Clutter Turned Cute! 11 Inspirational Toy Storage Ideas

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Keeping your kids' toys organized can seem like a never-ending and impossible-to-win battle. While we don't recommend taking the advice of one of our friends — who recently decided she might as well throw away all of her two toddlers' toys, since "they only wanted to play with the iPad anyway" — we get that keeping your house uncluttered and cute in a toy-filled zone is a tough job. That's why we tracked down 11 real kid's rooms that provide some direction on how to make all that stuff look attractive to you, your kids, and any visitors who might dare to visit. Keep clicking to learn how living with toys can be done stylishly (we swear it's possible!)


01
A Coffee Play Table

A Coffee Play Table

We can't get over the genius of The Land of Nod's Rotunda Play Table ($340), toy storage and play space all at the same time.

02
Leave It to Ikea
Adella & Co.

Leave It to Ikea

In one corner of this colorful playroom, a Land of Nod chair, Pier One pouf, and hide rug found at Costco invite kids to curl up with a book. Ikea Expedit bookshelves make great storage for more toys and books. "We leave the standard paperback and hardcover books up high where they can't be torn," Lexi says. The DIY canvas tree print is actually a piece of stretched Ikea fabric, and the wall-mounted Pottery Barn bookshelves display sturdy board books.

03
School Locker Storage
Raya Carlisle

School Locker Storage

"These school lockers were sitting outside my neighbor's house for weeks until I finally saw him outside and asked if he'd sell. Twenty dollars with delivery!" says mom and photographer Raya Carlisle, the owner of this chic abode. "My husband painted the doors, and we store most of the toys inside with baskets. I don't mind lots of toys everywhere as long as they all have a home when it's time to clean up.

"I've been looking for lockers for friends, and it's hard to find ones that are big enough to actually hold toys," Raya says. "These are 12-inch square, and the resin strap baskets from Land of Nod fit perfectly. I painted round wood discs from Michaels with chalkboard paint and attached them to the baskets with Velcro."

04
Vintage Finds
Vintage Junky

Vintage Finds

When it came time to transform her son's nursery into this incredible big-boy room, Michelle of Vintage Junky, a vintage shop owner who also sells her wares on Etsy, did what she does best: repurpose old furniture pieces and adding some character-rich artworks and DIY projects, including a ton of creative storage solutions. One example: this vintage suitcase, which hides toys within and displays them on top.

05
Great Crates
Nietylko Dzieciak

Great Crates

Painted crates are attached to a blank wall, providing a home to toys and objects of various sizes in this sweet playroom.

06
Controlled Chaos
Stephanie Deleau on Project Nursery

Controlled Chaos

In the Oeuf founders' kid-friendly house, toys aren't hidden away. Instead, the family cultivates cool collections like the wooden toys and giant robot on the fireplace mantle and leaves them out for the world to see.

07
Rainbow Display
Copyright © 2012 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. Originally published in the September issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine

Rainbow Display

Leave it to the offspring of Martha Stewart (this is Martha's daughter's and grandchildren's home), to create a curated rainbow toy display! The first thing the eye is drawn toward in Jude and Truman's playroom is the open shelving lined with an enviable collection of wooden toys in primary colors. An under-cabinet provides a lot of room for storage, and a corkboard displays a variety of things designed to inspire both mom and kids.

08
Eye-Level Storage
Kirsten Marchand
Malcolm Brown

Eye-Level Storage

With twins, you definitely need a lot of storage, but as this antique-y nursery proves, keeping it at kid's reach is important. Mom and retail designer Kirsten Marchand didn't deviate from the style of the rest of the farmhouse, which was originally built in the 1700s and is located on Boston's North Shore, when she designed the nursery, but she cleverly incorporated kid-friendly elements, like this low-to-the-ground bookshelf, throughout.

09
Color and Pattern
Bonnie Tsang

Color and Pattern

Joy Deangdeelert Cho, the founder of the aptly named blog and creative/business consulting service Oh Joy!, designs textiles, packaging, and branding collateral for her clients, so needless to say, when it came to her daughter Ruby's nursery, attention was paid to every last detail, including storage options. Between two vintage dressers Joy scored on Craigslist, Oeuf's bookshelf is filled with canvas bins full of space for toys, books, and more.

10
Toys Within a Toy
Finnian's Moon Interiors

Toys Within a Toy

Turning a toy (one with a cool, vintage vibe, at that) into a storage solution is an idea that we'd love to snag from this playful little boy's room, designed for the DC Design House. This little red wagon corrals the little boy's library (and a few toys) in a creative and playful way.

11
Bins, Bins Everywhere

Bins, Bins Everywhere

When baskets are stylish, like The Land of Nod's Landscape Floor Bins ($36 each), there's no reason to hide them away. We love how they're used as both floor and shelf storage in this room.