May 14th, 2012 
There are times when I feel like I live in a toy store. In most every corner of my home there is a toy bin or basket of books. I like keeping the house full of toys because I never know what my son is going to want to play with. At the same time, I prefer if my house didn’t always look like a daycare.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
I love for his toys to be organized, but I have no interest in my house looking like it fell out of the Container Store. I like finding storage that fits in with the décor of my home. Don’t get me wrong, I love clear plastic bins for certain items, but most of the time I want the toys to be hiding in something that looks like it belongs in my home or son’s nursery room and not in a home improvement store. Here are some
storage ideas that will help you in organizing your children’s toys without compromising the décor of your home.
1. Baskets/Bins – These are great for the living room and entry way. A basket or bin doesn’t have to look out of place especially if it has a lid. It can blend into the décor of your home. It helps with quick cleanup; just toss the items in and cover.
The Land of Nod carries rattan baskets with lids called the “I Am Round Basket” and it comes in different colors. It’s a great way to hide
stuffed animals, toy cars, and various odds and ends.
Target carries a “Stair Step Basket” that sits on your staircase. You can easily leave it at the foot of your stairs and toss in whatever toys or books are around. It is a great way to be practical and make use of unused space.
Serena and Lily is famous for their adorable “Senegalese Storage Baskets.” These unique covered baskets double as décor in any room. They are handmade African baskets that offer culture and creativity to the madness of toys, clothes, shoes, and whatever else needs storing.
Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com
2. Storage ottomans – I love storage ottomans. Who isn’t lacking extra seating? An ottoman is perfect for hiding all the puzzles, balls, and books. I recently purchased this one from Target. I stuffed it with all the toys that my son plays with in our living room. As of yet, he has no idea that there are toys in it and I’m not in any rush to let him in on my little secret!
The Chalkboard Storage Bench from Giggle is perfect for the nursery. My son’s room is decorated with lots of orange and I have his next to our glider. I store books and night lights in it for easy access in the evenings when I’m going to read him his bedtime stories. It also doubles as a side table so you can easily put a lamp, monitor, and baby bottles on it.
I am in love with this DIY IKEA Storage Bench that I found on Apartment Therapy. It was featured in a Better Homes & Gardens issue. Although they used a shelf that IKEA no longer carries, the EXPEDIT Shelf will serve the same purpose. This storage bench would be perfect
under a window in a play room.
3. Bookcases – For me, bookcases with doors are significant not only because of the hiding factor, but because some unused toys can be out of sight and out of mind for your little one. This gives you the chance to rotate toys that your little one is tired of.
Photo Credit: landofnod.com
The Local Branch Library Cart from The Land Of Nod is extremely convenient because it is on wheels. This allows you to move it around the house so that you can have an easier time putting away toys and books. The bottom shelf also fits two baskets which comes in handy with the smaller toys.
4. Wall hooks/shelves – Some things are best kept out of reach. Small toys and paper books that are easy to tear are sometimes best kept away from my son. He has ripped some special books only because I turned around for “one second.”
You can use an over the door closet organizer in your child’s nursery room to store things you always need access to.
Diapers, wipes, onesies, hairbrush, shoes and of course toys.
The Get Organized Wall Storage from PB Teen are incredibly versatile. They have wall shelves with sliding doors, cubbies, and a drawer. This allows you to display photos and artwork that you want to keep out of your child’s reach.
The idea behind my tips is that you find ways to include your child’s things into your home decor or nursery decor. You don’t want it to look like your house fell out of a toy store. Organizing your kids toys and belongings can fit into your home without it looking like a daycare. Just find things that look like furniture, work well with your decor and match your style. Keeping things out of reach also helps to keep things organized, so look for ways to include wall storage into your home. I know that while there are toddlers in my home it’s not going to look like my house jumped off the pages of Architectural Digest, but I’m going to try my best to make my house kid-friendly while still keeping an organized home.
