As parents, we all want a way to preserve precious and irreplaceable memories of our children. But oh my God, the mess all that stuff makes By, like, year three of a kid's life, they've accumulated boxes of art projects, eight billion photos, and enough DIY crafts from preschool and grandma's house to start a landfill in the living room. Quite simply, it's just impossible for parents to keep every single thing their kids make and do, and that's why they have to be super smart about what items they decide to keep, how they make new keepsakes going forward, and where they decide to store all the precious stuff they've accumulated.
Saving keepsakes and memories doesn't have to mean living in clutter and chaos. After all, it's had to "cherish every moment" when the moments just create an avalanche of stuff on every surface. There are smarter ways to hold onto things that mean a lot, and there are crafts kids can do that create something that is meaningful and purposeful that can be enjoyed by the whole family for many years to come. Whether it's a custom framed art piece that actually looks professional or an adorable stuffed teddy bear that repurposes old newborn gear, there are keepsakes that do more than just sit on the shelf.
Here, we've put together a convenient list of 40 of the very best kid keepsake ideas on the Internet. From creative storage options to easy crafts that have a functional use to brilliant ways for parents to repurpose and upcycle old clothes and shoes out of storage, these ideas will help moms and dads cherish the special times without filling the house with a bunch of unnecessary junk.
NEWBORN KEEPSAKE ORNAMENT
Instead of storing the hospital bracelet, newborn hat, and newborn prints in a book that will never be looked at again, tuck them into a keepsake Christmas ball to be enjoyed year after year.
UGLY PHOTO BOOK
Silly faces, outtakes, blurry shots — they all belong neatly stored in an "ugly" photo book that can show off the silliest memories, all in one place.
WOOD BLOCK WALL ART
Preserve a picture with a cool wooden art block that looks neat, stylish, and modern.
Petite Picasso Mounted Wall Art ($37.10, bRainbowshop/Etsy)
ONESIE SHADOW BOX
Use a simple shadow box to display a keepsake onesie and baby items instead of storing dozens of old clothes in a box.
KID ART COLLAGE
18 child drawings get scanned, shrunken down, and neatly displayed in two frames with this genius tutorial from How Does She.
KID HANDWRITING CHARM
Instead of saving a million school worksheets, get a custom kid handwriting charm for a necklace, bracelet, or keychain.
Handwriting Keychain ($32.00, Oaklee Mae/Etsy)
CLIPBOARD WALL
Show off kid drawings and artwork with a diy clipboard gallery wall that can be changed out regularly and puts a limit on how many things can be kept at once.
BIRTH UNICORN
A newborn blanket becomes a favorite hug buddy with this adorable keepsake from Stitches By Natalie. The seamstress can make elephants, bears, pigs, owls, and much more.
VACATION JARS
Get more intentional about souvenirs with vacation jars. Mason jars can be filled with sand and shells, a trinket and ticket stubs — anything that commemorates a special trip. Then the jars are neatly displayed, instead of the souvenirs getting lost in the shuffle.
KID ARTWORK COASTERS
Give kids' artwork a purpose by making these easy DIY kid art coasters from DIY Adulation.
HANDPRINT CANVAS DECOR
Updated yearly canvases show off growth and are a cute keepsake without the clutter of salt dough or other types of print memorabilia. Jen at Mama Papa Bubba has the easy how-to.
TICKET STUB SHADOW BOX
Keep ticket stubs from first movies, family trips, and kiddie shows in a convenient shadow box that will fill up over the years to create a cool piece of wall art.
KID ART NECKLACE
Make kid art permanent with a stamped kid art necklace, like this one from Mommy Tags.
Doodle Tag ($125, MommyTags.com)
KEEPSAKE BABY CLOTHES QUILT
Don't abandon old baby clothes in storage. Pick a few favorites and make a keepsake quilt. See how at KeepsakeQuilt.com.
FAMILY YEARBOOKS
Keep family photos organized by using online photo services like Shutterfly to create neat and orderly family yearbooks.
TODDLER CLOTHES BEAR
Old clothes get a makeover in the form of a cute patchwork bear made from the scraps of favorite outfits.
