Storage Solutions for Kids Rooms
Bins, baskets, and better storage for the toys and trinkets of childhood
Everything is a treasure to Bambino, and this child has plenty of open-ended toys for imaginative play. But how do we keep them all organized? I’m so glad you asked! Over the years I have cultivated a few good tricks to keeping everything tidy and in its place — or at least easy to clean up after a really fun game.
First, don’t run out and buy a bunch of new containers! Seriously. You probably have most of what you need already in your house. It’s just a matter of using those containers effectively. If you do need to buy a few more containers, I’ve included links to some of my favorites — containers that will last a long time, that will grow and change with your child’s interests, and that won’t break the bank.
And if you need some ideas for sorting and getting rid of unused items, start here: How to KonMari a Child’s Room.
Consider repurposing:
Glass jars: Bambino has had glass jars in his room since he was very small, and he has never broken anything.
Tin cans: spray paint them or cover in paper to make them cuter as needed. Perfect for those tiny collections like Pokemon guys.
Shoe boxes: fantastic for dividing drawers into smaller compartments or for storing smaller collections of items
Cardboard boxes: not cute? Spray paint them or cover them in wrapping paper or wall paper scraps.
Diaper boxes: I used these for YEARS covered in cute paper and fabric.
Anything that isn’t cute enough can be painted or covered in paper. Use spray glue to make it stick well!
Shockingly, for my Workroom Makeover, I only ended up buying three containers — and that was to make a set of them match! It is amazing what you might find to repurpose in your home!
So gather some containers, and then get to work! Here are some of my rules for sorting and storing toys and treasures in my child’s room — and other parts of the house, too! You’ll notice, too, that having good, simple organization helps children keep their own belongings neater and put away — or at least makes cleaning up much less work.
Rules for Good Storage
Store Like with Like
Legos have a spot. Dinosaurs have another spot. The same is true for cars and action figures and costumes and books. Each kind of item has its own designated location, bin, or container.
Sometimes the cars and the blocks and the action figures play together, but they are always put away in their designated bins which makes cleanup so much easier.
Teaching Bambino to cleanup this way when he was very little made cleaning up more of a game, too. It was about sorting — sorting things into their right bins. When he was little, sorting was as fun as playing. And now he doesn’t see cleaning up as a chore but as the necessary end of play time (well, mostly).
Create a clear organization system
We have a car bin, for example. All cars live in this bin. And they have since Bambino was about two years old. This is helpful for three reasons:
He always knows where to put cars away.
Our car collection is limited by the size of the car bin which helps weed out unloved cars.
All of the cars live together — they are not scattered all over the house.
I love bins for organizing, too. They aren’t fussy. They are easy to fill. And they fit nicely on a shelf or in a cubby.
Treasure containers
Little things matter. But they don’t always have a spot. So, Bambino has two treasure jars: one for trinkets and the other for rocks and shells. Once the jars are full, we sort through them and ask, “Does this spark joy?” If not, out it goes making room for more treasures.
It’s important to make room for the little things, but they can easily overwhelm a space and just become clutter. This has helped to keep all of that in check.
Sort by Color
I love a good rainbow bookshelf! And because Bambino is a visual kid, he is better able to find the book he is looking for because he remembers the color of the spine. Plus, organizing books this way brings some order to a part of the room which can be visually cluttered.
Use Labels
Before your child becomes a reader, they can learn to recognize simple words on labels — even just by the first letter. You can also use simple shapes to label bins, too, for very small children. Labels help kids know exactly where their items belong. I use a Cricut to make labels, but a Sharpie works just as well. There are Etsy shops which will custom-make labels for your bins, too.
Use Containers with Lids
While I love bins, there are other parts of Bambino’s room where a smaller container with a lid does a better job. Lids are great because that allows containers to stack. I particularly love shoe boxes for this job, but anything with a sturdy lid will work!
Storage Suggestions
If you need to buy a few things to help with tidying up, here are a few of my favorites.
Small Storage
Kitchen and office organizers can do double duty holding small toys and beloved tiny items — and they are often cheaper than storage designed for toys!
Cubes for Ikea Kallax
The Ikea Kallax system has become ubiquitous. We have it. And when we bought our units, the choices for storage bins were few and pricey. Not any more! There are so many different options now, many of them made to fit the Kallax and the numerous other versions out there.
Larger Toy Storage
We have several of the 3 Sprouts solutions including the square cubes, the toy chest, and the large storage bin. We love them all. They have held up well for several years, and they are really cute — particularly for my guy who loves animals. They come in a range of colors and animal choices, too. We also keep dress-up clothes in an upholstered trunk, but you could use a large basket just as easily.
