Seven easy ideas for organizing children's artwork

A treasured piece of your child's artwork on the refrigerator makes a house a home, right? But what happens when supply exceeds demand? Of course you want your child to know that you think her work is special, but how many macaroni-and-cotton-ball-encrusted pieces of construction paper can your fridge handle? Martha Olsen, offers seven tips for helping your kid separate the wheat from the chaff.

Find the diamonds. Instead of keeping every single piece of artwork your child creates, sit down with him on a regular basis and ask him to choose the one or two creations he likes best. By the end of the year, there should be no more than five pieces of artwork that your child believes to be his "best" pieces. Not only will this help keep the artwork under control, but it will still give you an opportunity to save his best art for the future.

Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take photos of the artwork that your child creates and keep these photos in a scrapbook. Then, even when the artwork is discarded for space purposes, you and she will still have the memories.

Get a file storage box. If your child produces lots of drawings or colorings on letter-sized paper, consider purchasing a standard file box. Office supply stores carry portable file boxes that hold hanging file folders. These generally have a cover and a handle for easy portability. And they can help your child create his very own filing system.

Assign one file folder for second grade artwork, one for third grade artwork, and so on. Now any type of artwork that lies flat can be kept safe and organized. You'll even be able to teach your child some filing skills.

Keep it contained. Your child should also have a space for shadowboxes and other artwork that won't fit into a file folder. And the perfect solution may be a large, plastic container with a lid. But be very choosy about saving three-dimensional pieces. If you keep every single piece of artwork that your child brings home for the next 15 years, you'll need to build an addition.

Hang it. Buy your child a bulletin board so that he can display his favorite artwork in his bedroom. A nice corkboard filled with favorite artwork will also add a decorative touch to his room. And it will encourage your child to replace one piece of art with a new favorite every now and then.

Stop supply mania. If your child creates a lot of artwork at home, she probably has tons of crayons, markers and other art supplies. Keep them all in a portable box that is light enough for her to carry from one room to the next. You'll find attractive boxes with trays, dividers and handles near the makeup aisle of your local discount department store.

Separate specific types of supplies (watercolor paints and brushes, for example) into ziplock bags before putting them in the box to help keep the supplies organized. Encourage your child to purge this box frequently.

Offer the perfect gift. Children's artwork makes the perfect gift for Grandma, Grandpa, Sister Jane, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jim, and so on. Instead of buying gifts for your child to give to family members, encourage him to give his creations away as special gifts for special people.