20 Unique Toy Storage Ideas To Help With Clutter
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If you have kids, watch kids, or are just a kid at heart, then you probably have toys popping up all over your house. The thing with toys is they can quickly get out of hand if you don’t have a good way to organize them.
Of course, part of what makes any organizational system effective is that it works well for the people who use it. Therefore, if you’re organizing toys for a three-year-old, it will likely be set up very differently from how you’d do so for a ten-year-old. However, many of the storage solutions you use can be the same.
If you need a little help taking control of the toys in your house, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these 20 clever and simple toy storage ideas and tips for how to best organize all of the cars, dolls, trucks, and other playthings that are taking over your space.
The Best Storage Ideas For Toys
1. A Real Attraction – Magnetic Car Storage
Are you about to lose it if you step on one more Hot Wheels? Ouch! Those tiny cars and trucks can really be a pain when they are strewn about all over the floor. But, kids love to spread out their vehicles to see them all, which is why this simple solution from Keeping Up with the Souths works so well.
All you need to do is install a few magnetic knife bars onto the wall (hint, you can find them on Amazon). Kids love the idea and being able to see everything, plus it’s super easy for them to “park” their cars when they’re done.
2. Outdoor Toy Station
Nothing is more frustrating than getting ready to mow the lawn, only to discover there are toys all over the place. Before you can start the task at hand, you spend most of the time searching for and putting away balls, sidewalk chalk, water guns, and all other types of play things.
If this sounds familiar, it’s probably just because you need a place to store it all! These outdoor-friendly buckets are the perfect way to keep small outdoor toys together. Domestic Charm labeled the buckets to keep toys easy-to-find and easy to put away when outdoor playtime comes to an end.
3. A Place to Park Your Toys
Have you ever stopped to notice just how many large outdoor toys you have? You might be surprised to learn the exact number of ride-on vehicles that are taking over your backyard, from trikes and bikes to push cars and motorized jeeps. Plus, the more these fun toys sit out in the sun and rain, the more worse-for-wear they start to look.
That’s why Mom Endeavors decided to build a garage for all the vehicles, using PVC pipe and outdoor-friendly fabric. Now your kids can literally park their cars, bikes, and other ride-ons in their own personal garage, protected from the elements and out-of-sight.
4. Hot Wheels DIY Garage (Also Great for Tsum Tsums!)
Speaking of garages, even little cars and trucks deserve their own special place to park. This cute DIY idea from Frugal Fun 4 Boys not only looks terrific, but it’s so fun, your kids will actually enjoy putting their toys away. The small cubbies also work great for small figures, like Tsum Tsums or other pint-sized playthings.
It all starts with a simple milk crate and some painted toilet paper tubes (or you could use PVC if you prefer something a bit sturdier). You could even go a step further and personalize your garage with your child’s name, paint it a fun color, or stack two crates for a double-decker garage.
5. The Best Bath Toy Storage
This is a brilliant way to get all of the rubber duckies, squirters, bath sponges, and other items off the tub floor. IKEA Hackers takes this storage system and installs it low on a bathtub wall so kids can reach the containers easily. Plus, holes drilled into the bottoms of the bins ensure proper drainage and that toys can air out nicely.
But, if you don’t want to attach anything to the wall, you could also use a tension shower rod hung at a similar height and some S-hooks. Label your bins to match your stuff, and you’re ready to splish and splash!
6. American Girl Doll Condo
Anyone who has an American Doll fan in the house knows that these dolls can take over a space quickly. It’s like having a mini-person living with you; the dolls have their own clothing, furniture, pets, and more. If this sounds like your home, why not give everything its own special place with this storage setup from The Grasshopper’s Knee?
Simply positioning two bookcases and connecting them with a rod instantly gives you a place to hang doll clothes, set up accessories, and organize little furniture and other belongings. A few closed bins and baskets help hideaway clutter you don’t want to see.
