• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Meet Tara
    • Family Photography
    • PR & Advertising
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • CRAFT
    • Wearables
    • Home Decor
    • Kids
    • Papercrafts
    • Printables
    • SVG Cut Files
  • PARTY
    • Baby
    • Back to School
    • Birthday
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Father’s Day
    • Graduation
    • Halloween & Fall
    • Mother’s Day
    • Patriotic
    • St Patricks Day
    • Summer
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Wedding
  • Home
    • Nehil Home Tour
    • Basement and Garage
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Entryway
    • Kitchen
    • Living Room
    • Office
    • Outdoors
  • LIFE
    • Blog Life
    • Favorite Products
    • Mom Life
    • Organization
    • Travel
Spot of Tea Designs

Spot of Tea Designs

Kids Artwork and Paperwork Storage Boxes

in Favorite Products, Lifestyle, Mom Life, Organization

The second you have a child you start to create memories and collecting paperwork that goes along with these memories. From birthday invitations to school photos to their cute handmade artwork, you’ll start to collect it and eventually become overwhelmed! Now that I’m 5 years into this motherhood gig, I’ve worked to tackle that ever present kids artwork and paperwork solution using storage boxes for our home. 

Kids artwork and paperwork storage boxes | spotofteadesigns.com
DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post contain affiliate links, which come at no cost to you. Know that I only promote products I personally use and stand behind. To learn more about my affiliates, please review my disclosure policy here.

Now that we moved into a new home and my oldest is in kindergarten, I decided to tackle the artwork and paperwork clutter that was starting to get overwhelming. And since I know MANY of those who follow me on social or through this blog are in the same parental situation, I thought it would be worth documenting how I’ve done it!

Now I don’t claim to be an expert in organizing and I have no doubt I’ll massage this as the girls get older but I also think it’s just as important to JUST START or else you get ever more overwhelmed!

Kids artwork and paperwork storage boxes | spotofteadesigns.com

Supplies:

  • IRIS Split-Lid letter size file boxes (I got a 5 pack, one of each daughter and 3 for general home organization)
  • Colorful hanging file folders – This set includes the clear tabs to label them.
  • Manila file folders
  • Photo box – right now there aren’t many hanging folders in their boxes so I’m able to include a photo box in the back of them to hold 3d items that aren’t flat to file. This will eventually find a new home.
Kids artwork and paperwork storage boxes | spotofteadesigns.com

I personalized the front of each of my daughter’s boxes using my Cricut and adhesive vinyl to make it easier to tell them apart without opening. Inside I created file folders with the folding categories for each box.

Kids artwork and paperwork storage boxes | spotofteadesigns.com

Categories:

  • Invitations & Cards
    • Birthday Cards – I typically do photo cards so I always order an extra.
    • Christmas Cards – Again I order extra so they can each have one. Tip: if you design your own card, make sure to always put the YEAR in the design!
    • Milestone announcement cards – pregnancy or birth announcement, cards from when we moved etc
  • Artwork – Within this hanging folder are different folders that will split out by age or grade. BE SELECTIVE
  • School photos – This yearly milestone might not be hung in your home but should be saved and stored for the kids to laugh at when they’re in high school and beyond!
  • Sports photos – For a while we felt obligated to buy the package with their single photo and group shot so in this box they go! PS we no longer get them as we take plenty of our own pics during the seasons!
  • Certificates
    • Milestone trackers – I won’t be keeping their teeth (eww, why?) but I do have a lost tooth chart printed to track the milestones in case they were ever curious on when these milestones happened
    • Awards – So far this includes certificates for graduating preschool and Safety Town but I’m sure it will be filled with more down the road!
  • Misc – Ya gotta have a miscellaneous folder to put all those odds and ends paperwork items inside! I also have a folder here for “gifts from others” where I’ve put a few cards I’ve saved from grandparents (some of whom are no longer around, unfortunately)
Kids artwork and paperwork storage boxes | spotofteadesigns.com

Tips for artwork and storage organization:

  • It’s never too late to start organizing. You can’t get organized if you don’t start! If it’s too overwhelming to organize it all, first collect it all in one spot. You’ll be more likely to find time to sort it if you first have it in one place and not in 12 places around your home.
  • Make more than one round of review. You might have sentimental love towards certain items right after they were made, but if you give yourself some time to look at them again, you might feel differently. Prior to creating this system, I had a general tub of kids artwork that I just recently went through again and couldn’t believe which items I decided to keep. The tub was cut down more than half in round 2.
  • Be ruthless. You CANNOT keep every handmade thing they have created. Choose one or two handprint gifts and toss the rest.
  • Consider going digital with some items. I’ve been photographing some of the girls’ art and will eventually make a photobook of these creations versus saving them all. I love Brielle’s little kid handwriting and drawings so I want to document, but I don’t need EVERY unicorn drawing saved in this box.
  • Think about why you’re keeping something. Is it a gift for your child to review or yourself? Maybe there’s a different tub for YOUR favorites you don’t think you can part with, versus what you think your child will appreciate when they’re older. (We’ve all been there as the adult and your parent brings you things and you have no idea why they kept them. Try to avoid that.)
  • Review your process. It might change over time so allow yourself to adapt to the storage needs or to your child’s hobbies and habits.
  • Don’t organize around the kids. Luckily my girls are not too sentimental about certain items, but also have a poor memory about some things. I gladly toss plenty of things while they’re in school or not looking. You’re more likely to get rid of things when they aren’t around saving each unicorn drawing from going in the trash!

