Lesson Learned — Now You See It…
With three frummettes running around, you can imagine the amount of “art” projects that appear on a regular basis.
I throw most of them out.
Yes, you read that correctly.
I throw most of them out. Or, to be more accurate, I place them in the recycling bin. In the still of the night. With no one to witness what I imagine is, at the very least, a mommy-misdemeanour.
I throw them out because most of the so-called art is scribble-scrabble. And while each and every paper, mug, mobile, etc. displays some acquired skill, it would be irresponsible to pretend that it is amazing, stupendous, etc. Because most of it is chazarai.
I pull aside a few things each academic year and, a few years ago, began to ask each child to decide which pieces to keep and why. I then record the answer on it so that I can remember why I saved a picture of Santa (Beernut was proud that after two years of OT that he could cut ’round the corners).
Tonight, while unloading the dishwasher, it became clear that I ought to start photographing the artwork as well.
Lesson learned.
Frume Sarah is Shabbos-observant -- in a Reform way, that is. Please note that from Friday afternoons until one hour after sundown on Saturday evenings, Frume Sarah will be unavailable, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath.
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Thank you for your understanding...and gut Shabbos!!! 
Frume Sarah's World 
I throw all of my kids’ stuff out – I do photograph it on rare occasion. If you can, grab a photo of the kid holding it – then you don’t even have to do any post-identification!
I confess it’s not the cheapest method around, but I take photos of all the artwork as it comes in (although with the piles that come at the end of the year, there’s always extra work in June). After the photo is taken, the artwork is tossed (with the exception of one or two favorites that are framed and hung). I then make a photo book of the artwork, covering a few years. For both my kids, I have one photo book each for all their preschool work. My son also has a book of his artwork from K to 2. My daughter knows she’ll get another one when she’s finished with 2nd grade. That way they can enjoy their favorite works and I don’t have the piles that never get seen.
Great idea! I can do this with my grandson’s artwork. Toda rabbah.
I love the photobook idea… I usually keep them in a bin through the school year, and then at the end, I pull my favorites, scan the ones I can’t keep, and pitch the rest.
We do a lot of recycling. It’s not even just artwork – it’s every paper they bring home from school! I’m fine with keeping art they love (at least some of it), but every ditto from every time B practices writing a new lowercase letter? He opened the recycling bin the other day and saw some of his papers in there, and the look of HORROR on his face… poor little guy. That’s why the dead of night (and taking out the recycling frequently) is a good idea. I do keep select pieces for posterity. I have also been toying with the idea of a long magnetic strip bulletin board to hang in their rooms. They can hang up whatever they want, and when they want to make room for something new, they can swap the old ones out…