Organizing Kids' Art {Paper Declutter Challenge Week 5}

Welcome to Week #5 of the Summer Shred Challenge! Roll up your sleeves because we’re organizing kids’ art.

If you new to the challenge, be sure to check out the challenge assignments from previous weeks and schedule a time in the future to complete those assignments. In Week 1, we set up a system for managing the mail. During Week 2 and Week 3, we put systems in place for managing reference papers. We turn our attention to the papers that flow into the home via our childrens’ backpacks in Week 4.

On the heels of last week’s assignment to take control of the various categories of school papers that flow into your household via your child’s backpack, this week, we will focus on those works of art that your kiddos bring home regularly throughout the school year.

Just like in Week 4, those of you who do not have school-aged children get a “pass” again in Week 5. Lucky you!

I’m lucky this week as well, since most of the solutions that I have to offer regarding the decluttering and organization of kids’ artwork are covered in a blog post I wrote last summer.

In addition to the art storage/display options I outline in the above post, you can also opt to store art in a binder using page protectors (just like school paper keepsakes). This method works well for those of you who are not a fan of digital storage methods.

On the other hand, if you are Pro “paper-less”, then I’ll offer up another solution…scan your child’s artwork AND school paper keepsakes and upload them into an Evernote account that you create for each child. Instead of handing your child bins and bins of keepsakes/art when they graduate and eventually leave the nest, simply supply them with their Evernote login and password and hand them the key to their digital school memory vault! Check out this episode of the Taking Control podcast to learn more about this digital organizing solution.

If you have not yet read the overview of the challenge, do that first before proceeding to this week’s assignment.

Your Assignment for Week 5 – Organizing Kids’ Art

1. Designate a temporary holding container to collect all incoming art throughout the school year

2. Cull down each child’s art collection from the previous school year by whittling it down to the “Best of the Best” (involve your child in the decision-making process)

3. Create an art gallery wall in your home for displaying select pieces of art (rotate pieces as new art comes in)

4. Choose a method (either digital or physical) to archive your child’s collection

5. Implement the archiving method (e.g., digitize art and create photo books, insert paintings into binders, etc.)

(Steps 2 & 5 may take longer than a week to complete, depending upon the amount of paper in this category, the number of children you have, and their age)

Leave a quick comment and let me know how the Challenge is going for you so far!

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This post is part of the 13-Week Summer Shred Paper Declutter Challenge

Just discovered the Challenge? I invite you to read the Challenge Overview post first. You can then begin to work your way through the weekly Challenge assignments below:

Week 1: Mail
Week 2: Handy Reference
Week 3: Long-Term Reference
Week 4: School Papers
Week 5: Kids’ Art
Week 6: Memorabilia
Week 7: Manuals & Warranties
Week 8: Catalogs & Magazines
Week 9: Receipts
Week 10: Business Cards
Week 11: Lists & Notes
Week 12: Recipes
Week 13: Coupons