If you have kids, your home will always be cluttered with their toys for most of the time. The scattered toys give a messy impression and a flipping hazard. However, with a few smart tips you can easily store and organize your kids’ toys with no effort.
Best Toy Storage Ideas for Living Room
As a parent or guardian, keeping the living room tidy and organized can be a never-ending battle, especially when it comes to children’s toys. No matter how often you pick them up and put them away, they always find their way back onto the floor. But don’t despair! With a little bit of planning and creativity, it is possible to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing toy storage system in your living room that will make cleanup easier and add to the room’s overall décor. This post will explore practical and stylish ways to organize toys in the living room.
Steps to do before organizing toys in the living room
Before you start organizing the toy treasure of your little ones, please make sure to take the following steps:
Free up old toys
Before the toy organization, go through your child’s toy collection and see if there are toys that your kids don’t play with anymore; then, there is no need to keep them. Simply, sort out these toys and donate them. I repeat this exercise every six months. This step is crucial to avoid over-hoarding toys and will free up space, making it easier to organize the toys that are still in use.
Set up some ground rules.
This is an essential step and is personally tried and tested by me. Establishing some ground rules for your children can help keep the living room organized. For example, you might require them to put away one toy before taking out another or to clean up their toys before moving on to a new activity.
Clean up the toys after play
Picking up after playtime is vital to maintaining an ordered living area. Toys should have a designated place, and you should encourage your children to put them away after playing with them.
How to Organize Toys in Living Room
If you don’t have a designated playroom in your house, and you are worried about how to organize toys in the living room in a way that doesn’t mess with the aesthetics of your home, then follow these best toy storage ideas for the living room:
1. Storage Ottoman
As suggested by Nursery Design Studio, the toy storage solution for your living room should not only save space but also complement with the style of your interior. A fantastic choice for toy storage in the living room is an ottoman with integrated storage space. In addition to being useful for storing small toys, it may also be used as extra seating or a footrest.
2. Use Storage Trunk as a toy basket
Toys can be stylishly stored in the living room using a storage trunk. It has a lot of storage space and functions as additional seats or a coffee table. Thus, you can easily stuff the toys too big inside the storage trunk.
3. Storage boxes
Storage bins and baskets are an affordable and versatile way to store toys in a small living room. They come in various sizes and styles, making finding one that fits your living room decor easy. Consider using clear bins or baskets to store toys in the drawers so it’s easy to see what’s inside.
4. Coffee Table for storing kids’ toys
A coffee table with storage compartments can be an excellent toy storage option. Not only does it provide a functional space for your child to play, but it also keeps toys organized and out of sight when not in use.
5. A cabinet as a hidden toy storage
Keep a smart cabinet with shelves or drawers in your living room for storing larger toys or collections. It also provides a sophisticated and sleek look to your living area. Hide toys inside the cupboard; your living room will be free of all toy clutter within seconds.
6. Use Dresser to Store Toys
Do you own a dresser that you no longer use? Utilize it to hide away your kids’ toys in it. Choose a dresser with deep drawers to organize and store different toys easily. You can also use drawer dividers to separate small toys, like Lego pieces or action figures.
7. Armoire
You can use an armoire with shelves or drawers to store toys or convert them into a toy closet by adding hanging rods and baskets. Consider painting or decorating the armoire to make it fun and kid-friendly.
8. Store toys in tote bags
You can also use cute tote bags to store toys and books. The tip is to smartly keep the tote bags so that they do not give a cluttered look to your living room. For example, you can hang them at the back of the doors.
9. Storage bench to keep the toys
Use all available space intelligently if you have a small living space. Keep a storage bench in the living room and utilize its hidden storage to hide away all the toys after playtime.
10. Conventional toy basket
Use a toy chest or basket and store the toys after the kids play. You can use any storage basket to store small toys.
11. Under sofa storage to hide toys in the living room
If you have a sofa with a high clearance, you can use the space underneath for toy storage. Use rolling bins or baskets to store toys and slide them in and out as needed. You can also use under-sofa storage bags to store bigger toys, like balls or stuffed animals.
12. A rolling cart as portable storage for toys
A rolling cart is a versatile piece of furniture that provides portable storage and can be used for keeping toys in one place. You can use a cart with shelves to store toys or add baskets or bins to keep things organized. The best part about a rolling cart is that you can move it around the room to keep toys close at hand or out of sight.
13. Media wall/entertainment center
A media wall is a great way to incorporate toy storage into your living room while creating a focal point for the space. Consider adding built-in storage or cabinets to the media wall, and use baskets or bins to store toys. You can also use the shelves to display your child’s favourite toys or books.
14. Console table
A console table can be a piece of valuable and stylish furniture for toy storage in your living room. Use baskets or bins to store toys underneath the console table, or add shelves to store books or larger toys. You can also use the surface of the console table to display your child’s favourite toys or artwork.
15. Window seat
If you have a bay window or a window seat in your living room, you can use the space underneath for toy storage. Consider adding built-in drawers or cabinets to the window seat, and use baskets or bins to store toys. You can also add cushions to the top of the window seat to create a cozy reading nook or play area for your child.
So, this was all about storing toys in a small living room. I hope you found these toy storage ideas helpful. Read more about the storage and organization tips on our blog.
Have something in your mind to share with us? Please drop a comment below.
FAQS
What is the best furniture for toy storage in the living room?
Answer: There are several furniture options for toy storage in the living room, including dressers, armoires, under-sofa storage, rolling carts, console tables, and window seats.
How can I organize small toys in a dresser or armoire?
Answer: Use drawer dividers to separate small toys like Lego pieces or action figures. You can also use clear bins or baskets to store toys in the drawers, making it easy to see what’s inside.
Can a rolling cart be used for toy storage in the living room?
Answer: A rolling cart is a versatile piece of furniture that can be used for toy storage in the living room. You can add baskets or bins to keep things organized and move them around the room.
How can I use under-sofa storage for toy storage?
Answer: Use rolling bins or baskets to store toys and slide them in and out as needed. You can also use under-sofa storage bags to store larger toys, like balls or stuffed animals.
How can I make a console table work for toy storage?
Answer: Use baskets or bins to store toys underneath the console table, or add shelves to store books or larger toys. You can also use the surface of the console table to display your child’s favourite toys or artwork.
Is it better to use open or closed storage for toy storage in the living room?
Answer: It depends on your preference and the types of toys you have. Open storage can make it easier for kids to access and put away toys, while closed storage can keep toys out of sight and make the room more organized.
How can I make toy storage look attractive in the living room?
Answer: Use colourful baskets or bins, add fun labels to identify what’s inside, or incorporate furniture that doubles as a decorative piece, such as an armoire or media wall.
Can I use toy storage in the living room to teach my kids organization skills?
Answer: Yes, involving kids in the organization process can help teach them essential skills, such as sorting, categorizing, and putting things away. You can also use labels and colour coding to make it easier for them to find and put away toys independently.