7. Simple Barbie Doll Storage
Barbie has been around for decades, and so have countless ways to store her and her many accessories and outfits. But, if you’d rather not purchase every other rolling doll cart and carry case, you can make this fun, budget-friendly display from A Girl and a Glue Gun instead.
Once again, a tried-and-true over-the-door shoe organizer sets the stage for the perfect storage solution. But this one comes with some personalization and flair to give Barbie the backdrop she deserves. Notice the larger compartments on the bottom become a great space for holding extra accessories and items.
8. Toy Storage in Disguise
Sometimes, your kid’s playroom might end up also being your living room, especially if you live in a small space. There’s no reason for your adult space to look like a kid space 24/7. You can get clever with your furniture choices so that you can hide away all the toys in a way that blends into the rest of your decor.
If the playroom doubles as another room, opt for more adult storage, like these cubbies and bins from Wayfair. They share a similar design to many toy storage options, but the colors give it a more adult look. When the toys are away, you’d never know you were in a playroom.
9. Brilliant and Quick Toy Mat with Storage
Okay, so if you’ve ever had the pleasure of picking up 100s of LEGO bricks, then you know how much fun it can be (ahem). This toy mat from Amazon is the answer to your prayers; it makes cleaning up and storing the LEGO bricks a breeze. When clean-up is easy, it means no more stepping on tiny blocks (it really hurts)!
Your kids can build and build to their heart’s content on the mat, then after, drawstring it closed and place it back into the attached storage container. The added bonus is, when closed up, the container is a cute neutral design and color that can blend in with almost any décor.
10. Water Tech Pool Toy Storage Pouch
If you have a pool at home, then pool toys and supplies are a whole other place where lack of storage can be an issue. You end up with rafts, inner tubes, floaties, and of course, pool noodles all over your pool deck and yard.
Check out this easy and convenient storage pool pouch on Amazon, perfect for all of your pool toys, beach balls, and more. Now you can have everything in one place, and your kids know where to put things after their fun in the sun. Plus, the mesh design lets things dry out, so there’s no worry for mold or mildew.
11. Play Table and Chairs with Storage
This cute table and chairs combo from Amazon is full of form and function, offering a cute place for kids to sit and play, plus loads of storage. The tabletop is reversible, with a LEGO building surface on one side and a smooth work surface on the other. There’s also a city roadmap for even more playtime options.
Both the table and chairs provide storage drawers, so your kids can keep everything they need close at hand, which also makes it easier when it’s clean-up time.
12. Perfect Pegboard Toy Storage
Repurposing and re-inventing items and re-imaging how you can use them becomes a great way to find many storage solutions. Take this idea from Pelin Rhode’s Pinterest, for example. Typically, you find pegboards in workshops and tool sheds, even craft rooms and home offices.
Well, now you can even use them in kid’s rooms and play spaces for unique, hanging storage that keeps things accessible and off the floor. It’s the perfect way to store art supplies, trucks, toy tools, and so much more, and you can paint and personalize the pegboard to match the theme of the room.
13. Personalized Rolling Crate for Toys
Open, large containers are some of the easiest ways for young children to pick up their toys. They just need to toss everything into a box. But that doesn’t mean the boxes need to be boring. These personalized, rolling crates from Not on the High Street are the perfect example.
Lids keep everything contained, and wheels make things a breeze to move around. You can label them with your child’s name, the contents for easy identification, or even put a picture on it of what’s inside if your kids are pre-readers.
14. Go Classic with Toy Bins
Never underestimate the power of a true classic, like these iconic toy storage bins from Delta Children. The colorful bins are playful and a great addition to a child’s room or in a playroom. Varying sizes of bins help organize a variety of toys, from books to balls to blocks, art supplies, puzzles, dolls, and more.
Plus, the bins’ tilted design makes it easy for kids to see what’s in each one and makes the items more accessible. It also encourages kids to clean up since it makes pick-up time fast and simple.
