Playroom Storage

I want to start this post by acknowledging how fortunate I am to have space in my house to use as a playroom.  Many people don’t have enough space to dedicate an entire room just for their kids play area.  Our home is a modest 1,600 sq. ft. Colonial style house with a traditional seasonal side porch that we use as a playroom.  The porch is a narrow and long finished yet unheated room, but we make it work!  Even if you don’t have an actual room used solely as a “playroom” I hope this post can inspire ideas for how to keep your kid’s toys and activities in sight enough to be used, but hidden enough to look clean.  This is a delicate balance!  

So, where do you start?  Here are a few tips for how to go about organizing your kid’s toys.  

Step 1: Create a set cadence for a deep toy clean out that involves your kids.

Step 2: Make sure you have the right storage that will work for your toys. 

Step 3: Find creative ways to display some items to ensure they are used while hiding others.

Let’s start with frequency of cleaning out toys.  In our house, we tend to do clean out toys twice a year.  The boys and I go through all of their toys before birthdays and the winter holiday season.  They understand that before new toys can come into the house, they need to clean out and donate any toys that they haven’t used since the last clean out.  I believe involving them in this process is critical.  I know that it’s a lot easier to do it when they aren’t home or looking, especially if you have children with hoarder-like tendencies!  My youngest used to lose it when we had to talk about which items he might consider letting go.  He would pick through the items his older brother had decided to donate and then place all of them in his stack of keeps!  It did take a few years, but now he is on board and the process goes much smoother.

Now let’s talk storage.  Having the right storage really can make or break any organization project.  I’m not here to tell you which exact container will work best or how many.  But I have found having a few opaque containers like the ones pictures below that can hide little items works for some toys.  We store matchbox cars, musical toys, little figurines, and walkie-talkies in these four cubes.  Yes, we have an entire cube filled with different sets of walkie-talkies and attached ear pieces!  These cubes work great for the boys to quickly toss in small items and close them up for a quick clean up process.  When the cubes are lined up in a row it also serve as a nice bench when they have visitors. 

 

I also love having some baskets around like the one below for the kids to simply store items like stuffed animals and balls.  

Other items I find work better on display. We have our costumes hanging from a rod on a shelf attached to the wall so the kids can easily access them and be inspired for creative play. Their hats fit nicely on the top shelf. A large box underneath the hang up clothes easily holds small costume accessories like scarfs, Hawaiian leis, and sunglasses. In addition to costumes, I suggest displaying arts & craft supplies if you really want them to get used frequently. If you haven’t already, you can check out my previous blog on our Art Cart.

Playrooms are for play and they don’t need to look perfect. Mine isn’t full of all wooden toys and expensive storage containers, but it serves its purpose of providing a space for the boys to be creative and have fun without driving me bonkers finding toys all over the house! I hope this post inspires some ideas for how you can affordably store toys in your home. If you need any inspiration on the products in the pictures here click on “Links” in the header of this page.

Have fun playing!

 

*Note that retailer links are affiliate links and I earn a small percentage of commission if you buy through my links. Buying through my links does not impact the price you pay.

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hi, i'm lauren!

I help successful, high-achieving women like you implement efficient, proven and sustainable ways to prioritize your health and find your confidence again.

Hi, I'm Lauren!

I help successful, high-achieving women like you implement efficient, proven and sustainable ways to prioritize your health and find your confidence again.