These 26 Clever Toy Storage Ideas Will Help Keep the Playroom Tidy
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If you’re like us, at the top of your 2025 goals is to declutter and get organized. While the task seems overwhelming, it becomes a lot more manageable if you break it down into specific categories. Up first—toys! Legos and blocks, cars and dolls, craft supplies and devices, books and balls, and, of course, all those stuffies… they all seem to find themselves strewn everywhere from kids’ bedrooms and playrooms to the living room and even the kitchen table.
While toy storage needs to be kid-friendly so they’ll be more inclined to use it, it doesn’t have to look and feel “kiddie.” With a combo of a little DIY and pretty containers, you can create toy storage that will help make clean-up time a breeze and look stylish enough to work with your decor.
Here, we share 26 of our favorite toy storage ideas that both you and your child can get on board with.
After you tackle those toys, here are organizing ideas and tips for the rest of your home:
Happy Built-In Shelving
Turn those plain, unappealing built-in shelves into a happy playzone by lining the backs with wallpaper. Elsewhere in the room, bright red sconces and sunny yellow doors bring more bright color.
Another tip for kids’ rooms: Paint your floors with garage paint! Typically used for garage floors, Break-Through! paint by PPG dries in less than an hour and can definitely hold up to the high traffic.
RELATED: 25+ Brilliant Painted Floors Ideas That’ll Add Instant Charm
Canvas Bins With Hanging Labels
In this playroom, plain canvas bins get a cute and practical upgrade with hanging flashcard labels (marked “marble,” “doll,” “train,” “army,” and so forth). The labels make it super clear where your kiddos can find their favorite toys and keep the space looking sleek.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Get Yourself Organized
Under-the-Bed Drawers
Make the beds do double-duty by equipping them with storage space. Here, the simple bunk beds were built with drawers underneath to store bigger toys and shelf nooks at each end to hold smaller trinkets and treasures.
RELATED: More Ideas for Bunk Rooms
Bin-Filled Shelving
For a storage solution that is versatile and catch-all, line a wall with low bookshelves (paint them a fun color!). Add handled canvas bins for things like Legos, cars, blocks, and dolls, but also leave open spaces for books and larger items. Taller items can then go on the easily accessible top. Keeping the height low is not only safer for small children, but having the toys visible and at their eye level encourages independent play.
Wall Cubbies
Don’t let any space go wasted! Bump into the wall to create a cubby to hold toys. Here, a pair of pass-through spaces provide a deep ledge to hold trucks, but you could also do a similar look without beds behind.
RELATED: Home Organizing Essentials Everyone Should Have
Lidded End-of-Bed Storage Baskets
A large lined wire or woven basket at the end of the bed makes a perfect a toy catch-all. Add a top—either wood or upholstered—to keep the toys out of site, plus provide a bench seat for your kids to use while getting dressed or as a comfy spot for playing and reading.
RELATED: The Best Shoe Storage Ideas for Small Spaces
Totable Storage Crates
Repurpose vintage soda crates as fun toy storage. The handles make it easy for kids to carry the crates to their play area—and then, when they are finished, they can throw everything back in the crate and tote it back to a shelf or in a closet.
RELATED: 70 Stylish Kids’ Room Ideas That Even Grownups Will Love
Stealth Stair Drawers
In this airy bunk room, the bunk steps are actually clever pull-out drawers that double as storage for toys, books, linens, and more.
Wall-to-Wall Peg Rail
Take a cue from the Shakers and line a wall (or wrap the entire room!) in a simple peg rail to help keep everything off the floor. Your kids can easily hang individual items from the pegs, but also add baskets and bags where multiple toys can be tucked and stored.
Easy Access Storage Bin
Place a big canvas bin by your child’s bed to make storing stuffed animals a breeze at bedtime or in the morning. They’ll also love how easy it is to see and find their favorite stuffies.
