The end of the school year always comes with mixed emotions for the kids and me, mostly because our routines are messed up, but I digress. The one thing that I wasn't prepared for was the sheer amount of artwork and schoolwork both of my daughters brought home. It was pretty much an entire year's worth of creativity landed in my hallway in one afternoon.
As much as I genuinely would love to keep every single piece because I'm a big softie, tend to hold on to things that hold sentimental value and find it super hard to get rid of emotional clutter, I knew with the sheer volume, this wasn't going to be realistic. I also wasn't about to cover my fridge with it all, only to face the impossible task of deciding what deserved to stay and what needed to go.
Instead, I wanted a way to celebrate what they'd made without immediately forcing myself to sort through an enormous pile (and hide it from them in the process!). The solution has meant I can display their artwork beautifully now and decide what to keep later. These are the things I've invested in to showcase them, and it turns out they're the perfect delay tactic!
1. A front opening art frame has taken the pressure off
The best thing I've bought is a front-opening children's art frame, £8.49 from Amazon. From the outside, it looks like a normal picture frame, but it opens up to store several pieces behind one display.
It means I can pop quite a number of pictures into the frame without having to edit the collection down too much straight away. The latest masterpiece sits proudly at the front, while all the others are kept safely behind until I'm ready to go through them. When I remember (seldom), I have changed up the picture.
Professional organiser Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co. says parents shouldn't feel guilty about being selective. 'An art gallery doesn't display every piece of art an artist has ever created; it curates a collection of the best pieces with the best stories,' she says. 'The same principle applies to children's artwork.'
2. I've given their favourite pieces a proper home
Rather than keeping all their artwork downstairs, I've framed a handful of extra special pieces in their bedrooms.
I also have a pinboard (£16.99 at Amazon) in one of my daughters' rooms, which has become the perfect place to display certificates, photos and little creations she's proud of. It's easy to swap things in and out as new masterpieces come home, and it gives her a dedicated space to celebrate everything she's achieved throughout the year.
Seeing their artwork displayed like pieces of real art makes them so proud, and it also means those standout creations become part of their bedrooms rather than disappearing into a storage box.
Shannon also recommends getting children involved in choosing what stays if they're old enough. Asking them which pieces they're most proud of often reveals lovely stories or memories behind the artwork, which can even be written on the back before it's stored away.
3. A magnetic display makes it easy to rotate new masterpieces
Instead of adding more to my fridge, I've also added a magnetic arch wall sticker, from £21.99 at Amazon, in their playroom, which acts like a little gallery space.
Whenever they bring home something new, we simply swap it over with another picture with no tape or Blu-Tack needed, and they love choosing what to feature each week.
If you do like displaying artwork on the fridge, Shannon suggests introducing a simple one-in, one-out rule, where every new masterpiece replaces another. It's an easy way to keep displays looking intentional while helping children learn to make thoughtful choices about what they treasure most.
4. I'll sort through everything when I get time
Eventually, when things are quieter, I'll go through the collection I've stored away in a box and keep the pieces that really capture each stage of their childhood, storing them safely to look back on in years to come.
Shannon suggests photographing favourite creations and turning them into an annual book if space is tight, or storing originals in a large artist's portfolio case, like this from Amazon for £22.99, or a display book like this one (£14.44 from Amazon) to keep them flat, protected and organised.
Having somewhere to display and temporarily store all of their artwork has taken away the pressure completely. I get to enjoy everything they've created, and my daughters can proudly see their work on display.
Then I can choose what to keep when I'm ready (and they forget about them), rather than making snap decisions I'll probably regret, just to keep the clutter to a minimum.
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