Toy Storage Ideas: Take Control of the Toy Pile!
Before you set out to organize the toys in your home, you’ll want to do a thorough purge first. It’s hard – we know – but it’s essential to maintaining your sanity and an organized life. If you are new to purging, start slow: one toy for every five you pick up should be donated. Whatever is left needs to get organized. Let us show you some fun and inexpensive ways to store your child’s toys. There’s something for everyone here – even the big kids!
There are a couple of rules to follow when you are organizing kids’ toys: children need to be able to reach the toys. Open storage is the best solution: lids complication the process. Color coding works well if you have more than one child and dividing their room into sections works well: art, play, cars.
- Baskets are the “go to” for every kind of storage, and children’s toys are no different. As useful as baskets are, you need to be careful to not let your storage baskets become overrun with toys. It is so easy to just throw toys into a basket and forget about them, so be sure to label your baskets and try to stick to the system.
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- Whenever possible, get toys up off the floor. Attach baskets to walls or use tote bags for an attractive look. If you have smaller children, hang your tote baskets horizontally instead of vertically so little hands can reach their toys. We love the idea of having bags embroidered. You can buy these bags at LL Bean ® and they’ll even embroider them for you. Such a clever way to stay organized.
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- Most kids love to read, but books find their way to closets and drawers, never to be seen again. We love this idea! Display your books so children can pick their favorites and you’ll never have to search for a book again! This look can be achieved easily with some simple building materials: moldings and chair rails work well and are inexpensive. Just cut and secure with finishing nails.
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- Don’t forget those tub toys. Any parent knows how quickly a bathroom can become overrun with bath toys, and how easily those toys slip and slide all over the bathtub! It can be annoying and dangerous! Try this little organization trick to keep everyone safe and happy in the tub. Grab a tension rod (available at any hardware or department store) and hang baskets from it. It’s so simple and solves a real problem in the bathroom.
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- If you’d rather not look at toys all day, try hiding them. Any large storage container will do, but if you are in the business of hiding toys, you’ll probably want to use something a bit decorative so that your toys blend into your home décor. This is the perfect solution if you have a small home or apartment. Be sure to organize the inside of the container so that it doesn’t become overrun inside: we like the idea of using smaller containers to organize toys within the larger container. Everything in its place makes for a happy home.
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- Children love to cuddle their stuffed animals, but sometimes the number of stuffed animals in one room can be overwhelming. Rather than have them scattered all over the floor, try fashioning a display/storage unit for them! We love this “zoo” – if you aren’t handy, pick up some mesh laundry baskets so you can see inside easily!
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- Keep your coloring and art supplies organized with jars and clear containers. Use file storage containers for coloring books and activity pads. Open shelving makes it easy to see and access. Kids will love being able to see everything so organized and will use these supplies more often if they are easily accessible, instead of being tucked away in a closet somewhere.
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- If you’ve got a busy builder on your hands, keep all of the instruction booklets for building toys in a binder and plastic sleeves. This is also a great idea for comic books and small activity books – it’s even a great idea for the car! Got crafters in your house? They’ll love this idea for embellishments and stickers too!
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- If your crew includes a miniature car lover or action figure guru, you’ve probably tried a few things to keep these playsets together. Do yourself a favor and invest in play packs: these are basically pencil cases that can be purchased at your office supply store or department store, but they are awesome for keeping little play pieces organized. It is easy for kids to grab one or two playsets and run to the living room to play if they want. This is great for traveling as well!
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- What article about toy storage would be complete with talking about these bin systems? These are still popular in homes all over the world, and the colorful bin system makes organizing your toys easy. These can be a bit pricy but it’s a ready-made storage system. They are usually very streamline and easy to tuck away into a corner or under a window.
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Whatever you choose to help yourself get and stay organized, try including the kids in the decision. If children are a part of the organizational process, they may be more likely to keep their rooms organized. Let them choose their own colors and storage bins and get them to make labels for their bins. Teaching kids organization early on can help them later in life too. Encouraging children to be responsible for setting up the organization systems will give them a sense of responsibility and pride. Being neat doesn’t have to be a pain when you have the right tools and systems…and a kid to help you clean up the mess!