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Housekeeping

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Original poster

Do you keep all your childrens drawings and school work?

31 replies

chloesmumtoo · 30/04/2007 13:32

Just wondered if I am totally crazy keeping so much clutter? Hate to part with treasured pics ect. They end up finally in the loft in huge boxes. Have only now managed to stop myself storing endless birthday cards. Am I alone or one of many?

OP posts:
Clary · 30/04/2007 13:36

This thread has come up before and I am always amazed by people who say yes, they keep everything.

Where???? DS2 alone can produce up to 10 pieces of work a week from nursery and while we wait at dance class (for eg) can do 3-4 drawings. Not to mention cards from them, craft activity at museums etc. DD is also very crafty. DS1 less so now but still it would be a big Book People type box every fortnight if I kept it all.

I pick out the best, put some on wall, keep some, bin the others. (Don't let the kids see tho). Even then DH thinks I keep far too much (but then he keeps football tickets so has no leg to stand on lol )

yaddayah · 30/04/2007 13:44

I display the weeks worth in the kitchen, then the best bits get moved to the utility room walls and gradually end up in the recycling .. other than really special stuff .. homemde mothers day cards are all kept, the 1st painting my very shy ds made at nursery (took him 6 weeks i was so happy to see something under his name peg!) The 1st recognisable drawing etc

I never let the dc's know i've thrown anything away though

portonovo · 30/04/2007 15:40

Course not, with 3 children now 14-9, how could we have done!

What we have done though is to scan many of their creations and then store them on CD/DVD. You can store absolutely masses this way, and label the CDs with details or thumbnail prints of what's on them.

Birthday cards I used to store, but we now use them for craft activities - especially card-making!

princesscc · 30/04/2007 15:46

I keep everything for the entire school year and then in August, I have a big clear out and just choose the very best stuff to keep. This summer is going to be a big one, as dd is moving from Primary to Secondary, so the 'keepsakes' box will be sealed and filed in the loft! I do the birthday card thing to, but again, keep all of them, then pick out the ones from me & DH and other special people. The rest get cut up for my mindees entertainment!

UnquietDad · 30/04/2007 15:48

Lots of ours go in a really nice big blue box.
We keep it beside the house. It's lovely and roomy and is even provided by the council...

Gobbledigook · 30/04/2007 15:49

Ours get all piled up in the kitchen. Every so often I go through it and chuck 99% of it away and keep the best bits. I make collages out of them, frame them and put them in the playroom.

tarantula · 30/04/2007 15:51

dd is only 3 and doesnt go to nursery yet but we'd be snowed under if we kept all the things she'd drawn and made. A few special things are kept and scanned.

JackieNo · 30/04/2007 15:51

UnquietDad - you just have to 'file' the stuff in secret. DD once saw me putting stuff in there, and was very indignant. Like others, I keep significant ones, and lose the rest gradually, after they've gathered dust for a few weeks.

FiveFingeredFiend · 30/04/2007 15:52

God no! most of them are terrible. I am very discerning.

Original poster
chloesmumtoo · 30/04/2007 15:52

Thats funny lol!I Like the cd idea portonovo, if I could become that computer educated. Not my strong point at mo!

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 30/04/2007 15:59

Sneaky way to remove stuff is not straight from house to bin but to store in garage or shed for a while - a purgatory before the big van takes it away for recycling.

MadamePlatypus · 30/04/2007 21:58

One system is to pick a painting of the week, then a painting of the month, then if you want just painting of the year.

Hulababy · 30/04/2007 22:02

No. Most gets filed in the bin when DD isn't looking. The best one or two may go on the kitchen unit for a while. Then the very odd really good one is dated and goes in her memory box.

Porcupine · 30/04/2007 22:03

no see rpeviosu threads
eithe rbin or keep

MaloryTowers · 30/04/2007 22:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Porcupine · 30/04/2007 22:04

bin it fgs

NappiesGalore · 30/04/2007 22:07

i keep it all till i can get round to digitally photogrqaphing the lot and making 'galleries' for them each. then i can keep the best bits and bin the rest.

i am a good girl you see, and always read the tip of the day on the homepage

MaloryTowers · 30/04/2007 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MaloryTowers · 30/04/2007 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fruitful · 30/04/2007 22:10

I used most of dd's nursery paintings as wrapping paper. Look Grandma, special personalised hand-painted wrapping paper!

NappiesGalore · 30/04/2007 22:12

wonderful fruitful. and maximum green points for recycling and general lentiliness

ChasingSquirrels · 30/04/2007 22:16

I bin them the day after they come home from pre-school apart from the odd few that are stuck up and binned about 6mo later when I think wtf is that still doing up. Sometimes ds pulls them back out of the re-cycling and asks what it is doing in there!

thedogsbollox · 30/04/2007 22:20

Oooohhh! A tip from me

Every few weeks, line them all up on the floor (or outside if a dry day) and take a photo of them all, one by one.

You have a record of what each one looked like without the cupboard fulls of interesting art work

Best of all if they are digital! Each year choose the best and make a little album of them. Great to compare from one year to the next to see if little Johny's drawing is improving

NappiesGalore · 30/04/2007 22:24

hey thedogs - thats what i said

Springadora · 30/04/2007 22:25

Great idea - bit late for me - but still, good thinking