25+ Organized Playroom Storage Ideas

Don’t miss these organized playroom storage concepts that may allow you to create a tidy toy area in your youngsters and maintain it that manner!

Of alllll the areas I attempt to maintain organized in our home, the playroom might be essentially the most difficult. I swear new toys simply seem in a single day after we’re sleeping. My boys’ toy preferences all the time appear to be altering. There are huge, awkwardly formed gadgets that must be saved. And it may be like pulling tooth to get the kiddos to wash up!

However through the years as I’ve labored to make our toy space extra neat, tidy, and simply accessible, I’ve be taught some ideas and methods which have made this seemingly unimaginable job rather a lot less complicated.

So at this time I needed to share the toy group methods which have helped me to maintain my sanity and that really assist maintain our playroom trying neat more often than not!

Good Toy Storage and Group Methods

This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. For extra data, see my disclosures right here.

1. Much less is extra.

Consider it or not, my youngsters truly take pleasure in their playroom extra and use it extra incessantly when there are much less toys in it.

After we pared down their gadgets to the toys that they really love and play with usually, it made them a lot simpler to search out. They didn’t have to go looking by means of a bunch of “meh” toys to search out those they needed. And their area felt extra open and fewer cluttered.

Because the atmosphere felt extra snug and spacious, they naturally gravitated to that area extra usually. It was additionally rather a lot simpler to wash up as a result of there was loads of room to retailer all the things.

Although they may be drawn to ever new, shiny toy they see on the cabinets (or on YouTube 😏), much less is definitely extra in the case of toys!

2. Declutter no less than twice per 12 months.

With the intention to keep our “much less is extra” philosophy, we declutter toys usually! With their pursuits altering rapidly, I really feel just like the boys are all the time rising out of sure toys and shifting on to extra age acceptable gadgets.

Proper now at ages 9 & 12, we normally declutter their playroom proper earlier than Christmas and across the time faculty lets out. Once they have been youthful, I did it extra usually– nearer to 3-4 occasions per 12 months.

Each time issues begin build up and feeling cluttered of their area, I do know it’s time for clear out. And when that occurs, I all the time comply with one essential rule…

3. When decluttering, make the primary go alone.

Each time it’s time for our biannual decluttering session, I all the time attempt to do a go of the room whereas the boys are at college or follow or classes.

Throughout this go, I throw away something that’s damaged, gross, or unusable indirectly. I additionally pull out something that I’m 100% positive they don’t use anymore to be put apart for donation.

Doing the primary go saves me time as a result of I don’t need to deliberate with the boys about stuff that everyone knows must go. And it’s higher for his or her brief consideration spans as a result of they spend much less time going by means of gadgets to find out what to maintain and what to let go.

I’d by no means throw away one thing that’s close to and expensive to them with out their permission. However for issues which have clearly seen higher days, making that first go alone is absolutely useful.

4. Create zones.

One technique that has helped us maintain our playroom neater is placing like gadgets collectively in “zones.” Our zones have seemed totally different relying on what the boys are most into for the time being, however the hot button is simply to maintain all gadgets that go together with the identical exercise in a single spot.

For instance, proper now we’ve the humanities and crafts zone…

The sport zone…

And the LEGO zone…

Once they have been youthful, we had all of their huge Imaginext units in a zone collectively. We had a prepare zone at one level. They’d a fancy dress/gown up section, and so forth.

Holding like gadgets collectively makes it simpler to search out what they want after they’re taking part in. AND it makes it simpler for them to place issues away after they’re performed. (And we all the time wish to make that as simple as attainable, proper?!)

5. Label organized playroom storage bins!

I all the time say that labels are non-obligatory and are a private desire factor. However I particularly like labels within the playroom as a result of they act as a cue for the kiddos, letting them know precisely what goes the place.

Now that my boys are a bit older and might each learn, we principally do worded labels. (I made the labels on these bins with my Cricut Discover reducing machine + adhesive vinyl.)

Once they have been youthful, I used to be positive to incorporate an image on their labels in order that they knew the place to place issues even when they couldn’t learn the phrase. (I simply printed this label on plain laptop paper, minimize it out, and slipped it into an adhesive bookplate.)

Do my youngsters abide by the labels 100% of the time? Nope! However we began engaged on it at a younger age, and the older they’ve gotten, the higher they’ve grow to be at following the labeling system. Mamas of actually little ones, I promise that it will get simpler!

6. Maximize obtainable closet area.

Proper now our boys sleep in the identical bed room, and we use the second bed room that may be theirs because the playroom. As such, we’re lucky to have a closet of their playroom area for further storage!

