Last month, I discussed curbing toy chaos with a simple toy rotation system (if you missed it, you can check it out here. This month, I’m exploring some of my favourite toy storage solutions that make maintaining your spaces easy.

My Top Tip For Toy Organization:

The number one thing to remember when organizing kids’ spaces is to keep it as simple as possible! Set yourself up for success by always remembering that the systems must be easy to understand, follow, and access for the primary users, the kids!

While you may prefer sorting Barbie accessories by category or Lego pieces by colour, in my experience, kids rarely follow such systems; they’re too finicky for their age and take too much time which leads to frustration and toy chaos.

Instead, use solutions that make it easy for kids to see, access and clean up all the toys.  Find inspiration below with some of my go-to playroom products and ideas.

What To Avoid In A Playroom:

Before getting to my favourites, the one thing I suggest avoiding for toys is a toy box or chest. Toys get thrown in these vast, dark boxes, and many (especially the smaller ones) fall to the bottom, leading to:

1.          Toys being forgotten and never played with again;

2.          Kids pulling every toy out of the box, looking for one specific one at the bottom and

3.          Toys getting broken from being tossed around while looking for other toys.

Further, they aren’t accessible for small children who can’t reach far into them, and falling lids pose a danger.

So, what do I suggest instead?

Toy Storage Favourites: Ikea Kallax & Trofast

When it comes to toys, smaller, more shallow bins that allow you to create categories are the best option. Small, contained categories make finding a specific toy faster and easier and minimize the risk (and mess) of every toy being pulled out at once.

Two of my favourite products that support this are the Ikea Kallax shelf paired with bins and the Ikea Trofast system. They provide excellent storage with structured zones that are easily accessible to kids, and both offer a flat play surface for kids.

Both options are versatile pieces that can grow with your child(ren).  Neither scream “kids toy storage”, a benefit not only if you’re storing toys in shared family spaces, but also because the pieces can transition to pre-teen/teen years with your child(ren) and their new hobbies and interests.

Toy Storage Favourites: Open Baskets

It doesn’t get any easier than putting toys in an open basket. Open baskets keep categories contained and separated from other categories and make clean-up fast and easy as kids can take the bin to the toys they’ve been playing with rather than making multiple trips to return all toys to a static storage option.

Open baskets also limit the amount that can be kept/stored in the category; once the bin is full, it’s time to edit! For tips on editing toys with your kids, click here.

Finally, open baskets reduce visual clutter while allowing toys to be visible and accessible with the help of labels. A couple of my favourite bins to use in playrooms are the Ikea Drona and Decomomo bins.

Toy Storage Favourites: Floor Baskets

Floor baskets like the ones pictured are typically as large as I suggest for toys, and I only use them for single-category items like stuffies, dolls, track sets, or dresses.  The items are not too heavy, so kids can still move the basket around, and the larger basket allows everything in the individual categories to be stored in one location.

 Another bonus is that, depending on the design of the basket you choose, it can look like home decor instead of toy storage!

Toy Storage Favourites: Labels

Labels save time, provide clarity to everyone using the space (including friends over for playdates) and increase the chances of staying organized.   For littles not yet reading, picture labels are a great option.

For all the benefits of labels and some of my favourite labelling options, click here.

Toy Storage Favourites: Zipper Pouches

Especially if space is tight, zipper pouches are a game changer.  You’ll be amazed how much space you save by removing items like games, puzzles, craft sets and supplies, Lego sets, etc., from their original packaging and storing them in these pouches.

The pouches come in various colours and sizes to suit your needs; just place a label or cut the game name or puzzle picture out of the original box and tape it to the pouch. You can find my favourite ones here.

Toy Storage Favourites: Ikea Dignitet & Riktig Hooks

This Ikea curtain wire and hook combination from Ikea is an affordable way to create a custom display for all the kids’ artwork.  You can cut the wire to your desired length, and the hooks make it fast and easy to switch out pieces.

Toy Storage Favourites: Tiered Cart on Wheels

There are endless uses for a three-tier cart, but one of my favourites is a mobile craft station. You can store all the supplies on the cart, roll it out when needed, and tuck it away in a corner or in a closet when not in use.

Toy Storage Favourites: Caddy

Speaking of arts and crafts, I love using a caddy to store the most frequently used items like crayons, pencil crayons, markers, glue, scissors etc.  A caddy makes it easy to take all the favourites to wherever in the house your little artist wants to get creative. This mDesign one is my go-to.

 Conclusion

Helping my clients tame toy chaos is a large part of my work.  I hope these tried and true toy organization solutions can help you tame the toy chaos in your house too!

Do you have a toy storage favourite I didn’t mention?  Let me know in the comments below.  And if you liked this post, please share it!

Happy organizing!