25 Fun Toy Storage Ideas
Whether you have one kid or 8, toys can quickly take over your home! Finding a functional, stylish, child-friendly solution to toy storage can be difficult – not to mention pricey. There’s also the added issue of finding room for storage pieces that are large enough to accommodate all the kid clutter . Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can cut costs, including reusing old or found items, shopping thrift stores, flea markets and rummage sales, utilizing common storage in uncommon ways, and considering underused storage spaces (like walls, doors backs, etc.). If you need some ideas for wrangling the toy mess, we’ve got you covered! Here are 25 fun toy storage ideas that are bound to have you thinking outside the toy box!
Upholstered Bucket Storage Ottoman, Killer B. Design – Repurpose a galvanized tub with mdf, foam and fabric to create storage that doubles as an ottoman! Not only is this a green project, but it’s multifunctional and pretty to boot.
Rolling Under-bed Storage, That’s My Letter – This is a simple build from plywood and castors. The great thing about this storage is that it easily slides completely out of view into an totally unused space – under the bed! It keeps things organized and tucked away. Plus it’s easy to build and personalize to your decor.
Hanging Fruit Basket, 8FootSix – In this case, the hanging tiered fruit basket is suspended from a shower curtain rod for bath toy storage – which is a clever enough idea on its own. But this could easily translate into bedroom storage – in the closet or from a hook on the ceiling. It’s simple and inexpensive and has an industrial feel.
Plastic Tote turned Toy Box, Creative Dominican – Using an inexpensive rubbermaid tote for storage? You can glam that up to look like a fancy pants, custom built toy box in no time! Cover it with fabric and add some fence post caps for feet! It’s inexpensive and can hold lots of toys.
Plastic Tote turned Basket, Happy Go Lucky – Here’s another large plastic tote idea! Get the look of an oversized, expensive, lined basket by wrapping the bin with jute twine! Add castors for even more functionality and style.
Peek-A-Boo Bags, Tiny Sidekick – Here’s a storage solution you can sew yourself. These bags are super handy for keeping small toys together by category. It’s easy for the kids to see what goes where and you can hang them, place them in a drawer or box, or line them up on a shelf.
Crate Bench, Operation Home – Turn old (or new) crates into a trendy storage bench! Kids will have a place to store toys and books PLUS plenty of seating when playing! It’s a fairly easy build and requires basic materials. You can paint or stain it to match decor – or make it shorter or longer to accommodate the size of the room!
Antique Tool Box, Better Homes and Gardens – This is a prime example of thinking outside the box and utilizing common storage in an uncommon way! Large stand alone tool boxes are typically found in the garage, but when you bring it into a play room or kids bedroom, it can be great for storing toys! Not only does it have a vintage industrial feel that is popular right now, but they can be found at thrift stores and flea markets for a fraction of normal toy storage prices.
Antique Crate Floating Shelves, Babble – Turn an old crate on its side and attach it to the wall. You’ve got instant floating shelves for all sorts of storage needs! If your crate has separate compartments, even better! You can store small toys in their own slots for even more organization. The plus with this one is that these crates are relatively easy to find and inexpensive. Plus, you’re utilizing wall space, keeping your floors clear for playing!
Rolling Crate Bench, This Little Street – I don’t need to point out all the awesome functions for this little upcycled project, do I?? It’s a storage box for toys! It’s a window seat for reading! It’s a footstool to kick up your feet and relax! Plus, it rolls anywhere you need it – and can even roll out of sight when necessary. Pick your own look – with fabrics, paint, stain or natural wood – to match it to your room.
Stuffed Animal Net, A Lemon Squeezy Home – A super easy sewing project that you can personalize with colors and patterns leads to some cute hammock-style organization! You could make this for dolls and small, light toys as well, not just stuffed animals. Considering making a set and hanging them in a tiered fashion, one above the other, for even more space. It’s inexpensive, easy and keeps toys up off the floor! Every room as an unused corner just waiting to be utilized!
Car Play and Store Mat, The Creative Vault – This cute car mat cinches up tightly into a bag to hold cars and roadway accessories! If your kids love playing with a specific “set” of toys, consider making them a themed mat in a circle shape like this one. With a draw string around the outside, it’s easy to leave the toys where they are and simply pull the bag closed around them. You could do a zoo theme for animal toys, a neighborhood for dolls or cars, or even a flat “dollhouse” with interactive flaps. Once the bag is cinched up, hang it from a hook or stash it in the closet for easy storage.
Knife Rack Storage, Just a Girl and her blog – It might seem counterintuitive to attach knife racks to the wall in a kids’ room, but imagine the storage possibilities! Anything small and metal just gets stuck right up there! Cars and trains are the obvious choices, but you could also store magnetic building toys, gear toys, phonics toys, or any toys that come in a small metal box. The ones from Just a Girl and her blog are from Ikea – they’re super affordable and easy to install.
