Kids stuff - where do you store...

[LilllyLovesLife]

I am in the process of moving and unfortunately my 2 girls (3 and 5) are going from having a double bedroom each to having to share one small ish double (and the built in cupboard has the water tank so even less space). We are getting bunk beds and have got rid of well over half the toys but I still don't see how it's all going to fit in. One the beds are in and up, they have one floor to ceiling wardrobe for their clothes, a bit of toy space in the airing cupboard and I am hoping to squeeze a chest of draws in. They do also have 2 storage draws under the bed. And some built in shelves in the old fireplace which are the right size for their books etc.

A few things we are struggling with:
SOFT TOYS! I have managed to scale them down to 2 of those pop up washing basket type things full, plus the ones on their beds. And I will have another go at getting rid of a few more but to be honest they do love all of them that are left and have already got rid of lots of lovely things they would hate to see go. Is there any better way of storing them that would keep them out the way? We have bought this new house (having previously only rented) so can finally do things we want to the house so any suggestions to add storage are more than welcome!

Also, Craft/drawing/paper crap, my daughters are both obsessed with this and my house is always cluttered with paper, pens, "models" and everything else that comes with it. Any suggestions with ways to get orgainsed with this? I am thinking of maybe using one of the shelves on the fireplace thing for all the pens etc and use the threat of what's not put away will go in the bin when they are at school/nursery.

Also just interested to know any good ways to boost storage really - we don't really have any lower wall space as each wall is taken up by bed on one side, window on the other, fireplace and cupboards on the other and the radiator and chest of draws on the 4th side.

Just panicking they will hate it - we have a baby due a few weeks after we move (hence why the 3rd room is taken). They are also having to move schools and have major changes in their lives so really want to make it nice! The room will be white and pink (and also has a bit of lime green on their wallpaper).

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[TimeToDash]

We find most of the crafty stuff happens in the dining room so we put a chest of drawers in there for all their craft stuff. Board games are all in a big cupboard in the hall, tech stuff all in a sideboard in the living room so a lot of their stuff is not in their bedrooms. Also they have these storage pouffes for some of their soft toys in their bedrooms. Then lots of Ikea Trofast and Billy bookcases in their rooms. All the bulky things like science kits etc go in the eaves storage and we bring them out one at a time. Shelves in their bedroom for their completed art work.

[Colacolaaddict]

Also if you still have a water tank in the airing cupboard, you could consider removing it to create more storage, depending on your other plans for the house. Congrats on your new home btw.

[Colacolaaddict]

Clothes in drawers at the bottom of their wardrobe, and ikea kallax or floor to ceiling deep shelves for toys, where you were going to squeeze the chest of drawers in.

They really don't need that many clothes. 7 tops, a couple of dresses, a skirt, 2-3pr leggings, couple of cardis/jumpers, that kind of thing.

I have embraced trays for pens, paper etc. Big tray on the dining table with art supplies, pens/pencils sorted by type into old peanut butter jars (like jam jars but plastic so safer), stuff just has to be put back on tray or in correct jar to count as tidy.

Storage in baskets under coffee table (get one with a shelf), in a storage bench and under any side tables in the living room.
If you have a dining table you could consider replacing some of the chairs with a monk's bench, or built in bench,, with hidden storage underneath.

Don't scrimp on the underbed drawers. Really good solid deep ones hold absolutely loads. Cheap ones can fall apart if you put much weight in them.

[Leeloo2]

I haven't read the whole thread, but as your girls are small and will have single bunk- beds, the pop up baskets of toys would fit at the end of them. We have art stuff in a kitchen cupboard and toy storage under the stairs. :)

[MissRainbowBrite]

I came on to suggest the zoo storage and see someone has already recommended it. My Dad made one for my daughter recently and it's fab. If you know someone who has basic woodworking skills then the wood and bungee rope (from eBay) cost about £30. You can have it made to measure and because it's so tall it holds dozens of cuddlies of all shapes and sizes.
This is DD's.