Good luck on the organization process!

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

in Favorite Products, Lifestyle, Mom Life, Organization # cricut

Spotofteadesigns.com Signature Design showing ways to socially follow this DIY/Parenting blogSpotofteadesigns.com Signature showing how to follow on twitter. Username: spotofteadesignSOTD2019SignatureFollow4FacebookSpotofteadesigns.com Signature showing how to follow on pinterest. Username: spotofteadesignSpotofteadesigns.com Signature showing how to follow on instagram. Username: spotofteadesignsSpotofteadesigns.com Signature

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Meet Tara

You can probably find me in my craft room, in front of a computer or behind the camera lens.
LEARN MORE

EMAIL NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Sign up and be the first to know about new posts filled with printables, svg cut file designs and gift ideas!

Privacy Policy

VALENTINE INSPO

You're o-fish-ally a great friend printable valentine bag toppers to put over goldfish crackers or gummy fish! | spotofteadesigns.com

Ofishally Valentine Bag Toppers

Hugs and Kisses Valentine T-shirt using SVG cut file and iron on transfer vinyl | spotofteadesigns.com

Hugs and Kisses Valentine’s T-Shirt

Unicorn lollipop holder SVG cut file - great for valentine's day or a unicorn birthday party favor | spotofteadesigns.com

Unicorn Lollipop Holder

Non Candy Valentines Ideas with printables | spotofteadesigns.com

Non Candy Valentine Ideas with Printables

Smart Cookie Printable Pencil Holders - great for Valentine's Day or last day of school | spotofteadesigns.com

Smart Cookie Printable Pencil Holders

Shop the Spot of Tea Designs Amazon Store front | spotofteadesigns.com

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Tara Nehil is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

LATEST GRAMS

Can we normalize houses without mud rooms and with Can we normalize houses without mud rooms and with non-pretty garages? 
.
This is by no means the most glamorous upgrade, but it was a necessary one. I picked up this new shoe storage rack at @wayfair and cleaned up the floor in our garage space. 
.
Not shown: installing the racks the first time and having the side brackets upside down and having to redo them. 🙈
.
.
.
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #organizedhome #organizing #wayfair #shoes #bhghome #styleathome #houseandhome #sodomino #huffposthome #housebeautiful #lovewhereyoudwell #howyouhome #makehomeyours #thisishome #betterhomesandgardens #showyourhomestyle #myhomevibe #myhome2inspire #goodhousekeeping #realhouse #actualhomesofinstagram #mydomaine #nehilsathome
How does your child's school celebrate 100 days? How does your child's school celebrate 100 days? 
.
In the past we've designed our own shirts, which they've painted with fabric paint or made using a @cricut and heat transfer vinyl, dressed up like old people with lots of dry shampoo, and made a vinyl 100 days rainbow for a teacher! I also offer these smarties themed printables in my shop if you're looking for a sweeter way to celebrate! 
.
Printable link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/678898558/100-days-of-school-smartie-pants-owl-100
.
.
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #vinylallthethings #cricutmsdemedoit #cricutlove #cricutmaker #teamcricut #100days #100daysofschool #teacherlife #kidcrafts #
This Valentine Tic tac toe design is available as This Valentine Tic tac toe design is available as a free svg cut file download from my blog!
.
Leave a XOXO and I can dm you the direct link 
.
https://spotofteadesigns.com/tic-tac-toe-valentines-free-cut-file/
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #svg #svgcutfile #valentinescraft #valentineshirt #cricutlove #cricutmademedoit #teamcricut #cricutmaker #Siserna #expressionsvinyl
Just can't get enough of this wood mosaic piece I Just can't get enough of this wood mosaic piece I made with a @dollartree knock-off Jenga game! 
.
See the full tutorial over on the @custompictureframes blog. 
.
.
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #getcustomframed #dollartreediy #dollartree #dollartreecrafts #pictureframe #woodblock #craftersgonnacraft #makersgonnamake #makehomeyours #makersvillage #homedecor
This love bug lollipop holder svg cut file was one This love bug lollipop holder svg cut file was one of my most popular Valentine designs last year. Plenty of room on back to address it to classmates or loved ones. 
.
Visit the link to grab it or leave a 🐞 and I'll DM it to you > https://www.etsy.com/listing/1119721214/love-bug-lollipop-holder-svg-cut-file
.
.
.
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #svgfile #svgcutfile #valentinescraft #valentinetreat #classroomvalentine #classroomexchange #lovebug #lollipop #etsydigital #etsylove #etsysellersofinstagram #heart
Be a cool kid and support small business this Vale Be a cool kid and support small business this Valentine's Day season! Printable Valentines available with all sorts of themes in the Spot of Tea Designs etsy shop!
.
Direct link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1390440033/owl-pencil-holder-valentines-allergy
.
.
.
.
#spotofteadesigns #printables #valentinecraft #classroomvalentine #owlvalentine #pun #punny #etsydigital #etsylove #lethembelittle #littleandbrave #craftersgonnacraft #pencilholder #makersgonnamake #makersvillage
Follow on Instagram
2021 © Spot of Tea Designs
made by soulmuse