If your kids are anything like mine, they go through paper and crayons like it’s their job.
Scribbles pile up fast, and before you know it, your fridge, dining table, and every flat surface in your house are covered.
So, what do we actually do with all of it?
Here are some ways you can handle them except from dumping them all in the bin.
1. Create a Rotating Art Display
Pick a spot—fridge, corkboard, a string with clips—and turn it into a mini art gallery.
Hang up the latest batch of scribbles and let them stay for a couple of weeks (or until you remember).
To keep things manageable, try this method: Once a week (though let’s be honest, it’s more like once a month), sit down with your child to pick a few new pieces to replace the ones already on display.
Quietly toss the older ones, but save a couple of special ones in a keepsake box or folder.
It’s an easy way to stay ahead of the clutter.
2. Sort and Trash
Not every scribble deserves a permanent place in the archive, they probably will not notice if some go missing.
Here’s how I sort through them:
For the low-effort scribbles, you know the ones—a single line on a sheet of paper or random marks with no rhyme or reason.
These go straight to the trash. No guilt.
Structured art projects like seasonal crafts like ornaments, trees, or cards get saved until the next season.
Once the holiday rolls around again, you can decide whether to display or let them go.
Cool or special pieces – these are the ones that genuinely stand out.
They’re the keepers or the ones that get gifted to grandparents.
My mom loves getting “art” from the kids—it’s a win-win for clearing space and making her day.
3. Photograph and Digitize
If you’re anything like me, you want to hold onto those sweet little creations but can’t deal with the clutter.
Here’s what I do: I take a quick photo of anything I want to remember and save it in a dedicated album on my phone. Done.
Over time, you can organize the photos by year or create themed folders.
If you’re feeling extra ambitious, turn the special pictures into a printed photo book.
My wife and I did this once for a year’s worth of “art,” and the kids loved flipping through it.
And of course, it’s a whole lot easier than drowning in paper stacks.
4. Keep the Best Ones for a Portfolio
Every once in a while, your kid will create something that feels… special.
Like, maybe it actually looks like a face, or they’ve finally stopped coloring off the page.
Those are the ones I save.
I use one of those simple art portfolio folders with plastic sleeves.
Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.
I’ll slide in anything that stands out—first attempts at shapes, projects that took actual effort, or just something that made me smile.
By the end of the year, you’ve got a neat little collection.
Here’s a tip: write the date on the back of the artwork before you file it, you’ll want to remember when that “stick figure cat” phase happened.
5. Frame a Few Favorites
Kids love seeing their art treated like it’s a big deal—my daughter beams every time she notices her framed drawings.
Pick their favorite pieces and pop it into a simple frame.
You don’t need anything fancy; IKEA or Dollar Store frames work just fine.
If dedicating a whole wall feels like too much, hang a couple of pieces in their bedroom.
You can swap out the artwork every few months to keep it fresh, or just leave a few timeless “classics” up for years.
Either way, it’s an easy way to show your kids that what they create is special—and it doubles as a sweet keepsake for the family.