I am back for some more tips on organization!
One of the most popular questions I have to answer is “Where the HECK do you put all the toys?” People seem to be very concerned that my poor children must not have anything to play with because they never see any remnants of toys in the pictures I post 🙂
I promise with all my heart that my little guys have more than enough fun stuff to tear into and trust me, this place looks like a complete mess at the end of the day! My secret? Simply making sure that there is a designated spot for every single toy.
Simple, right?
Let’s start with the Living Room!
Remember these built-in bookcases that I made over the summer?
Well, those babies do more than just look pretty!
It is one of our “hiding places” for toys!
(left side)
(right side)
And yes, they really do stay organized like that.
Then, we have that corner hutch in the living room that I painted and refinished last year.
That piece comes in handy for our little “grocery store”.
Everything necessary for a pretend grocery store is found in that cabinet!
Produce
Reusable cloth grocery bags, wallet, and money
Empty boxes perfect for “purchasing”.
You can’t forget about the cash register, complete with a scanner and debit card slot. Not pictured is the adorable grocery cart!
Finally, there is a leather storage cube next to the armchair that is also used for toy storage
Inside are all the makings for a perfect picnic!
Picnic baskets, tea sets, blankets, utensils, and felt cupcakes.
Let’s move on to the Family Room!
We purchased this dresser from Craigslist for $100 a few months ago. I knew right away that it would be the perfect spot to store tons of toys because it has HUGE drawers.
Go ahead, take a peek inside!
The “Number King drawer” houses all of Ethan’s numbers, calculators, and clocks
The “electronics drawer”
The “reading and writing drawer”.
Yep, the dreaded “Playdoh drawer”.
The “DVD drawer”
I even have a drawer to store our electronic devices so that they aren’t visible! I simply cut a hole out of the back of the dresser for all the wires to be fed through the back.
Genius, right??
And then of course, there is the “junk drawer” for items that have no other place. Everyone needs a junk drawer.
Next to the large dresser is a leather storage ottoman.
It contains most of our musical items.
(we are really big into music around here!)
We also have the upstairs playroom, which also stores a huge amount of toys! Read more about that HERE
So, yes, I promise that my kids play. A lot.
Hope these organizational tips are helping some of you think outside the box! Pieces of furniture can double as toy storage and keep your house looking a little less cluttered.
I will be back with more tips soon…
next up is Kids’ Craft Supplies!
Hayley
Hayley Crouse is a wife, mother and multifaceted designer. Her love of sewing, crafting, cooking and interior design infuses her daily life and naturally spills over into her online presence. She pushes the envelope of her creativity and hopes that others will be inspired to do the same. She currently authors the Welcome to the Mouse House Blog, is the pattern designer behind Mouse House Creations and is a collaborative designer with Willow & Co. Patterns.
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I love it!!! By the way…Where did you purchase the cash register w/debit card slot???
Even inside the cupboards is soooo tidy, even the junk drawer! I have no kids and my house is not as tidy as that!
I like to hide away toys too. Easier on MY eyes. lol We have the same large ottoman that we keep large video games accesories in like guitars and udraw and such. 🙂
I have been scouring craigslist for a dresser like that to hold our TV and to ‘hide the toys’. Beautiful!
you’ve motivated me! Both kids are going to school this morning so I have 4 hours to get the house clean and under control.
Thanks guys! Rose, my daughter got the cash register as a gift, but I am pretty sure it was from Toys R Us!
I have the same corner cabinet and looking for another. Does yours have the name of the company or style stamped anywhere?