Thursday, April 2, 2009

Kid Stuff


Getting kids toys organized is no easy feat! Especially if you are trying to sell your house!


Here is what our "playroom" (our bonus room/4th bedroom) looks like:

It was furnished with things we already had, hand-me-downs, and some inexpensive newer items. The black hutch was given to us FREE by my sister. We just took the ugly frosted glass doors off the top. Now it can display some cute things on the shelves, and holds dress-up clothes in the bottom!


Does anyone remember having a console TV like this? Ha ha!! This TV has to be at least 25-28 years old! I should know, since I grew up with this TV since I was a kid! (And if you want to think that I am, say, 27 years old, who am I to stop you! LOL!!!) This TV will. not. die. And we aren't buying another/2nd TV till it does! The kids pretty much can't hurt the thing, so they have it to watch some TV and movies on.

Where are all of the toys?
Well, the majority of them are hidden neatly away in the red fabric bins flanking the TV!
When we moved here, I bought these inexpensive wire storage units from Target for like $14.99! You can configure them however you want. I also got the fabric bins there. (They still carry both of these items, and in different colors, if you are wondering!)
Each type of toy has it's own bin. For example, coloring books and crayons in one, Groovy Girls in another, and My Little Pony in a third. This makes it SO easy for the kids to put their toys away!


I also have a closet in this room that I put these same wire storage cubbies into, pretty much floor to ceiling! The kids' books, movies, games, craft items, etc. are in there, along with some of my extra decorating items filling out the top tiers!


I have honestly been amazed how neatly the kids have been keeping things! They have been really good helpers since we put the house up for sale! Our rule right now is, one type of toy/game/activity out at a time, and they must put that away before getting something new out to play with. And it's actually working!! Whoo-hoo!!! :)



I realize that most homes aren't able to have the luxury of a separate play space for kids. This is the first (and probably last) house where we've been able to do this!

In our other homes, we've used baskets on the bottom 2 shelves of bookshelves in our family room. And we've used storage items that can also work as end tables in a family room too! My philosophy is that a family room should be just that, for the whole family!! Many people also keep a toy box or small bookshelf for toys and books in the kids' bedroom.


A child just needs to have a dedicated space to keep play things, wherever works for your family.

How do you keep your kids' playthings organized??
Let us know!! :)


10 comments:

Decor To Adore said...

Oh great ideas for storage. My mom has a console tv that she got from my grandfather. It too WILL NOT DIE!:)

Angel said...

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/angelnavywife/567363/

is a link to our playroom, not nearly as pretty as yours, but we also used what we had!

trish said...

What a great room! Your storage solution is ideal for your children. And how wonderful to have that designated closet just for them. When our children were younger I filled lots of baskets with their toys. It was quick fix at the time. Each of them have their own bookshelves in their rooms, and closets of their own to store their belongings in. :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

Shannon said...

It looks so great! I love uncluttered play rooms for kids. I think they play and create better in them.

frillsfluffandtrucks said...

http://frillsfluffandtrucks.blogspot.com/2009/02/taming-kids-clutter.html

Here is a link to my toy storage. We use bins from Target too, except ours are from the closet section. :)

~ Sarah

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

The only good thing I have going on right now is a wall of built-in cubby bookshelves that my husband made. A bunch of the girls' favorite books are on one shelf, canvas bins with their toys sorted are on some other shelves, big toys (Fisher Price house, etc.) on the bottom shelves, and a few shelves for my books and photos. :) Need more organization in other parts of the house though. Liked this post a lot! :)

Margo said...

I love how you've organized everything. And I especially love how you use flashcards.
Margo

Michelle, All Home and Love said...

Great storage! Hiding the toys is such an issue. We have most of the toys in their bedrooms but downstairs there are baskets with toys. Not very creative, I need to come up with something new.
~Michelle

Honey Bend Vintage said...

What great storage ideas. We just did a toy purge this weekend. We went through and organized all like toys together. I just turned and looked, they are all over the floor, ugghh~
Bristol

Little Lovables said...

I haave tried storage bins/ shelving units, dressers... but my 1 and 3 year old [boys] are BOTH climbers and tearer uppers, so now, all that works is a pile that I lovingly sweep behind the couch!

Gorgoeus room though!