I used to decorate the kitchen cabinets with kid art work. In August, down it would come to make way for the new batch. I had (still have) a blue American Tourister suitcase ( you know the kind that the gorilla's used to throw around in TV comercials) where I would put every paper and craft project etc. I figured if we ever had a fire I would throw it out a window! A few years ago I went through everything, packed it all up for each kid (4) and sent it off to them. They were shocked that I saved it all, but I think they enjoyed the memories. It's their clutter now!

I have 1 big bin for each kid. If it's a "saver" paper, it goes in a folder in there. Otherwise, out in the trash it goes - I actually save very little. Just can't, completely over run with it and it drives me crazy, and even though I try very hard every week to toss, I am still choked with all the papers, art work, etc. I have also taken pictures of several things and "saved" them that way. With old toys and clothes we often pass them on to neighbors, family or friends - especially when they were little we had 3 of the same outfit and sometimes the same toy - so we would "spread the love" around. Now that they are a little older, once it's outgrown or worn out, its out the door for donation or in the trash. I think my kids will be shocked one day on how little I actually saved.

Every fall and spring, I ask the kids to go through their toys to see what we can donate ("to kids who don't have any toys.") I also periodically (alone) gather all those "junk" things that accumulate from birthday goodie bags, McDonald's happy meals, and the like, and donate them to people or events needing "prizes." My favorite crafts, art projects, or the like get put on the walls alongside the steps going to the basement (one side for each child.) Both kids have a special place in their rooms out of signt to keep all the rest, and I go through that with them before the school year begins to shorten the stack. I used to put all kinds of school papers, reminders, etc that come home daily on the fridge, but now I have completely taken everything off and keep them in a binder in the kitchen; I go through it every weekend and purge what is no longer relevant.

We have been working on this for months now. We have asked the kids to donate to kids who don't have as much as well. We have donated at least 20 trash bags of clothing and toys to the Purple Heart this month alone! I keep the non-worksheet schoolwork and projects. I know my house is cluttered in general with stuff we never use so we've decided to try to minimize. If we haven't touched it in a year--it's gone! It is amazing how much better I feel when my house is uncluttered!!

I agree with you Jennifer, about the clutter. In anticipation of birthdays and Christmas, we typically try to clean out and donate what we don't need. I rarely just throw something out-unless it's a board book that's been demolished by a chewing, teething infant. As far as the children's artwork and papers go, I started a binder for my oldest daughter and categorized it by age that she made the creation. Our daycare is awesome about keeping pictures of the kids and different projects they have made throughout the year. I think a binder is a nice way to keep the special things. I always feel a twang of guilt when I throw precious pictures of rainbows, flowers or scribbles (from my 2 year old) out. Sometimes, though, I just feel like I'm suffocating with all of these papers everywhere! It is a never ending task.

We donate old toys and consign old clothes in order to get new bigger clothes. Artwork gets filed away for a later date, and we recycle old coloring books.

for school papers...we use nice ones like drawings for cards and gift wrap (make em into a collage style) and rest save for drawing on the back if they are blank, as firestarters in the fireplace, or we shred and donate to animal shelter for bedding, litter...better than filling landfill w it all