Keeping your house tidy might be a nightmare when you have kids. Tots and preschoolers rarely stow their toys away and even us adults horde soft toys and stuffed animals long after they are played with or truly cared for. However, the smart toy storage ideas below could help you get over with your chores faster while also teaching your bundle of joy that throwing the toys in a basket isn’t so difficult, after all.
Stack Crates
Old crate boxes stacked on their side near a wall can serve as DIY shelves as well as open cubbies. You can add a bit of fun painting them with chalkboard paint or white, to let your kids unleash their creativity and draw on them. This solution is both fun and aesthetic, just perfect for most nurseries.
Fabric Bins
Instead of a stool, place a fabric bin at the end of your tot’s bed for storing stuffed animals. Not only gathering all toys before bedtime will be a breeze, but the full container also doubles as seating for your child and their siblings or friends.
Dollhouse Shelves
This one may require some DIY skills – or you can simply buy such a shelf – to add some fun to a daughter’s bedroom. Gathering the dolls and teddy bears after playtime won’t look like a chore anymore.
Jar Storage
Small stuff, such as art supplies or board game pieces, are easy to lose. However, you can simply make dedicated jars for various kinds of supplies, such as crayons, pencils, kinetic sand, and other small items. Mason jars are great for the purpose, but you can use regular jars too.
Storage Benches
A great solution for a small room, storage benches are multifunctional pieces of furniture. Place them under a window or near the bed for bulk toy storage. Outdoor storage benches are also perfect for storing your kid’s backyard games or outdoor toys.
Wheelie Carts
A colorful wheelie cart could be your best ally in convincing your kiddos to help you unclutter. Easy to push or pull around the house, it comes with large baskets that are mega-fun to fill with toys and games.
Floating Shelves
This splendid idea works wonders for small rooms and bigger kids. Simply hang some picture ledges on the walls above the bed to keep bedtime stories at hand.
Repurposed Suitcases
If you have any old suitcases that nobody uses anymore, transform them into vintage storage cases rather than throwing them in the trash. Not only they provide valuable storage space for most toys, but can also enhance the décor in a travel-themed nursery or room.
Book Bins
Create a reading nook for your kiddos with a book bin and open shelving for their favorite stories. A kid-sized armchair smartly placed near the reading nook will surely inspire your little one to have a read and put the book back in its place when done.
What to do with old stuffed animals?
Clearing space and keeping areas uncluttered can be especially arduous if like us, you find the idea of throwing out perfectly toys unacceptable. Well fear not, most charity thrift stores accept stuffed animals as donations as long as their condition is almost like new. For those toys that have not fared so well over the years, many textile recyclers will accept them happily, but equally if the damage is only minor, there are quick and fun activities that you can use them for with your kids all over Pinterest, including designs for cushions, beanbags, backpacks and super cute face-masks.
Whatever the alternative, there are other options than either keeping them or seeing the soul-crushing sight of a once-loved soft toy sitting ontop of a landfill.