Stylish Storage: 13 Tips for Hiding Toys and Games in Your Living Room
Reclaim your living space with these creative hidden toy storage ideas
As any parent knows, kids have an abundance of toys. And even if you do have a playroom, most kids want to be where the action is: the living room.
To keep your living room organized and tidy, even when packed full of your kids’ things, it’s important to implement hidden toy storage solutions throughout your space. Here are 13 of our favorite ideas for storing toys in your living room.
1. Organize by Type
This concept should be your starting point when looking for creative ideas for storing toys in living room.
Whether your child has 50 toy cars or a wide variety of dolls, try organizing toys by type. You can create a “car garage” on a bottom shelf or use a pegboard to hang and organize stuffed animals and dolls in a stylish, yet functional way.
2. Consider Rotating Toys
If you have too many toys that your children don’t consistently play with, consider rotating their toys. Toy rotation is a big part of Montessori education, helping to keep children engaged with their toys by limiting which are available to them to play with at any given time.
Simply put, toy rotation involves removing and replacing certain toys with other toys (usually kept in storage) on a regular basis, like every week or two. It also gives you a chance to clean and disinfect toys when they’re not being used for a cleaner space.
A happy by-product of this method is a more organized and less cluttered living space for you.
3. Buy a Cube Organizer
One of the most common (and cost-effective) solutions for toy organization is a cube organizer. Use simple or decorative fabric cubes along the bottom row for hidden toy storage and save the top row for displaying your favorite decor items.
These simple pieces can be used in a variety of ways, including:
As a console table
Behind the sofa
Under the window
As a media center
Along the hallway
4. Be Flexible
As most parents know, kids go through a ton of toys that range in shape, size, and usability, which can make it hard to standardize a storage solution.
To keep up with their preferences as they change, use an flexible organization system that can change as your kids’ favorite toys change, like adjustable bookshelves or closet organization systems.
This way, you can readjust your strategy as the time comes, without having to buy new storage solutions.
5. Install Built-Ins
Make organization a permanent fixture in your living room with built-in bookshelves, window seats, and drawers. When your children outgrow the need for toy storage, these can be easily repurposed for things like books, memories, or even left empty.
You can hire a carpenter near you to help install the right solution for your needs.
6. Find Dual Storage Pieces
Think outside the box with unique, dual-purpose storage pieces in your living room. Storage benches or ottomans are great ways to add both hidden organization and added seating to smaller spaces.
7. Pack Your TV Console
With the abundance of smart TVs, most people don’t need a TV console to store extra technology like DVD players or sound systems. But, parents can use this traditional piece of furniture for an additional use: hidden toy storage.
Consider using baskets or boxes within the space to contain smaller, similar items or designate drawers to different groups of toys.
8. Get Stacking
If your living room has bookshelves or a coat closet, buy stackable bins to help maximize storage space in your living room.
When going this route, make sure to put the most used toys at the bottom of the shelving unit so that your kids can grab them (and put them away!) themselves.
9. Use Rolling Storage
For smaller toys and items, like blocks or toy animals, use a rolling storage system for organization. Many rolling carts have at least five drawers that can be used to easily keep similar items together for easy access and management.
Plus, when you have guests over, you can easily roll these carts into another room for more space.
10. Create a Craft Station
Arts and crafts are easily one of the messiest and most consuming toys that your kids will play with. By creating an organized craft station, you give your kids and your living room the best shot at staying clean and put away.
Here are a few ideas:
Magazine holders: These are perfect for craft materials like colored pencils, construction paper, and scissors.
Office storage boxes: By blending in to your decor, office storage boxes can easily organize your materials without taking up much space.
Hard coffee table: Opt for a hard surface coffee table that can double as a working station so you don’t need an extra tabletop in your living room.
11. Maximize Underused Space
There are likely many nooks and crannies left unutilized in your living room, like under the couch or behind an accent chair. Get creative with how you use these spaces. For example, you can slide long and flat items under your living room couch, like building block trays or train sets.
12. Switch to Game Pouches
Board game boxes are bulky, unsightly,, and hard to keep organized. Instead, pack all the instructions, game pieces, and boards into labeled pouches. Then, keep them organized in a charming basket that matches your decor.
13. Stock Up on Baskets
Baskets are an easy and aesthetically pleasing way to store a wide variety of items in your living room, including toys. If you buy baskets that match each other and your decor, they’ll blend into your style and keep things organized without being an eye sore.
Go the extra mile and label the baskets so your kids can help with the organization as well.
If you’re overwhelmed or not sure where to begin, you may want to hire a professional organizer near you to help reclaim your living space.