Patchwork Memory Bear ($46.36 & up, Craft Hill Artisans/Etsy)
DIY CLOTHING ACTIVITY BOOK
Use old clothes to create a practical book that teaches kids how to handle buttons, snaps, zippers, and laces. Check out the how-to at Forty Two Roads.
STORE ARTWORK DIGITALLY
Instead of keeping hard copies of artwork and other keepsakes, snap photos and upload them to an app like Keepy that helps store and organize digital copies of every memory.
KID DRAWING CROSS STITCH
Get excellent kid drawings converted into long lasting cross stitch patterns. They're easy to DIY or can be commission online.
Family Portrait Keepsake ($45.00 & up, Llama Llama Designs/Etsy)
DIY SILHOUETTES
Silhouettes are a stylish yet timeless way to capture kids. Check out the easy how-to for silhouettes from My Heart And Soul.
BABY CLOTHES PILLOW
Use old baby and kid clothes or even the clothes mom and dad wore home from the hospital post-birth to fashion a custom and functional throw pillow.
MAKE A MEMORY BINDER
Organize artwork, school papers, and other keepsakes into convenient and orderly binders that can be filed away neatly to remember each year.
MINI MASTERPIECE ART BOOK
Use a photo service to create a custom kid art coffee table book to show off a little Picasso's best work.
KID QUOTE BOOK
Start a kid quote diary to keep every cute things kids say tucked away in one safe place.
My Quotable Kid ($10.50, Amazon)
MEMORY BOX
Designate one memory box per child. It will cut down on clutter by limiting what can be kept and it's easy to store.
PHOTO FRAME CLOCK
Create a photo frame clock to fill a blank wall. The frames can be filled with kid photos or kid art that needs a designated home.
KID ART JEWELRY
Everyone will want to know where this unique ring came from. Commission a jewelry maker to turn a piece of art into a custom ring.
Sterling Silver Kids Art Ring Jewelry ($54.90, yhtanaff/Etsy)
HAND PRINT RING DISH
Make a handprint memory into something practical with this cute DIY salt dough ring dish from How Does She.
BREAST MILK JEWELRY
Get a lasting memory of the beautiful time spent breastfeeding a baby. Breastmilk jewelry is inconspicuous and gorgeous while carrying a powerful memory.
Teardrop Breast Milk Ring ($57.59, Marky Baby Milk Jewelry/Etsy)
SHOE GROWTH TRACKER
Display old shoes instead of boxing them up. This method also shows off how much a little one had grown!
GIANT RULER GROWTH CHART
This giant ruler makes for stunning wall decor and lets parents track their kid's growth without marking up a wall or making a mess.
Engraved Growth Chart ($65.00, Half Pint Ink Studio/Etsy)
TEDDY BEAR PRINT
White paint and a canvas is all that's needed to make a cool, artsy print before throwing out those old stuffed animals. Much better than a pile of fluff.
KID NAME NECKLACE
Wear a name necklace like Carrie Bradshaw, but make it a kid's name instead and get it written in their own unique handwriting.
Children's Handwriting Necklace ($62.00, Wickedly Mod Inc/Etsy)
VACATION ORNAMENTS
Instead of display jars or photo albums, create custom Christmas tree ornaments to remember a special vacation.
KEEPSAKE LIBRARY
Neatly organize keepsakes into custom boxes with compartments for specific items. It limits the clutter and looks modern.
Baby Edition Keepsake Box ($79.95, Savor)
HANDPRINT KEYCHAIN
DIY handprint keychains are easy to make and give parents a practical way to hang on to a memento of their kids. Try the easy tutorial from Never Done With Fun.
DIY GARDEN STEPPING STONE
A keepsake stepping stone is easy to make and can be used for years to come. DIY it with the tutorial from Making Things Is Awesome.
TOOTH JAR
If baby teeth are something that must be saved, get a convenient tooth jar that can be easily stored in a drawer, medicine cabinet or closet.
Tooth Fairy Jar ($15.00, Art By Sarah Price, Etsy)
KID HANDWRITING T-SHIRT
Don't stash things away, wear them! These custom shirts are a keepsake that can shown off over and over again.
Kids Handwriting Shirt ($30.00, CaneDelynnDesign/Etsy)
KEEPSAKE POTTERY
Have kids put handprints on a mug or pitcher so the memory has a practical use. Dishes could also be decorated with custom drawings or kid quotes.