[helenrhardwick]

All over the house! It's a big house but their stuff is in every room. They (boys 9 and 6) have their toys, books and lego in each of their rooms in lots of Ikea Trofast. Ikea Lack coffee tables also set up in each room for Lego. Board games are in a sideboard in the hall, jigsaws in another cupboard in the hall, tech stuff in a sideboard in the living room and all the art stuff in a chest of drawers in the dining room, paper in one drawer, pens etc in another, crafty stuff in another etc, with paints in a plastic box with lid in the garage (so they have to ask for it and I get the red flag that paint is a-comin and I can get the newspaper out). Homework and current projects in a box file each. Then there is all the archived toys and pictures etc... in a storage/loft type cupboard. But that's rammed... we're extending soon to include their own sitting room for video games etc so will shift some of it in there but I think it is time for a big clear out!!

[LilllyLovesLife]

It's a good size but has the downstairs toilet, access to the garden and is also basically a utility room too as it houses the washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge freezer and currently a chest freezer that I would prefer to get rid of and make space for kids. The kitchen is a gally kitchen with no space for appliances which is why they are out there. It is also quite cold out their which is my partners arguement against using the space for the kids but I think they will be fine as long as they are dressed right and like you say, nice rug on the floor etc. x

[MaryPoppinsBag]

How big is the extension?

My friend had an 'L' shaped extension on her house linking her kitchen to the original outside toilet. Probably 2m wide down each bit of the 'L'
No idea why the previous owners didn't make into more of a room than a porch/ corridor. But she put down fluffy Ikea rug and had shelves and Trofast storage (Ikea is your friend) and it made a little playroom.

[LilllyLovesLife]

Lol, MaryPoppinsBag - I am having that exact debate with living room storage too. I have another thread on here, searching for the coffee table I REALLY want but can't find anywhere! My friend has one but doesn't know where you can get them. It is a coffee table, with 4 pouffes that come out for extra seating (We only have sofas for 4 people and have guests a lot), and the pouffes all have storage inside too so the kids can have toys etc in there if needed.

We have an open lounge/diner and it's very tight for space already, we haven't bought our dining table yet so will know more about exactly what we will fit in once that's in. Trying to persuade other half that we don't need the chest freezer in the extension which would then create space for storage and make a huge difference (we had planned to put the freezer in the garage which was advertised to have electric and lighting etc but actually it doesn't and is just a very leaky, falling down waste of space that isn't good for much and is asbestos so will be a PITA to get rid of! lol).

Iv found somebody with toy storage chains she says I can have but they are at her Mums and can't get them till Christmas.

[MaryPoppinsBag]

Or get a big storage coffee table for the middle of the room.

[MaryPoppinsBag]

Can you store board games down stairs?
Mine go in my large Tv Cabinet. (ikea Leksvik) They are hidden in baskets.

Can you fit an ottoman in the living room?
I have a Lloyd Loom one that I picked up at a second hand shop for £15. It has been all over the house and currently resides in our bathroom full of towels.
I recovered it in dotty fabric.
It would be great in a sitting room. Might have to get myself another one!

Or get a Seagrass trunk.

[LilllyLovesLife]

iMe - I love that chain! It's different to how I pictured it! Just trying to find one online. No luck so far on Amazon, ebay etc but I will keep looking. I showed the girls and they like the idea too.

I like the zoo think but again it takes up space.

I am also considering the girls having their clothes in my room, and actually I guess it's all in one place when putting away too. For some reason it hadn't really occurred to me to do this before! lol. I had thought about putting board games etc in my cupboards, but didn't really think about clothes. It would mean I would need to be organized the night before (which is sooo not me) BUT I would probably just get use to it. During the week they are both in uniform and TBH most of the time it comes straight off the line onto them anyway!

Glad I posted here, def feeling much better about it all. Spent the weekend sorting it out, they now have their bunk beds up and that has 2 big storage draws and I can get a fair bit in them. And the shelves in front of the chimney breast are up and painted fushia pink and look fab, and I think I will get a fair bit on them without the room looking too cluttered. It should house most of the books at the bottom, where they can reach and the board games at the top where they can't and the TV, DVD player etc in the middle.

[Inertia]

Could the children's clothes go in your fitted wardrobes? They won't need daytime access to them , and you could get their clothes out ready the night before while your partner is at work. That would free up cupboard space in their own room for toys.

[iMe]

A quick google for you.... you can see the chain idea if you scroll down the page a bit. Lots of other good storage ideas too. I like the zoo idea! It looks like an american site, but I'm sure a bit longer on google and you could find a British/European supplier.