One of many first issues I did to this room was to tear out the one wire shelf and substitute it with a cheap closet system from IKEA. (It was previously referred to as ALGOT, now referred to as BOAXEL.)

Including extra strong floor shelving actually helped us to benefit from the area. We will retailer a lot extra within the closet, which implies we are able to retailer much less in the principle a part of the room, reducing down on muddle!

I’ve discovered that if we are able to maintain the closet neat and arranged with designated spots for his or her gadgets, the remainder of the room stays rather a lot tidier as nicely.

7. Maximize wall space for storing.

In each area we’ve lived in, however notably after we lived in our tiny townhouse, I’ve realized the significance of maximizing the vertical area! We will solely put a lot on the ground, however benefiting from the partitions helps us add storage that’s usually a lot wanted.

I solely had a teeny nook for an artwork station within the townhouse, however we have been capable of work in storage for paper and coloring books, magnetic containers for smaller provides like chalk and erasers, a rail with cups for markers and crayons, and clipboards to show completed creations. Yay for vertical wall storage!

This ladder shelf that Donnie constructed additionally got here in useful for maximizing wall area, storing bigger toys close to the underside and smaller ones on the upper cabinets. (You will discover an analogous shelf right here.)

8. Make the most of pegboards for organized playroom storage.

Talking of maximizing wall storage, pegboards are one in all my favourite methods to take action! There are such a lot of totally different clips, cups, and equipment that make pegboards actually versatile and useful for storage.

Within the boys’ present playroom, We use pegboards to show a few of their artwork tasks and to carry small craft provides.

I’ve additionally seen pegboards used to create a Nerf gun storage wall, which I do know my boys would love if we had the area!

9. Present a show space for artwork.

You probably have little creators like I do, it’s enjoyable to present them someplace to indicate off their creations! Pegboards work, like I confirmed above. We’ve additionally used these DIGNITET wires and clips from IKEA for an artwork show.

They’re truly designed to hold curtains. However they’re nice for artwork as a result of they are often adjusted to no matter size you need. And the clips make it tremendous simple to alter up the items when the children create one thing new.

10. Save cute artwork tasks whereas eliminating paperwork.

This one may be a bit controversial, however keep on with me for a minute. I used to be scuffling with alllllll the paperwork and artwork tasks that my youngsters have been bringing residence and wanting to maintain. I began with a file field system to attempt to maintain it organized, however it began to overflow, and 3D items have been getting crushed. It was a multitude.

So I started taking photos of their most particular artwork items and tasks and turning them into 6″ x 6″ Chatbooks as an alternative, discarding the originals.

This technique is far neater, takes up manner much less area, and we usually tend to look by means of small, easy-to-handle books reasonably than dig by means of folders crammed with haphazard paperwork.

You may learn extra about my system for saving youngsters’ art work on this manner on this put up.

11. Use a letter tray to make craft paper simply accessible.

Caleb, my artful child, was all the time coming into my workplace and stealing the printer paper for his artwork tasks. So I lastly grabbed a letter tray and arranged his paper for him so he may simply seize no matter colour he wanted!

I particularly love this letter tray as a result of it matches into IKEA’s KALLAX dice unit completely!

12. Make coloring utensils simple to move.

Even with a chosen artwork station of their playroom, my youngsters inevitably find yourself needing markers and coloured pencils for tasks throughout the home. Due to this, I all the time attempt to verify they’ve some provides which can be simply transportable.

I discovered this divided organizer in Goal’s Greenback Spot, and it has been good to hold round with them wherever they could want it.

13. Herald a rolling cart for organized playroom storage.

I really like rolling carts for group as a result of they’re simply transportable. In a small area specifically, they are often moved out of the way in which simply and organized to fulfill your wants. We used this cart for artwork provides for some time, and it was an important answer for us.

See this put up for extra concepts for utilizing rolling carts successfully.

14. Go magnetic.

Talking of rolling carts, extra storage will be added to them by inserting magnetic cups, bins, or hooks on the edges!

Magnetic strips are one other enjoyable and sensible manner so as to add some storage to a playroom area. In our final home, we used magnetic strips to carry a few of our children’ die-cast trains.

(Word: I’ve seen photos of those used for Matchbox vehicles, however that didn’t work for us in any respect. Most present Matchbox vehicles are made out of plastic, not metallic, so we’d have had so as to add a magnet to the underside of them to retailer them on the strips. The die-cast trains labored rather well, although!)

I additionally used a magnetic strip + magnetic containers to carry small craft provides of their artwork nook.

15. Separate toys into classes utilizing cubes.

Dice items are my favourite for toys. Not like a toy field the place all the things is simply thrown into one messy pile, dice items assist to separate toys, video games, and books by sort in order that all the things stays tidier.