Rolling Table and Storage, Refurbished Ideas – If you’ve got car tracks, train tracks, legos, blocks, puzzles, or anything that involves a lot of pieces and or building, this idea is not only storage brilliance, it’ll keep you sane! There’s no way a kid wants to clean up all their hard work and effort and put it away in neat bins at the end of the day. With a rolling table, they can leave their imaginations on pause, push the toys under the bed, and pick up where they left off the next day! You can build them yourself with plywood and castors.
Animal Swing, It’s Always Autumn – With a little effort you can build a custom animal swing to hold all of your kids’ stuffed animals! The bonus to this project is that it requires no special skills for the build. The kids will love that they can still see their toys even when they’re “put away” and the floor remains clear of clutter! You could use this for dolls, balls, even larger cars or plastic toys.
Door Back Tote Bags, Popsugar – Don’t forget about all that empty space on the back of your doors! Label large canvas tote bags and hang them on hooks for ease in finding items and to keep them out of the way when needed. No bulky furniture, building required, and even your walls stay clutter-free!
Hanging Planter Stuffed Animal “Chandelier”, DIY Inspired – You’ve seen hanging metal planters transformed into beaded “chandeliers” or mobiles in a kids’ room, right? Well, why not make it decorative AND functional? Pretty up a planter for a decorative element, then pop all the stuffed animals inside. Don’t just limit it to stuffed animals, either!
Hideaway Lego Tray – This handy device is great for stowing small toys away out of sight. When all your kids’ have to do in order to clean up is slip a tray under a couch or bed, their rooms are bound to be spotless! The tray is great because it serves as play space for almost any small toy, not just legos, and doubles as a hard surface for games, puzzles or placing snacks on!
Repurposed Dresser Drawers, The Golden Sycamore – Even if you can’t build your own under-bed storage, and even if your bed is low to the ground, you can still take advantage of the space beneath! Just use old dresser drawers! You can find old drawers at resale stores like Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Thrift stores and flea markets. Just make sure the drawers are sturdy, fill them with toys, and slip them under the bed! Drawers can be found in tons of sizes, depths, widths, and heights, so they’re a great option for an awkward under-bed area.
Mesh Bag Storage, fudge banana swirl – Keep all those tiny parts together with mesh storage bags! Even if you’ve found a larger storage solution already, it can be hard to keep multi-piece toy sets together. Mr. Potato Head loses all sorts of facial features, Barbie can’t find any shoes, legos are scattered throughout four different rooms, and puzzle pieces from all different puzzles end up in the bottom of the toy box… if you’re sick of the headache of searching for that long lost piece, use simple mesh bags to corral sets together, then simply place them in your larger storage area – be it a box, bin or closet. You don’t have to make them yourself, and you can purchase them on the cheap at the dollar store!
Figurine Cubby, Young House Love – Whether it’s action figures, cars, La La Loopsies, Disney Princesses, Squinkies, Littlest Pet Shop, or the hundred other very small toys that kids love to collect, this wall cubby is the perfect place to keep them safe. The plans and a full tutorial make building this piece a breeze.
Rolling Chalkboard Box, A Beautiful Mess – While these chalkboard boxes started out as simple wooden crates that you can find at nearly any craft store, the end result is chic and charming! Covering the slats with plywood makes them even sturdier and allows to small toy storage – since there are no cracks to allow for escaped or runaway playthings. The chalkboard paint is a nice touch that is both functional and fun – label your boxes for easy cleanup and let your kids decorate them!
Hanging Fabric Storage Boxes, Ucreate – These are completely DIY-able. The sewing is fairly easy to accomplish and the only other thing you need is a dowel or curtain rod. Just slide the baskets on using the tab on the back and you’ve got vertical storage that’s cute and personalized. You can make them nearly any size, though the tutorial illustrates large boxes perfect for toys and books.
Shelf Zoo, On the Banks of Squaw Creek – There are several versions of the stuffed animal “zoo” out there , with different types of “bars” to keep all the toys wrangled. This particular idea for stuffed animal storage makes use of a shelf and wooden dowels to create the caged look. It’s a clever way to keep toys from spilling off of shelves and all over the floor. It would work well for dolls and other toys, as well.
From Diaper Box to Toy Bin, 2 Little Faces – These toy bins are bright and whimsical with their fun patterns. They’re also easy for little hands to use with their large, slanted openings. But the best part? They’re made from cardboard diaper boxes so won’t cost a dime to whip up! The tutorial uses wrapping paper in child-friendly prints, but you can cover them with just about anything to suit your tastes.
What a thought! super ideas really! It is clever and space saving ideas. I think mom will get rid of kids messy toys. Thanks for sharing such a nice toy storage ideas.