Inexpensive and brilliant toy storage ideas please

[PinkSquash]

We have these useless storage units and they're just not practical and the toys just don't fit.

We really need some really good and really inexpensive options that are practical. We don't have masses of space for them ether.

So, wonderful MNers inspire me with great storage ideas please

Cheap bookcase with moveable shelves like IKEA Billy bookcase, either with doors, or baskets from your current system.

Ottoman stools.

Following as I need inspiration too!

Argos extra large cream ottoman. Very big and easy to clean. Lasts years. Works as a seat.

Ikea Kallax.

We have ikea trofast and laundry trugs for toys.

Ikea expedit - loads of it!

Thanks for the ideas, we used to have a large blanket box as storage but it was a pain as it couldn't be organised. DS1 used to empty the whole thing out which was a pain in the bum, but it could work in the bedrooms for the garb up there and double up as seating.

Are the Expedit/Kallax really worth it? We'd have to get it delivered as Ikea is 2hrs away but I don't know if it is really good at storing everything, plus it's quite expensive for my cheapskate side

What do you want to store? Large bits of happyland? Lots of bits of Lego? All sort of different things that need to be kept separate? Does everything need to be in reach?

We have Kallax in our spare room and it will one at become toy storage I thing. You can mix open storage with baskets and doors so it's pretty flexible. I like it. (It's almost identical to Expedit, which was discontinued and replaced by Kallax).

It comes up fairly regularly on our local gumtree site, but some orbit is big so would need a suitable vehicle to collect it.

I second Ikea trofast

I think the ikea expedit (now Kallax) is worth it - we have the 4 high x 2 wide in DDs room with baskets in each "hole" and two on top. It holds an awful lot of stuff and only takes up as much room as one trunk/toy box would. We have one basket for lego, one for playdoh, one for jigsaws etc. She can't reach the top baskets so those have things in which she needs help with anyway.

I also like it as it is solid, looks nice and isn't children's furniture so won't be grown out of.

You really can't beat ikea for children's bedroom and storage ideas in my opinion. We have trofast, kallax and billy bookcases. We have got them all in white and accessorised with lots of colours.

Trofast, expedit/kallax and billy here too! Expedit is expensive if you get the cupboard doors and baskets, but with the £2.50 drona boxes they are pretty reasonable, and the drona hold way more than the baskets. They are a bit big for some things tbh but I do think they are optimal for storage efficiency.

Thanks for all the replies, it seems ikea is a winner so far, I had a nosy on their website and you can get lamb shanks with mash for £2. Ikea is bleddy marvellous.

I toyed with the idea of Trofast but I worried that it wouldn't grow with the family as well as opposed to the Kallax which can be updated easily.

How big are the spaces in it? The largest item we have are Fire engine toys so if they'll fit in easy then I'll be buying them for every room.

I'm now tempted to get a small cube for the hallway and make a seat pad too

I'll have to measure up and see if it fits and try to get DH to take the day trip..

Bare in mind how long those large pieces/ fire engines will be in your house. Will they be outgrown in a year or so?

I like coffee table with drawers -good for art/ craft/ any small cars/ dolls/figures/ random stuff. Can be used regular storage when bigger

Blanket box - can use now for big bits or outdoor stuff, but in few years storage for kids clothes ie winter coats during summer etc

Various size baskets with lids - slide under any sideboards/ side tables/ main table when not in use. And easy for children to move between living room and bedroom.

I got seat cushions for the low trofast in the dcs room.

We have an expedit unit in the upper hall and it's a lovely little table.

I like the new kallax unit, and would think it could swivel around to be a room divider.

Does anyone know if the boxes for the expedit fit into the kallax? Tia

I'm pretty sure the boxes fit, I think kallax is just a name change, not a new product.

We have LOADS of Ikea Sortera storage boxes. They are in the dc's rooms. They are stackable, have a flap that you can 'post' toys into and come in 2 different sizes. the smaller ones are £6 each. We also use 2 of the larger ones for recycling in the kitchen. They are fab and cheap.

I believe the holes in the kallax are the same as the expedit. It's the dividing bits which have changed slightly.