May 19, 2022

Unique Living Room Toy Storage Ideas

These unique toy storage ideas would look just as great in your living room as they would in the play room.

Looking for new toy storage ideas for living room spaces can be daunting. It is likely that you've tried most of them, and you want something different that works with your space.

Toys can be difficult when living in any space, but the smaller the space, the more out of control toys can seem. Luckily, there are many toy storage ideas that look wonderful in any home area, living rooms included.

Living Room Toy Storage Options

When we pick up our homes and clear our floors of unnecessary toy clutter, we feel better right away. It is less about pretending that nobody lives in our home, and more about living in a fresh, clean, organized space.

There are many options for modern toy storage ideas for living room areas, and they're easier to execute than you might think. Organization on any level can be stressful, but it does not have to be! Here are some unique options to get the toys off of your floor and into temporary storage.

Let Your Furniture Double as Storage

One of the best ways to take toy storage to the next level is to invest in furniture that doubles as toy storage. There are many pieces available that will help you do this, whether you find them in your local thrift store or purchase them new.

Ottomans

The Ottomans that open up are one of the absolute best ways to store toys in any space. You will want to choose an ottoman that has a hinged opening or a top that comes off completely. You can store books, toys, stuffed animals, and blankets inside.

Ottomans are available in many sizes and colors, which means you will not have trouble finding one to match your current decor. When it's closed, you can use your ottoman as a coffee table, end table, or footrest.

Tiered Coffee Table

A coffee table that has more than one shelving tier is ideal for storage. You can keep books, toys, and blankets organized on the bottom tier, leaving the top one available for your decor, magazines, and remotes!

Tiered coffee tables come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. If you are having trouble finding one that you like, you might want to consider having it custom-made!

End Tables with Drawers

End tables, or coffee tables for that matter, with drawers, are superb for amping up the amount of toy storage you have in your home. You will be able to use the top of your end table as you normally would while using the bottom half for storage!

A console table behind the couch works well for extra toy storage too. These tables usually have drawers and shelves to boot.

Never Underestimate Plastic Tubs

Plastic tubs are great for toy storage and come in a variety of options. If they don’t have lids, make sure they fit nicely on shelves.

Plastic totes and tubs are wonderful for adding storage, and if they have lids, that means they are stackable, which is even better! Most people cast aside the idea of utilizing totes for visible storage because they aren't as pretty as woven or wicker baskets.

Plastic totes have come a long way in recent years. They are available in dozens of sizes and colors. A sticky chalkboard label on the side makes for a labeling option that you can erase and rewrite as the bin contents change.

Plastic totes aren't too stylish, but they work. You can slide them under your couch or stack them in a closet or open play corner of the room. They are very versatile.

Woven Baskets Make Stylish Storage

Woven baskets make toy storage stylish and simple.

If you do not like the idea of plastic tubs, or you already have too many of them around, you might want to think about adding woven baskets to your toy storage collection. Woven baskets are fun and modern while remaining vintage and stylish.

Because they come in so many different shapes and sizes, you can take the reins regarding how many you want to buy and what you want to put in them. Large woven baskets can hold a high number of toys.

One of the downsides is that you cannot really stack them, as they tend to fall over. They lack the structure that you will find in a plastic tub. You can place them on top of one another without causing them damage, but prepare yourself for them to tip over at some point.

Hanging Shoe Racks are Unique Toy Storage

Hanging shoe racks, whether they go in a closet or over a door, might be the definition of unique living room toy storage. It's frustrating to organize toys in living room spaces, and shoe racks help to get many toys off of the floor and out of sight.

When talking about hanging shoe racks, we mean the kind with individual spaces for each shoe to go into. These are fantastic for barbies, trucks, stuffed animals, and art supplies. Shoe racks are super for helping kids learn how to pick up as well. It helps them learn to organize and they will always know where their toys are!

Rolling Carts Help Kids Get Organized

A rolling storage cart with bins is one of the best ways to organize toys and keep them out of the way when they are not in use. Whether you roll the cart into a bedroom, garage, mudroom, or closet, you will find that they are extremely convenient when it comes to picking up.

Kids have a bad reputation for not wanting to clean up their toys. In reality, they need direction. Rolling carts are an organizational item that works better than most toy box ideas for living room spaces.

You can label the bins with whatever toy goes in them, and kids can pull them out, fill them, and then roll the cart back to where it belongs.

Toy Caddies are Everything

If you have a lot of children that spend time in your home, whether those be your own children or you run a daycare service, toy caddies are a must! Fill them with art supplies, crafts, crayons, and coloring books. Then, label each caddy with the name of the child it belongs to.

Kids love having something that is all their own, and it helps them to take care of it without you asking. Toy caddies are generally small in size, and they fit on the bottom shelf of a two-tiered coffee table or in an entertainment center cabinet.

Glide-Out Drawer Installation

Custom glide-out shelves for creative spaces

If you have tried almost every DIY toy storage option and you are still finding yourself cluttered, you might want to consider secret gliding drawers. Though they require professional installation, you will find that they are worth it in the end.

Glide-out drawers give you a place to store toys out of sight in a very discreet manner. You can have them customized to fit into your living room without issue, though it may involve a little renovation or updating your current entertainment center or shelving system.

Simple DIY Pegboard Walls

The Pegboard walls are easy to put together and you can buy the materials at your local hardware store. You can paint your pegboard wall however you wish, and use as many pegs as necessary to organize your toys.

You can install a pegboard wall anywhere, though most people choose to put them in the playroom. If you are okay with making a space in your living room for a pegboard wall, they are a fantastic toy storage option.

Living in Harmony with Toys

Many parents struggle to embrace living with so many toys. Our kids love them, so we relent, but it does not stop us from incessantly trying to find storage options that work. If you are ready to take your toy storage to another, very organized level, call ShelfGenie today. We are happy to consult with you for free and help you figure out where and how you would like to place fixed toy storage options!

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