Organizing with Artkive

Just like the rest of you, we’ve been settling into homeschooling (something I never thought I would say though I do loving having the girls home) and are three weeks in. The first week was a fog and almost felt like a spring break mixed with a strange, unsettled feeling, as the girls did not have much work and I was looking for ways to keep them busy. The second week, it became more of a reality and was just weird (no other way to describe it), but fun as we jumped on the trampoline and rode bikes a lot. Now we’re here, Friday of our third week of social distancing and are in the grove. I’m working in between both of the girls right now and something feels quite calming. I say this cautiously because Caroline, my social butterfly, has struggled way more than Sarah, and the calm feeling in the house right now could change any second. For now, I’ll enjoy and make the most of our new normal and enjoy slowing down for a bit (and I guess get some extra practice in long division and multiplying fractions).

If you know me, you know I LOVE to organize. At one point, I even wanted to start my own organizing business. My favorite store before going off to college was the container store! My parents still have my closet labels up from high school AND I have made photo albums galore throughout my life! I love it all! Since being at home, I have cleaned out EVERY closet and every drawer and now I am organizing pictures ….AND the girl’s ARTWORK! I have so many plastic boxes of artwork from Caroline’s preschool and elementary years, and now Sarah! While I have the time during this crazy social distancing, I thought I would go ahead and get a handle on the boxes of artwork.

Have you heard of Artkive?? It is AMAZING! I ordered an Artkive box about a year ago and finally found time to get art together to send in about three months ago. It is a genius idea! I know at first, I was hesitant because I thought I would want to have the original pieces to touch the crushed tissue paper or google eyes, but let’s be honest, kids art becomes a cluttered mess after a while. I mean, I know my mom saved everything my brother and I ever did, but I have never taken the time to look at any of it. Over time, it becomes faded and things become unglued, but with a digital picture of the art, you can enjoy it for years to come in the form a coffee table book. Genius, right?!?

Here’s how it works. Artkive sends you a box, which you fill with art in the order you want it presented in the book, and then you send the box using the prepaid UPS label back to them! Artkive professionally photographs each piece of art and uploads it to your personal Artkive account. Using the account, you can edit the cover, title of the book, order of art etc. Once you approve it in your account, Artkive prints your 8.5 x 11 hardcover book. You also have the option to have the original art sent back to you. I did this and picked out my favorite 3 to 4 pieces of art from Sarah’s 2 and 3 year old preschool years to go in her baby book and got rid of the rest since I have the pieces now saved in a book and on a digital file. Oh, and it really does not take long. I received a proof two weeks after I sent my box in, then it took about a week to print and make its way back to me. I think it is the most adorable solution for saving your child’s art without boxes upon boxes in the attic.

Sarah and I had so much fun organizing her art and it brought back so many fun memories of 2 year old preschool and Jr. Pre K. I can’t wait to do this with Caroline next week! You’ll see in the pictures below, Sarah is SO excited with her book!