Easy Toy Storage Ideas and Tips That Will Get Kids Super Organized
Exactly how to make an organizational plan — plus, the bins, boxes, and shelves that will help you stick to it.
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One of the biggest challenges of parenthood: dealing with your children’s toys. If you're not badgering the kids to clean up, you're on your hands and knees in the playroom at 10:30 p.m. trying to find every last piece of plastic. There has to be a better way — and there is.
One of the easiest ways to keep kids' toys organized is to develop an organization system that meshes with their natural tendencies. Ahead, we've rounded up the best toy storage ideas for kids, plus expert advice from a professional organizer about how to create a system that works. From play room ideas to kids' bedroom inspiration, these toy storage ideas and organization techniques will make it so your kids actually want to clean.
It's possible to keep toys neat
“Most play areas are dumping grounds for toys, but once a space is set up with the right structures and systems, kids actually love to clean up because it gives them immediate gratification — and there’s no better motivator than that,” says Evelyn Cucchiara, a.k.a The Toy Tamer.
Based in Morristown, NJ, she transformed her experiences owning a family daycare business and a children's art studio into a playroom organizing biz.
Edit the toys
Remember: More toys does not mean better play. “Keep only those toys your child actually plays with,” says Cucchiara. Also try to avoid toys that only do one thing: A train that can be arranged only in a figure eight, for example, is nowhere near as engaging as a train with tracks a child can put together multiple ways.
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Limit how many of each type of toy there is
“When kids are surrounded by too many toys in a cluttered environment, they choose to play with something for only a few minutes because they’re overwhelmed,” says Cucchiara. Instead, keep only a few of each type of toy around: a few puzzles, a few games, a few cans of Play-Doh. Store or give away what you don’t need.
RELATED: 30 Back-to-School Organizing Tips to Help You All Year Long
Lose the boxes the toys came in
Blocks, building sets, and pretend play items that come in cardboard or plastic boxes add clutter — and the pieces never seem to fit back in exactly the right way. “Mixing pieces from different sets also promotes more creative play, as a child isn’t limited to just one thing,” says Cucchiara.
If you want, cut out the pictures of the finished sets and store them, along with the instructions if there are any, in a baggie with all the pieces. As for games, Cucchiara says, it’s fine to keep them in boxes. If you have a lot, store the game pieces in individual labeled plastic bags in one bin and store the game boards under the bin.
Build a bookcase for toys
A wall of toy storage could be a game changer. If you build your shelves low enough, you can make a bench on top. Or, build them child-height so you can put even more organizational bins up there. As your kids grow, this space can grow with them — and they can replace those baskets with books.
Think small, lidless bins
Huge storage squares typically hide their contents — leading kids to dumping them everywhere. Plus, when they’re putting stuff away, they have to first pull them out. Bins with lids are even more difficult.
“You want to make it as easy as possible to put toys away,” says Cucchiara. Her go-to bins: Sterilite Large baskets, as seen here. Place them on top of a low cabinet to make them as easily accessible as possible.
Or find tilted bins that show what's inside
You can only put so many bins on top of your cabinets. If you still need more storage space, opt for tilted bin units that show off exactly what's inside. Removing the barrier of having to pull out the bin and put it back could be just what it takes to get your kids to put away their toys.
Group likes with likes
Group all the play food together in one bin, all the toy people in another, all the animals in another. Place games that encourage cognitive thinking together labeled “brain teasers.” Not only does this organize, explains Cucchiara, “it makes your child begin to think in mental compartments — a forerunner to the type of thinking they employ once they're in school, and a key cognitive functioning skill.”
Set up a craft cart
That way, craft time can take place wherever you want it to. We love the idea of pairing your cart with a hanging filer for coloring books, a clothes line for artwork, and a desk for crafting. Creating designated corners for specific activities (in this case, art!) helps kids know exactly where to put something away.
Corral small supplies and toys in DIY bins
Don't go to the store to find decorative storage boxes — you can make them yourself! These art-supply bins are made using baby formula containers, patterned paper, and spray adhesive. Use them on a craft cart, inside a closet, or atop your child's art desk.
Don't forget hanging storage
Use the backs of doors to hang shoe racks and fill them with odds and ends. Make sure you buy clear ones so your kids can see what's inside. Pro tip: Put any messy toys that should only be used with supervision up top (we're looking at you, glitter).
If you've got multiple doors, you can devote entire racks to one type of toy (ex: Barbies, trains, beanie babies).
Try a toy hammock
The best toy organizers are the ones that take up as little floor space as possible. Part of the reason we love this one? It takes up absolutely none. A toy hammock is perfect for kiddos who collect stuffed animals, but it can also work for a range of other toys too. You can hang one across the corner of a room or on a wall (as seen here).
Utilize under-bed storage
Rolling drawers under the bed or couch can be used to stow away lesser-used items like board games, train tracks, and niche craft supplies. It's space you definitely don't want to waste.
Or lift beds to double your space
The simplest way to add way more play space to your child's room is by lifting their bed way off the floor. In this bedroom, there's enough concealed toy storage space for cubbies, shelves, and drawers — plus, room leftover for hidden reading nook.
Use simple photo labels
“Photos are imperative to guide children with clean up—they take out the guesswork and assure consistent results,” says Cucchiara. She hangs them on the inside of the cubbies, so children know exactly where bins go. She takes a photo of some objects that will go in a bin and labels them on a photo editor app. Then she prints out a 4 x 6 photo, laminates it, and affixes it to the bin. You can also put pictures on the outside of the bins, as seen in this streamlined playroom.
Use a shoe holder for paper organization
Cucchiara's go-to for organizing coloring paper, activity books, and stickers: Trones wall hung storage bins from IKEA. “They may be meant to hold shoes, but they work perfectly for paper because they keep it flat and crease-free,” says Cucchiara. “Plus, it’s easy to get out just the book or paper you want without an entire pile toppling down on you. Just tilt the bin open and voila!”
Create a reading nook with vertical storage
Hopefully, books are one of your child's favorite toys. Cultivate their interest even further by giving them a cool reading nook that's completely their own. Add a comfy seat and a fun invisible bookshelf. Bonus: this vertical shelf allows you to fit way more books in way less space than a traditional one.
Display small toys on the wall
A wall rack of small toys looks great and helps with organization too. The idea works especially well for toy cars. “Kids will love picking and choosing their rides and putting them back, given children's love for putting things into little spaces,” says Cucchiara. And this time, it's not your air conditioning vent!
Make space below count
There's no reason to waste the space beneath cabinets and sofas when you could store cars, puzzles, or other flat toys there. To keep them from sliding all the way to the wall, Cucchiara puts them on the IKEA Rinnig dish rack. That way, you can pull the games toward you easily by extending the rack.
Turn clean-up into a game
When Cucchiara is done organizing client's homes, she leaves a metal bell with these instructions for parents: Five minutes before cleanup, make an announcement to your child that it's almost time to put everything away. When the time comes, ring the bell and challenge your child to get everything tidy before you can finish singing the ABC song. After a week, skip the song and just ring the bell.
“The next time, ask your child if they want to ring the bell, because you know they want to,” says Cucchiara. Soon enough, your child will be ringing the bell and cleaning up on his own, feeling empowered to take on the task alone.
Juliana is a writer, editor and SEO strategist with over six years' of experience on the editorial staffs of publications including Reader's Digest, Best Life and Good Housekeeping. She covers everything from holiday and home to travel and food, and lives in New York City, where she can often be found at hot yoga or raiding the candy aisle at CVS.
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