We’ve used IKEA’s KALLAX unit in a bunch of various sizes to retailer toys, just about since our boys started accumulating them! (Simply remember to anchor the unit to the wall so it doesn’t fall and damage somebody accidentally.)

16. Use unlidded bins when attainable for organized playroom storage.

One among my prime guidelines for group in our home is “Make issues simple to place away.” The much less steps my boys need to undergo to place one thing again the place it goes, the extra doubtless they’ll be to wash it up!

For toys particularly, I actually like unlidded bins as a result of they eradicate the necessity to need to open a latch, take off the lid, put the toy inside, put the lid again on, re-latch it, and put it away.

After I tried to make use of lidded bins for his or her normal toys, they might simply stick the toy on prime of the lid, reasonably than taking the time to place it inside. With unlidded bins, they’ll simply throw the toy into the open prime and be performed with it! Simple!

Unlidded bins are nearly all the time my first selection for storing toys, however there are a couple of exceptions…

17. Use lidded bins to maintain units collectively.

I’ll use lidded bins if there’s a set of one thing that I wish to maintain collectively. Within the case of one thing like Qixels or Okay’nex, I wish to deter them from dumping items of different toys in with this set that goes collectively, so the lid might help with that.

Once they wish to play with Qixels, for instance, they take out your complete bin, play with them, then put all the things again directly and put it away. This retains the set collectively with out mixing in different items that don’t belong.

Lidded bins are additionally useful for extra fragile toys, like drones, which may get smashed and damaged if simply thrown in with a bunch of different stuff.

18. Maintain toys saved off of the ground when attainable.

When my boys have been older toddlers/early elementary faculty, they actually beloved the large plastic Imaginext units that got here with coordinating figures. I beloved these for artistic play, however storage was powerful.

First I attempted to only retailer them on the ground as a result of they have been so huge, however they immediately made our area really feel cluttered, which I actually hated. I ended up discovering these light-but-open storage cabinets that have been good for maintaining bigger toys off the ground, permitting our room to nonetheless really feel tidy. (They arrive within the uncooked wooden colour. I whitewashed ours.)

As with the dice items, remember to connect these storage items to the wall in order that they don’t by chance fall and damage somebody.

19. Use IKEA’s TROFAST system to maintain LEGOs organized.

I could also be only a bit obsessive about IKEA’s storage in the case of toys, however it’s simply so sensible and inexpensive! Their TROFAST system is totally good for LEGO storage. We’ve used TROFAST in many various sizes and configurations to retailer the boys’ assortment.

That is our present setup, and the mixture of the bigger ground items + the smaller wall items has labored rather well for us.

20. Set up LEGOs primarily based on how your little one(ren) performs with them.

You may learn alllllll about my philosophy for LEGO group on this put up. (And I do have numerous ideas! 😂) However my #1 rule in the case of LEGOs is that they need to be saved primarily based on the way in which your explicit little one(ren) performs with them.

I initially tried to maintain our LEGOs organized by set, However my boys needed to free construct, so the units have been all the time getting blended up, making me pissed off.

I LOVED the way in which it seemed to prepare the items by colour. However cleanup took eternally as a result of they needed to kind all the things again out into colour. (Keep in mind the “Make it simple to place away” rule? Sorting by colour was the exact opposite of that for us!)

For my youngsters, who’re free builders after they construct a set with the directions as soon as, it made essentially the most sense to only let the entire items keep blended up in bins. (We do have a separate bin for the “guys” as a result of they’ll typically simply play with these.)

In case your child likes to rebuild the units again and again, storing by set could take advantage of sense for you. In case your little one likes to paint coordinate his or her creations, sorting by colour may be your finest guess. Take note of how your kiddo makes use of the LEGO items and retailer them accordingly.

21. Set up LEGO manuals utilizing hanging folders and a file field.

Together with the LEGO items come the various, many LEGO manuals! I used to be all for eliminating the books as soon as the boys have been performed with the preliminary construct of their units, however that concept was vetoed by each my youngsters and my husband. 😏

Because it was essential to them that we maintain the manuals, I needed to verify we did it in an organized manner!

The technique that has labored finest for us is to make use of a file field with hanging folders…

The hanging folders are divided by class. So all superhero books are in a single folder. All Harry Potter books are in one other folder. All LEGO Metropolis books are in a 3rd folder, and so forth. The folders are then organized alphabetically inside the file field so they’re simple to find.

You may learn extra about our technique for organizing LEGO manuals on this put up.

22. Designate a show space for completed LEGO tasks.

LEGO units take a very long time to finish. So my boys normally wish to show them for some time earlier than they break them aside!

