consider keeping some of the really important ones. If they see them in the recycle bin and take them out, don’t fret. Use this as another opportunity to connect with them and reinforce these ideas. Ask them to hang it, reuse it, or cut it up into a fun shape for a collage.

10. Digitize Artwork

There are some ways to turn art digital, so you never forget it! It is helpful to turn it into a digital product because it takes up less space and is easier to organize. Shutterfly books, phone apps, and uploading them onto a computer are excellent options for digitizing it. I will talk a bit more about this further on down the article.

11. Preserve Artwork

Put art into huge storage containers, binders, portfolios, or laminate them! Kids love laminating, so it is a win-win. Consider purchasing items just for preserving art, so kids are used to the process. Sometimes, my kids know just the right time to ask for the laminator; it helps us keep the house clean, and it’s fun. There are more ways to preserve artwork; get creative! There is more information about this down below if you are interested.

Decluttering Art Rooms

Here are some ways to declutter art rooms.

Take stock of supplies
Make lists
Say no to some things
Use motivation to your advantage
Use shelves
Hang hammocks
Utilize trash and recycle bins

It is essential to know what you own so you stay firm on your position when you say no to items at craft stores; Kids want everything and are impulsive. I use lists at craft stores the same way I do when we go grocery shopping. If it isn’t on the list, I am probably not changing my mind.

Sure, we all have bad days; some things don’t work out as planned. I forget things because I don’t include them on a list. My kids remind me of times I made a big deal of something at a store only to change my mind later on when we got home. The bigger picture is when children realize that you are on their side; you want to cheer them on and keep things neat.

Parents should teach children to value thought processes and not impulses, leading to clutter. So the next time you make a list and forget something, try harder to remember everything the next time.

When you feel up to cleaning, use that motivation to your advantage! How many times must we scrub counters? When motivation sneaks up on you, use that feeling to stay productive and busy. Tidy random corners, organize stacks of papers and rearrange shelves to meet your needs.

Use different products to tidy up your room. My favorite products to use are hammocks –I own multiple– and shelves with bins. I also try to separate trash from recycling, so my kids learn the difference between the two.

Here are my favorite organizational products for my art room.

Fabric cubes

Shelves

Hammocks Yes, I use hammocks for art!

Organizational Drawers

Storage Cart

Art Organizer

How to Organize Artwork Before They Get Messy

Go through kids’ backpacks and discard some before they go crazy around your house. If it is okay to recycle some, you have to throw some away. Ask them before you go through it if there is anything special to pull out before you go through their work. If they object, try to turn it into a conversation.

Keep it together by taping them to the wall using Scotch painter’s tape. Create a wall book they can flip through when they want to see their previous work. This is helpful for kids who do a lot of work and don’t want any thrown away.

Designate a unique wall to display specific pieces that children want to look at. I have a huge hallway where we tape pictures automatically. My kids know that if it doesn’t go on the wall, it will either get repurposed by me or thrown out. Having a huge wall is helpful when there are multiple kids who need a lot of space. I even use my ceiling sometimes.

Separate it into fabric bins and put it into a cube organizer. Sometimes, parents don’t have the immediate time to sift through art and tape it up as it comes. Try using fabric cubes, or Rubbermaid tubs to separate them into different piles.

Preserving Children’s Artwork

There are some fun ways to preserve children’s artwork, so they remain intact and fresh for years to come! Parents are creative and have found many different ways to preserve kids’ work, so they are transformed into totally new projects or stored for safekeeping.

Here are more ways to preserve children’s artwork.

Digitizing Children’s Artwork

Turning art digital is a great way to keep your house tidy and respect your children’s creations. There are some fun ways to transform kid’s art into new digital items that don’t take up as much space.

Here are some ways to digitize kid’s artwork.

Take photos and upload them to the computer
Make Shutterfly books
Use phone apps like Keepy, Canvsly, Artkive
Scan them
Plum Print
Store them on a personal blog!

Final Thoughts

It is hard and emotional when kids want to keep all their drawings and crafts. There are ways to keep them tidy and digitize or preserve them to keep your art space more organized. When kids bring home massive amounts of art, understanding what to do will help you stay organized and cherish their memories. Good luck!!!