Smart Toy Storage Solutions That Will Help Your Family Stay Organized

A bright and joyful living room suits both adults and kids alike, and this cheery eight-unit cabinet — or something similar — delivers! The Littles in your life can stuff their stuff into each compartment after play, and you can enjoy the furniture as eye candy. Hot tip: Decorate around it like you would any piece of “adult” furniture. Here, the designers behind grOH Playroom — Anne Gillyard and Jodi Arellano — added splashy artwork and a dynamic mix of plants for a fresh and youthful feel.

Whether in an attic playroom or kids’ bedroom, adding hidden storage just makes sense. Why not have fun with it and make it a DIY project both you and your child can enjoy, says Benjamin Moore design expert Sharon Grech. Choose a paint colour your child loves. This playroom, which features drawers underneath the benches for toys, are painted Benjamin Moore’s Raspberry Blush 2008-30. Love!

Being a parent is hard enough without having to live up to a design ideal. That means it’s also perfectly fine to have bins that scream “kids” right in your living room. If that’s you, consider having fun with them. These IKEA Trofast tubs get a stylish uplift with terrazzo decals by Potter & Mash. The Australian company ships worldwide and has a fantastic design line-up. The lemon print is cuuute.

A well thought-out renovation pays off in the long run. Redoing the living room? Consider deep built-in cabinets. Step two: Keep it neat. Professional organizer Marta Parfan of the Well Arranged Home brought zen to this family’s life by containing the kids’ gear in clear bins.

For this basement playroom, Marta Parfan of the Well Arranged Home went to town on the organizing front. “We love adding Kallax unit along with Salma clear bins (both from IKEA ) to playrooms that need additional storage,” says Marta. “Very functional and budget friendly.” Hot tip: Teach your kids to put back their toys when they’re finished playing with them.

This multipurpose fabric stool/ottoman for storage and sitting is ideal in a living room — and this gorgeous jewel-toned rust-coloured is on-trend for fall. HomeSense never disappoints. Hot tip: Clump a few in a corner and pull out as needed. Add a tray to the tops and they can be used for drinks, too!

Open storage can look chaotic in a living room, but not if everything is organized like this shipshape set-up. The work of Jennifer Johnson of The Orderly Space, the shelf features colour-coded books and white baskets with tags, so that your kid knows where to store everything. Hot tip: For visual harmony in a heavily trafficked room, opt for opaque bins, instead of clear ones.

We are crushing on this simple yet effective toy wall designed by Rachel of Shades of Blue Interiors. The set-up neatly fits on a wall in a living room and comes together with easy pieces: shelves, a hanging bar for crayons and colourful metal stools. Fun accessories — we see you, Minion — are on point. Note the empty shelf by the stools for crafting to keep the kids happily busy.

The interior duo Liz + Amy of Interior Jems used muted tones and warm and welcoming furnishings to bring a sense of serenity to this kid’s bedroom. We love the ultra-tall four-poster Jenny Lind-style bed, with its beguiling twists. But where are all the stuffed toys? Hidden in the leather pouf! Simply purchase a pouf sans cushion and get stuffing.

IKEA offers excellent and tasteful storage options. The retailer’s BURGIG book display with storage, for instance, seamlessly blends into a living room. We love the peachy pastel patterned walls and the cohesive units around the bookshelves.

Here’s at peek at the inside of those IKEA book shelves. Note the small compartments to keep all the bits and bobs in order.