Once they have been youthful and constructing LEGO units on a regular basis, we truly used the closet of their playroom because the LEGO show space. When the cabinets have been full, they needed to determine which units to interrupt all the way down to make room for any new builds.

Now that they’re older and are constructing much less, we use the closet to retailer different gadgets. They’ve one excessive shelf the place they show their most up-to-date LEGO creations, and that has been sufficient for this section.

23. Give a floor an added function.

My closing LEGO tip is to present the children a devoted constructing floor if attainable. We have been utilizing the TROFAST items anyway, so I connected some baseplates to the highest of the ground items to present the boys area to construct.

(You will get the main points on how we created this DIY LEGO desk on this put up.)

Giving them a chosen spot for constructing LEGO units has helped to maintain them on this space reasonably than taking on each single flat floor in my home!

24. Make the most of tall bins for Nerf weapons for organized playroom storage.

I’m a fan of the pegboard Nerf gun wall concept, however since we didn’t have area for that, these tall bins have been my subsequent best choice.

They’re tall sufficient and durable sufficient to carry the boys’ Nerf gun assortment with out falling over. And I’m not consistently tripping over Nerf weapons that don’t have a chosen residence to be saved in.

25. Retailer board video games vertically.

I used to be very skeptical of this concept after I first tried it, however I’m now utterly offered! We began “submitting” our board video games vertically reasonably than stacking them over a 12 months in the past, and this technique continues to be working completely for us.

I used to be even ready to make use of rubber bands to carry the containers collectively or bookends to maintain them in place, however we haven’t wanted both. They’ve stayed standing neatly on their very own. They usually don’t disintegrate and spill items in every single place.

For a few of our older recreation containers that had weaker sides, I transferred them into these doc containers, which match rather well. You could possibly additionally use these giant rubber bands to carry containers collectively if wanted.

26. Retailer playing cards in zipper pouches.

Our card containers have been all the time getting ripped up. They usually have been so tight that it was onerous for the boys to get the playing cards out and in with out bending them. Shifting to those zipper pouches has made utilizing our taking part in playing cards a lot simpler.

(And I have to admit, I don’t hate that they colour coordinate both! 😂)

We maintain the cardboard pouches in one in all these plastic storage bins in order that they’re simple to seize at any time when we want them.

27. Use a puzzle organizer.

When my boys have been little, they actually beloved wood puzzles. They have been nice, however storage was tough. I ultimately discovered this wire puzzle organizer, and it was nice for maintaining them neat and tidy.

28. Tweak techniques that aren’t working.

Typically I arrange a system that I feel goes to be completely good, and it utterly flops. For instance, I assumed it could be so cute to retailer my youngsters’ books on these floating cabinets, simply utilizing bookends to assist assist them. And I used to be capable of get some fairly photos!

However for sensible, on a regular basis functions, this technique didn’t work nicely in any respect. It was onerous for the boys to get to the books they needed. Placing them again was even trickier. And whereas sorting by colour seems to be good, sorting by collection makes it simpler for them to search out the guide they’re searching for.

Plus, they use that outlet under the cabinets to cost their units, they usually stored bumping their heads on the underside shelf– ouch!

After I discover myself (or my youngsters) not utilizing our stuff, dreading placing issues again, or if there may be consistently a multitude in a sure space, I do know it’s time to tweak my system! This was undoubtedly the case with the boys’ books.

We had some empty cupboards in our leisure unit in our lounge, so I ended up relocating the books there, and it was a a lot better answer. They may attain the books simply, all the things stays organized by collection, and placing the books again is a cinch.

29. Listen/hearken to how the children wish to use their area.

After we took down the 2 decrease cabinets within the playroom that had been holding books, my concept was simply to place a couple of framed artwork items on the wall and name it a day.

However Caleb requested if we may use the spot for a separate desk for him as an alternative since Connor is the first consumer of the opposite desk on this room. He had been trekking down the corridor to my workplace and utilizing my desk when he wanted one (and leaving all of his provides there!), so I assumed it was a superb concept!

We obtained him all squared away together with his personal little spot, and he makes use of it on a regular basis! Typically our children are the very best judges of how they’ll use their area!

What techniques have labored finest for you in the case of maintaining the playroom organized? I’d love to listen to about them within the feedback under!

In case you’d like to save lots of this put up so you’ll find it simply later, remember to pin this picture!

And should you’re searching for much more organized playroom storage inspiration, these posts might help:

Organized Tween Hangout Room

Present Home Organized Playroom Tour

Townhouse Organized Playroom Tour

The Finest Strategy to Set up LEGOs

Organized LEGO Guide Storage

DIY LEGO Desk

Thanks a lot for following alongside! Have a beautiful day!

This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. For extra data, see my disclosures right here.