Tired of stepping and tripping over your kids toys? A smart storage system can go a long way to help tame the mess. Many toy “tornadoes” in playrooms can be attributed to lack of or poorly designed storage systems. Bin, bucket or basket storage systems (in which the toys are placed in a removable box of sorts) are the most popular, but in many cases are the least effective. The ability of kids to “dump” the bins, in addition to their inability to carry a filled bin, or see into in a bin to find or replace a toy, often lead to playroom disasters. As a result, kids are usually unable to clean up the mess they so quickly created and parental intervention is usually required. Another popular storage system is the toy chest. Chests are usually large enough that kids cannot dump them, however their size or depth often prevent kids from finding what they want, which leads to kids digging in the chest or even throwing of toys. So what’s left? Vegetable style storage bins are harder to find, but much more functional than bin or chest-type storage. These bins are enclosed enough to contain the toys without limiting accessibility or blocking the toys from view. The bin itself is also the perfect size as it is not too big to lose toys or too small to prevent storing larger toys. The Land of Nod and L.L.Bean both make high-quality wood bins, in several different sizes and colors, that are designed for toy storage.
Oeuf of New York also makes a clever version of the vegetable style storage bin. With options to have the storage bins flat or tilted and with removable dividers, this storage unit is as clever as it is simple. The downside to this unit is the price at a whopping $500, but if you have a handy man in the house, this simple design could easily be built for a fraction of the cost.
For a cheaper option, garage storage bins are a good alternative as they are very sturdy and stack-able. Basket type plastic bins are also available, but are often more flimsy than the solid bins designed for the garage. One downside of plastic bins however, is that they are much lighter weight than the wood, which can become a problem if your child likes to dump their toys.
Bottom Line: Stick to vegetable style storage bins in playrooms as they prevent “dumping” messes while still allowing kids to access and clean up their toys.