15. Gathering Place for Sports Equipment
Sure, you have lots of toys inside, but there are also lots of toys outside. Besides the ride-ons, bikes, and pool toys, you probably also have many balls, sports equipment, and other similar equipment. This storage rack from Amazon provides the ultimate place to gather all of your outdoor stuff into one convenient location.
It features various bins and baskets, a bat rack, and hooks so you can fit lots of things on it. It’s perfect for a mudroom, garage, or even under a patio, ensuring your items stay in good condition and don’t get lost.
16. Mesh Toy Hangers
Stuffed animals and other small toys can add up quickly, and if there’s no place to put them, they can make things look really cluttered. These mesh toy hangers from Walmart are a great solution, and since they hang, you don’t need to worry about taking up any valuable floor or wall space.
They feature four compartments for storing items, with large openings that make it easy to take things in and out. The strong velcro closures make it simple to hang these durable storage solutions from a closet rod.
17. Find Storage Everywhere! Under-the-Bed Bins
It’s no secret that there’s a whole extra world of storage under the bed, but sometimes you can overthink storage solutions and miss the simple stuff. This Mamas Dance takes full advantage of every nook and cranny, and keeps things simple with these under-the-bed storage bins
The key to make these work for kids? They are see-through and easy to slide in and out from under the bed. Plus, they open on either side so you don’t have to pull them all the way out to get to what’s inside. If you don’t have carpet, you can easily put some felt strips or furniture sliders on the bottom so they don’t scuff up the floors.
18. Fabric Sling for Kid’s Books or Small Toys
If you want a slightly different take on a classic bookshelf for all of your kid’s books, check out this idea from The Chipper Snipper. Fabric slings help support the books, facing them outward, which is a great way to help young children identify the books by their covers.
You can choose a pattern that works well with your child’s room theme, and you can even use this same idea to store lightweight toys or small stuffed animals.
19. Create a See Through Toy Bag
Kids do better maintaining an organizational system when they can see everything. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to leave everything out and about; just go with some storage solutions that keep things visible. For example, these see-through toy storage bags from Simply {Darr}ling allow your kids to toss their toys into a bag but make it simple to remember the contents.
Choose coordinating fabrics that work in your space and use fun ribbons for the drawstring ties. These are also a great way to keep toy storage portable, so your kids can bring them out to play in one room and easily bring them back to their rooms when they’re done.
20. Scoop and Store Bath Toys
If you dread cleaning up all of the toys after bathtime, try this clever scoop-style toy storage from Target. The giant mesh scoop and comfortable handle allow you to gather up all of the bath toys, the water drains through the durable mesh, then you can hang it on the wall with the heavy-duty suction cup.
10 Extra Tips For Organizing Your Kid’s Toys
In addition to choosing the right storage solutions, it’s also essential to make sure your kids are part of the process. After all, ideally, you want them to pick up their stuff and put it away; you don’t want to be the one doing it. Therefore, the storage you choose needs to work, first and foremost, for your kids.
Keep these 10 pointers in mind to maximize the effectiveness of your toy storage:
1. It’s your kid’s stuff, so your kid needs to have a say.
2. Help your kids choose which toys they can donate to someone else and help reduce the amount of stuff you need to store.
3. Choose storage that makes it easy for your kids to reach their stuff; this also makes it easier for them to put things away.
4. Categorize like items together, so it makes sense to kids where things go.
5. Use see-through storage or label bins and containers, so your kids know the contents. If your children don’t yet read, then use picture labels for easy identification.
6. Involve your kids in the entire process as much as possible: let them help set up the storage, choose where things go, and make the labels.
7. Make it a habit to go through toys with your kids, at least twice a year. This practice helps keep clutter from getting out of control and overwhelming.
8. If a toy breaks beyond repair, set the precedent that it needs to go. Damaged toys can pose safety risks.
9. If you have kids that cringe at clean-up, make it a game. For example, set a timer and “beat-the-clock.”
10. Don’t underestimate the power of toy rotation. Put some toys away in a closet, and every so often, rotate them out with the current toys. You don’t need to have everything out at one time.