ooops! I forgot the most important strategy for keeping yourself sane around your kids: don't waste your time trying to reroute them. Go with the flow...
What I mean is, several years ago, a friend called me in a panic, "Jessica, my kids are driving me crazy! [she had three teenagers at the time] I can't get them to hang up their coats and backpacks when they come home from 
school and the kitchen is always a mess and I am always yelling! Help!"
I explained to her that she was going to have to compromise her aesthetic standards for a few more years until the kids were gone from the house. There is nothing on earth that would make them cross the room, open the closet and hang up their coats. That just was NOT going to happen. Ever.
This applies to all of us: DON'T TRY TO SWIM UPSTREAM. It won't work. Take the patterns and routines that are already in place and make them work for you. I have two words of advice: containerize beautifully.
What does that mean? That means, get a coat rack, a basket, a shelf, a wall rack and put it where the mess is. With far less effort, you can get your kids to hang their coats on a rack near the door, convince your husband to hang his keys on the keyrack, your wife to toss today's mail into a basket on the counter...
you get the idea.
A year later, my friend called me and told me that I changed her life. No point in wasting precious time with your kids locked in a power struggle you will never win. Just go shopping!
Oh, and what to do about your kid's artwork? Easy! Get a changeable frame and create a revolving art gallery. 
Once the piece is out of the frame, it gets tossed. That way, every piece gets it's day. I love the suggestions from Elisa Taub's MomReady.com site on hip ways to being a more effective and sane parent. This page is about displaying Kid's Art.
Remember, I am on your team!
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((¸¸.·´ ..·´ Jessica -:¦:-
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