What to Do With Kids' Artwork: What to Keep, What to Toss & How to Store It

I love my kids, and I love their art... but I do not love piles of it taking over my house.

If you're a parent, you've probably asked yourself the same question at least once a week:
What am I supposed to do with all of this?

In fact, it's one of the questions I get asked most often by clients.

The truth is, you don't have to keep everything. I have three simple questions I ask whenever a new masterpiece comes home. If the answer is "no" to all three, enjoy it on the fridge for a week if you'd like - but after that, it's probably time to recycle it.

My Three Questions for Deciding What to Keep

1. Is it objectively good?

Would you frame it and hang it in your child's bedroom, playroom, or somewhere in your home (whether you actually have wall space or not)?
If yes, keep it.

2. Does it make you 🤣 laugh or 🥹cry?

Whether it's a hilarious writing sample or a drawing that melts your heart, these are often the pieces you'll treasure years from now.
If it sparks real emotion, keep it.

3. Does it celebrate a milestone?

Handprints. Footprints. Birthdays. Graduations. The phase where every drawing was dinosaurs or rainbows or princesses.
These are the pieces that tell your family's story. If it captures a moment in time, it's worth saving.

Create One Simple Storage System

Once you've decided what stays, you'll need somewhere to keep it. My recommendation? Buy one airtight storage bin with a lid for each child.

An airtight bin helps protect artwork from moisture, mold, bugs, and accidental damage - especially if it's being stored in a garage, basement, or storage room.

One tip that makes a huge difference: keep the bin accessible. Don't bury it under five other storage bins. Kids bring home new artwork constantly, and if getting to the box is a hassle, you'll end up with piles beside the bin instead of inside it.

I like 19- or 30-quart latching bins. If you'd rather keep artwork somewhere visible, document boxes are another great option for storing flat artwork and writing samples. Just make sure the box is larger than a standard sheet of paper, since so much school artwork is oversized.

Turn Their Artwork Into a Book

One of my favorite ways to preserve artwork is by turning it into a photo book.
There are companies like Artkive and Plum Print that will send you a box, professionally photograph or scan every piece, and create a beautiful keepsake book for you. They're wonderful services, although they can be a bit pricey.

Personally, I took the DIY route.

I scanned and photographed my daughter's artwork from ages four through eight, then created a 30-page, 8.5" x 8.5" photo book through Artifact Uprising for around $40.

It took me about two hours to scan and photograph everything, plus another hour to upload the images into their template.

Don't Wait for Perfect

Here's the biggest piece of advice I can give you: Don't let perfection stop you from preserving the memories.

Maybe your book isn't perfectly organized by grade level.
Maybe it's a random mix of artwork, writing samples, and little treasures.

That's okay.

A simple photo book is infinitely better than a dusty pile of artwork sitting in a closet waiting for "someday." Once your book is finished, you can clear out the storage bin and start collecting again.

Display the Truly Special Pieces

For the artwork that really deserves a permanent home, frame it!

I love using Framebridge for unique or three-dimensional projects (like my daughter's hand-sewn art), but if you're feeling crafty, Etsy has wonderful shadow boxes you can assemble yourself.

For paintings and drawings, I recommend choosing a frame that's about two inches larger than the artwork and includes a mat. It's a simple trick that instantly elevates the piece and makes it feel like real art, because it is.

Let Your Kids Be Part of the Process

I keep one storage box for each of my girls. When a box starts getting full, we sit down together and go through everything. They help decide what stays and what goes.

Not only do they love having ownership over the process, but it's also a wonderful opportunity to teach them that our homes have limits, and that thoughtfully choosing what we keep is a valuable life skill.

If the kid art factory has officially taken over your house, you're not alone.

I'd love to help you create systems that make storing, displaying, and preserving these memories feel a whole lot easier.
Get in touch to schedule an organizing consultation.