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Peter Walsh has been our go-to organizing pro for over a decade. He’s helped with everything from organizing work from home space and spring cleaning to sharing tips to organize your car. Here, he answers a viewer question about how to keep her kids’ artwork from cluttering up her home.
“I have two kids, ages 6 and 7, and am having a hard time keeping their stuff organized. Their schoolwork is a big problem... I feel like I have to save everything – anything they wrote, or drew, I feel an obligation to hold on to, but it’s piling up and getting overwhelming.” — U-Meeka
The 5/5/5 Rule
When it comes to kids' paperwork, follow the 5/5/5 rule," Peter explains.
"Purchase five frames, and every week when stuff comes home, you lay the stuff out and get the kids to choose their favorite 5 items from that week, and you display those. The rest, let go," he says.
"And then, at the end of the month, you should have 20 items that the kids have chosen, so make them pick five from those twenty, and those are the ones you frame. The other items, you take photos of and let them go. Do the same at the end of the semester," Peter adds.
"At the end of the year, make photo books with the items that you've taken photos of, and give them as gifts for the grandparents. Sort them during the year, display the five best each month, and at the end of the year you only keep the best of the best to send as a permanent memory," he explains.
"I don’t have kids, but I do exactly this when we travel with photo books and send them to everyone involved. I pick the top photos from a big party event or trip and make a photo book to send as gifts," he says.
This is SUCH a great idea—and will keep the house much more organized and decluttered.