Month: October 2015

If I could, in an ideal world, I’d have a dedicated room just for toys.  Oh, and clean laundry. All tucked away behind a pretty closed door.

Can’t a girl dream?

Since I don’t live in fantasyland (or a huge house with endless rooms for that matter) + I want my kids to be where we are and be surrounded by what they love, I am constantly changing and updating how I store my kids toys.

I want my kids to play with their precious possessions as much as they want, but *I* just don’t want to see them ALL out, ALL of the time.   With 3 kids in a range of ages (1, 6 and 9), toys could easily consume our home as each are interested in something different.

How do I avoid TOY TAKEOVER?  I strive to continually improve on creative ways to store their stuff to keep everyone in our humble abode happy.

How I organize and store my kids toys…

BASKETS + BINS

Using baskets + bins for storage certainly isn’t new or innovative, but it really works.  Having one or multiple baskets in most rooms of the home, helps make cleanup time quick & easy. In our home, I have baskets in many rooms so that as we move from space to space, there is something new to play with.  This is specifically geared towards little ones who attention spans are small.

For the older kids who have a lot of a specific items (animals, superheros, legos, etc), I have labeled baskets + bins. As they’ve grown, their toys have gotten fewer and smaller in size so much of it is in their room instead of in the living room.  But even moving their stuff to their space, I still have created spots for everything.  If everything has a specific place, then it will make it easier to put away items + STAY ORGANIZED!  The easier the better!

Pretty bins make a difference!  Baskets or bins don’t need to match.  Create a vignette of differing baskets in varying sizes + shapes.  Toys will all of a sudden ‘disappear’ when surrounded by stylish decor.

UNIQUE TOY STORAGE IDEAS

Storage for toys + kids stuff doesn’t have to be a traditional toybox or a typical basket.  Outside-of-the-box ideas for organizing + storing toys can be anything that will hold something.

One of my favorite items for kids storage are old chests.  Of course, you have to be careful with little fingers, but chests are large (to hold A LOT) and great to look at.   They can be a beautiful element for any interior and serve a dual purpose – toy storage + end table or coffee table.

I have several vintage chests around the house. Found from thrift stores and garage sales, they hold a multitude of kids favorites, like the collection of trains that all my kids still enjoy.

In our living room, the old world style chest sits under the modern, minimalist lucite coffee table.  Not only does it serve the purpose of storage, the play of old and new makes for a sophisticated styled setting.

Open up this old chest and voila, it holds the kids entire train set (which they still enjoy playing with)…

When my daughter got to the age when she was introduced to Legos, the collection of Lego Friends began and has since exploded.  She has quite A LOT and all the creations needed to be organized in some way.   I chose to use and convert the ever-so-popular colorful toy bin, which wasn’t being used anymore, by adding flat shelves to create a ‘bookcase’.

Using a 1″ x 12″ cut to the specified width, new wood shelves fit in perfect to create a 4-tiered shelf.  This upcycle idea was easy & inexpensive.  Plus there was no need to buy something – score!

GO LOW. GO VERTICAL.

Maximize your storage capabilities by using every inch possible.  Wall space is ideal for vertical storage to organize books, collections, etc.

My son is a hoarder collector so when decorating his room, I introduced more storage than he needed and since, he’s filled the extra space with more stuff.   Pallet shelves hold books. Honeycomb shelves give space for displaying favorites.  Leaning shelves hold collections.

The space under the bed is prime real estate for storage, especially in a kids room.  For my son’s space, these rolling carts (a do-it-yourself project) hold baseball cards, small skateboards, etc.

Going low and going vertical helps to get things off the ground, thus creating more clear floor area. In closets, add shelving as high as possible for extra storage of blankets or non-everyday items. Add hooks in the entry for additional coat/bookbag storage. Hang additional shelving in the basement and/or garage for more space to put large bins.

COMMIT

Getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is truly a commitment. Rotate toys every month or few months to keep them interesting and fresh. Once you’re organized, take the extra 10 minutes each day to tidy up and monthly to go through each room to purge any unused items or papers – both of these I personally do and IT HELPS!

Expect that there will be minor setbacks throughout the year, but remaining positive will help keep you motivated to stay organized.  Conquering in small doses is best.  It’s continuous work, but worth it to create a home you love and enjoy living in!

The simpler we live, the saner we are! Rid your lives of the clutter and unused things to achieve a more meaningful, organized home.