RELATED: More Clever Stuffed Animal Storage Ideas for Tidy Kids' Rooms
Storage-Packed Desk Nook
If your child is a collector, giving them a place to display their favorite things will help keep things tidy. Above their desk is a great place to add a few shelves—either cleverly built-in, as in this desk nook in the home of American Pickers star Mike Wolfe, or just floating with or without brackets.
Baskets and Bins Storage
Your kid’s room storage doesn’t have to feel—well—kiddie. Incorporate the same types of storage containers you use in the rest of your home to also keep toys and games organized and tidy. Here in this Georgia home, a row of fabric-lined wicker baskets make good use of that under-the-bed space, while vintage metal wastebaskets serve as storage for games, blocks, etc.
RELATED: Those Vintage School Supplies May Be Worth a Lot of Money
Craft Supply Storage Jars
By storing kids’ art supplies in clear jars, you’ll always know exactly how many pom-poms, pipe cleaners, and Popsicle sticks you have on hand. It also makes it easy for kids to know what to grab—and help clean up.
See more at Style + Dwell.
Garage Toy Storage
Keep all that sports equipment and outdoor toys neatly contained by setting up a dedicated garage cabinet with a big bin for balls, hooks for bats and rackets, and labeled drawers for bubbles, chalk, helmets, and water toys.
See more at Tidbits & Company.
RELATED: 15 Easy Garage Storage Ideas to Get Your Space Organized
Peg Wall Catchall
Use colorful craft supplies as wall decor by installing a large pegboard in your kids’ craft room and equipping it with shelves, baskets, and bins. You can even keep a spot open to display their art piece of the week.
See more at A Cup Of Jo.
RELATED: 45+ Easy Crafts for Kids to Do at Home
Color-Blocked Blocks
Fill clear acrylic vases with color-coordinated Legos, blocks, or other toys, for a storage solution that also packs a fun, graphic punch.
See more at Say Yes.
Built-In Shelving Toy Organization
Re-create this cool bedroom by building industrial-style shelving with black piping and stained boards. Fill with baskets and bins of various sizes to corral toys.
See more at Beneath My Heart.
Creative Crate Shelving
Stack slatted wood crates along one wall in your kids room to create an adjustable shelving unit. You can fill with books, games, stuffed animals, etc. and rearrange or add to as needed.
See more at Maison de Pax.
RELATED: 35+ Cozy Reading Nook Ideas for Whiling Away the Afternoon
Color Coded Toy Storage
Keep toys organized by color so kiddos can easily find their favorite things. This example shows Legos organized by color to make cleanup quick and easy, but the idea works for other playthings as well.
See more at I Heart Organizing.
Built-In Toy Storage Nooks
The built-in shelf nooks on these bunk beds are the perfect place to store books and stuffed animals. Add sconces to encourage bedtime reading.
See more at Amber Interiors.
Craft Supply Storage Caddy
Repurpose a utensil caddy to store crayons, colored pencils, markers, etc. It’s a simple and chic way to keep art supplies organized and easily totable from shelf to table.
See more at Chesapeake Chic.
Storage Within Storage
Keep drawers sorted with inset compartment organizers for smaller toys like Legos, mini dolls, and craft supplies.
See more at Tidbits & Company.
Basket-Lined Bookshelves
By dedicating an entire room—and a full bookcase—to kids’ activities, clutter is more likely to be contained to just one area of the house.
See more at Bless’er House.
Numbered Toy Storage Crates
Make clean-up time a cinch by assigning every type of toy (or every child!) a different number. When cleanup time comes around your kiddos just need to locate the correct bin in the playroom.
See more at Bless'er House.
Rolling Cart Toy Storage
A cute rolling cart is one of the best ways to get your kiddos involved in clean up time. They’ll love rolling this cart around the it back to the playroom.
See more at Oh Joy.
Kids’ Creativity Corner
Create the ultimate play corner with wall storage for books, a vintage record player, bins for toys, and a playful rug.
See more at Project Nursery.
Get organized while keeping what you love!
Organize your entire home without getting rid of anything with a fun and easy 3-step solution from the Country Living experts who know the joy of holding on to cherished items, how to artfully display them, and organize like a pro.
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