Toddler bedroom what furniture do we need

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At the moment DD bedroom is in nursery mode - we didn't buy any new furniture so are using a chest of drawers and a couple of bedside tables - but getting to the point where we could do with some shelves for books and or toy storage.

Don't want to get anything that rapidly becomes impractical - so what do you recommend - keep seeing things like this - is this because they are the right choice or is there a better plan.

www.gltc.co.uk/fcp/product/-/bedroom_furniture_bedroom_storage/White-?Easy-Reach?-Storage-Unit-(with-Reversible-Drawers)/10000002928

Assume the chest of drawers will have to stay - will she need a wardrobe or do people just use drawers ( stupid question am sure)

As you can tell haven't seen inside many toddler bedrooms recently so am a bit clueless!!

Thanks in advance

Not stuid questions at all. HOw are you supposed to know if you have never done it before?

For dc1 we bought a small wardrobe and a chest of drawers. Wish we had bought the normal, not child's wardrobe now, but the chest of drawers were fine.

I would buy the biggest book case you can and attach it to the wall. All my children have had small ones that soon were filled up.

Storage that fits under the bed is useful.

Your link didn't work for me.

Order an ikea catalogue they usually have lots of ideas in there. I would get a normal sized cupboard but not with sliding doors as mine manged to wreck theirs by hiding in the cupboard and opening and closing the doors ( a long time ago). Also on my list would be a big bookcase for books, baskets for toys, a chest of drawers and a bedside table.

My children are 5 and 3 yrs and share a room. Currently the furniture they have is:

A bed each (DD is still in cotbed as it takes up less space)
A large chest of drawers for all their clothes
A set of Trofast storage from IKEA for toys - this is mostly plastic boxes/trays with a section for books, but they have a shelf of books downstairs too
A couple of large tub-trugs for extra toys

Thanks everyone have tried to reply twice and keep losing responses ..

Sounds like a bookcase is in order - DH likes this

www.gltc.co.uk/fcp/product/-/bedroom_furniture_girls_bedroom_furniture/'Dotty-Dolls-House'-Bookcase/10000002930

If link works! ( it's from Gltc free standing dolls house style book case)
My concern is a floor standing bookcase might not be wise for clutter or space reasons. (as well as it being a bit twee for my liking)

I keep seeing those storage cube style units ( as I previously tried linking to) does anyone have any views on how practical they are?

I know ikea is probably the answer - just have to psyche myself up for the queues!

dd and ds both have one of these but one has it in oak and the other in beech. DD has built in wardrobes but ds has a freestanding one that has a hanging rail plus a couple of shelves (was from ikea a few years ago).

DD1 has a tidy books bookcase. I originally justified the cost as I was going to pass it on to DC2.... but as DD1 (4) isn't reading yet she really still needs it, but DD2 (11m) is obsessed with books so I am getting her a cheaper version from Vertbaudet.

I prefer this type to "adult" bookcases, although they don't hold as many books!

www.amazon.co.uk/Tidy-Books-Bookcase-White-Lowercase/dp/B002C6AV9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332014004&sr=8-1

www.vertbaudet.co.uk/bookshelf-beige-medium-solid-with-decor.htm?ProductId=705013840&FiltreCouleur=6330&t=6

The ikea expedit cube units are great. As you can get storage boxes for smaller toys, blank for larger toys/books and the higher ones for trinkets/treasured art craft items (these gather rapidly from preschool age!). We have ours attached to the wall so they can't topple over.

The dolls book case is cute but it is expensive for a smaller bookcase, they will grow out of the dolls house cuteness and so long as they have books mine wouldn't care what they are kept in : )

We have normal wardrobes but a shoe hanging thing for swim cozzies, folded trousers and leggings, as they don't have enough to justify a whole wardrobe of dresses : ) at the bottom of the wardrobe is a plastic box for to grow into stuff either bought in sale or hand me down or kept for next year items that are out of season. Shoes sit on top of the plastic box.

Buy bigger storage items than you currently need as toys like playmobil, Sylvanian, Lego etc all take up lots of space.....

We also have the ikea soft storage baskets (2 small, one larger in a set in kids section) to make it easier for them to find things within drawers eg. Basket for socks and tights loose in one small drawer, basket for pants, vests loose in another. Drawers can be big and toddler clothes small so I have found it helps from becoming a jumbled heap.

Happy planning

To be honest with you, unless money is no object, I would stick to adult size things which are good quality and will last.

An ordinary wooden bookcase can be prettified and changed to change with the child.

That little bookcase is really sweet but how gutted are you (or DH!) going to be when your DD comes home from school age 4 and says she doesn't want pink stuff any more? What will happen when she manages to get hold of a pen and draws all over it? Sticks stickers all over it? Pulls all the books out and puts it on its side and climbs on it and a bit breaks off? etc etc

Sturdy lasting stuff is what I would go for. Then you could get eg musical box, pretty bunting, removable stickers and do it up for her and you can change it according to tastes.

These bookcases are a lot more practical for toddlers. You can bigger ones from other suppliers as well.

www.gltc.co.uk/fcp/product/-/storage_tables_chairs_bookcases/Sling-Bookcase/10000002087

We have DTs (may be relevant as 2 can cause more chaos than one) who are 2 1/2 but learned to climb out of their cots at 2 yrs. In their room they ONLY have their beds, a big chest of drawers for their clothes and cushions on the floor for storytime.

They used to have a bookshelf and then a box of books, but they have learned to open the window and then post the books out through the gap (there is a window restrictor on it).

I'd go for minimalist until you discover how much of a 'room trasher' you have.

Thanks everyone this is all useful. I think we will keep it simple ( and sturdy!)
It's funny how easy it is to get sucked into all this stuff marketed for children and then realise it isn't actually practical at all!
eggtimer your post was a timely reminder that we really don't know what to expect when she is more mobile and we may well have a trasher on our hands if she takes after DH

DS has a toddler bed, a gents wardrobe with matching bedside table, a chest of drawers (basic, but will do for now) and we have just moved a bookcase into his room, from our study.

The wardrobe and bedside are both from a nice furniture range, and were pricey (but tbh no more than the ranges marketed for children). We are going to invest in the chest of drawers to match, but are leaving it for now as DS2 is imminent, and the chest of drawers in DS1's room is still babyproofed - which is not someting I would want to do to a more expensive piece of funiture. We will also get a new bookcase at some point, but for now the one he has is good enough to store a lot of books. In a couple of years, we will move him into a single bed (possible a mid-sleeper).

I do like some of the cube type storage on GLTC, but as we currently rent, I don't want to invest in that kind of item until we are settled in our own home.