[LilllyLovesLife]

iMe - sounds good. Although must be pretty strong? Did you just make it yourself?

I have bought something like that from vertbaudet for pictures etc so I like the idea! x

I sooo want to maximise the storage but really want to avoid a cluttered looking room. For the first time in my life we have the chance to have a house we can decorate and make the way we want it so really want it to look good. But I know storage is going to be an issue.

[iMe]

For soft toys, my DC use what I used as a child....a plastic chain that could either hang down from the ceiling or be strung across the wall. It has lots of plastic pegs with hooks for hanging teddies by the ear or paw...looks good. I'd do a search and link to similar only I'm on my phone now...but might get a chance later. The chain can also be use to peg junk artwork on display.

[LilllyLovesLife]

Thank you. these are the bunk beds we have ordered. Unfortunatly the ones you linked to won't fit and are also a bit out of our price range, as they are £450 ish plus having to buy mattresses on top, where as mine are £350 with all 3 mattresses. The ones you linked to are lovely though, and I did look at something quite similar but have the issue that the wall they go against is only just big enough for the length of a single bed.

I am hoping we will have some sort of space for storage downstairs but to be honest it's getting tight for space as well. Trying to pursuade OH to get rid of the chest freezer, which we bought from previous owners with the idea of it being in the garage, which we were told had electric and lighting - but it doesn't and isn't even dry so it's still in the house.

The bunk beds should be delivered at the end of the week and then we can access the space a bit more. Didn't find much at IKEA to be honest, although we were a bit rushed and also couldn't picture where things will fit while the bunk beds are in. (We do have the measurements but always find things work out different once the furniture is in!)

[Teddimac]

Hi Lilly - I'm also in the process of redoing my daughters' bedroom and am trying to squeeze as much storage in as possible. I haven't got that far yet (am incredibly indecisive!), but have you considered/got space for bunk beds like this or this or this. I've also seen this product for soft toys, which can fit on quite a small footprint or be wall-mounted I think.

Watching with interest for paper management ideas - there's only so much stealthy removal to recycling I can get away with in a week !

[Indith]

The ikea baskets are great, you can get a heck of a lot of stuffed toys in them!

And yes, yes to lots of shelves, you have to get happy bashing stuff into the walls rather than having free standing.

Plus storing stuff downstairs and getting them good and having tidy up time every day. Expedit or trofast in the living room is ok, especially if you put it somewhere than isn't in the direct line of sight when sitting on the sofa. We don't have space for all the dc's stuff in their rooms so we have the fiddly stuff in rooms like lego and playmobil and then the stuff that it doesn't matter if the baby gets hold of downstairs (brio, play food etc).

[LilllyLovesLife]

They can't have the biggest room unfortunatly, as all the rooms came with fitted wardobes and other than getting rid of the fantastic wardrobes in our room (that were there when we bought it) they can't as it's all set up for one double bed.
They have the biggest room here and if it wasn't for the wardrobes we would. They may be able to store some stuff in our room as we have a lot of storage but with my partner working nights they can't have access to it a lot of the day so only stuff they don't use much can go there. x

[HeinousHecate]

Is their room the biggest? If not, let them have the biggest room?

[MushroomSoup]

The ikea hangers do hold small cuddly toys really well but can't take anything big. You'll get loads of ideas at ikea!

[LilllyLovesLife]

Thanks. I did look for toy hammocks but all I could find are Corner ones like the one on the link - but we don't have any corners to use! (2 have built in cupboards that go to the wall, one has the door and the other has the bunk beds).

But yes, I didn't think of running a long one along the bunk bed if I can find one like that. Good idea!

I also like the ikea one you have linked to, however I can't see it holding enough weight to actually fill it up with toys? Does anybody know the answer to this? I want to go to IKEA anyway at some point. Kids seemed to be blessed with chicken pox this week so it's limiting what we can achieve!

[crunchingautumnleaves]

I read your post OP & was thinking a hammock for the soft toys, running along one side of the top bunk, then I spotted BeeBaw has already linked to one. Another possibility is this hanging storage from Ikea - it does a pink one but also a bright green which may tie in nicely with the lime green from the walls.

[BeeBawBabbity]

What about one of these for the soft toys? Thinking of getting one myself, my girls have tons of teddies.

item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=400332317113&index=1&nav=SEARCH&nid=96728262743