How do you keep the playroom organized?

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 12:16 pm

I am pretty sure I've seen a thread on this recently, but now I can't find it. We have a finished basement and would like to make it into a playroom/guestroom. My boys have TONS of little cars, medium to large trucks, some legos/building toys, puzzles etc. we also have quite a few books (they love to read). I really can't afford to buy fancy shelves or bins. So I would like some suggestions of how to organize the toys in a way that is easy to keep up and not too expensive to set up.

TIA!!!

Last edited by SV on Mon, Nov 08 2010, 1:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

Marigold

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 12:44 pm

I use clear containers from the container store and put each set of toys in individual bins. (one for legos, cars, clicks etc.) Since it's translucent, it's easy to see whats inside so my kids can take down the ones they need. I use the sweater bins, mens shoe bins and womens.
Here
http://www.containerstore.com/.....=shoe

For books, the same store has clear holders for them or staples should have something that's cheaper.

(don't have the link now but could find it for you if interested)

saw50st8

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 1:04 pm

http://www.target.com/ClosetMa.....wse=1

and

http://www.target.com/ClosetMa.....wse=1

Wait until January. All those bin things go on major sale.

imabima

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 1:09 pm

Raisin wrote:

trofast from ikea http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....9027/

plastic drawers of different sizes that fit into shelves.

I actually don't recommend these for the play room. The bins break from constant use and the shelf itself warps so the bins don't stay on the tracks. In my playroom, we have this.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata.....47675

You can buy plastic bins that go in for $10 each. It has worked well for us.

I know you said you don't want to spend a lot of money, so at this point, you could go to the dollar store or somewhere similar and buy bins with lids to store thing in.

manhattanmom

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 1:33 pm

Only use containers that can be closed. And do your best to encourage the "only one toy with little pieces out at a time."

It's even harder when you don't have a separate playroom--Our playroom is the living room or the kids' bedroom (which I try to enforce, but they only want to play in the living room..."

Mon, Nov 08 2010, 1:51 pm

manhattanmom wrote:

That is one of the main reasons we are moving the toys into the basement - currently the playroom is also our living room and every night, and especially every Shabbos when we have company with little kids, the room looks like a hurricane hit it - with little toys and cars EVERYWHERE.

Currently the toys are in those medium plastic containers with a lid (on a good day, organized by type - all cars in one container, all legos in another etc) but I was looking for something that looks nice-ish and also now the containers are inside a built-in closet with shelves with doors and we don't have that in the basement.

Inspired

Wed, Nov 10 2010, 10:51 am

I second the trofast. I have had one bin crack from being stepped and jumped on and it is still usable. The shelves are still fine. We've had ours for over 6 years. You can put lids on them too, and they come in different sizes. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/sear.....ofast

Wed, Nov 10 2010, 10:54 am

ra_mom wrote:

What's your price range?

Sigh. Really I have no extra money at this point, so the cheaper the better. I am aiming for under $50 but I don't think this will happen unless I buy second-hand.

ra_mom

Wed, Nov 10 2010, 11:12 am

SV wrote:

ra_mom wrote:

What's your price range?

Sigh. Really I have no extra money at this point, so the cheaper the better. I am aiming for under $50 but I don't think this will happen unless I buy second-hand.

How about just using the bins you use now, in the basement, and stacking them? If the toys are usually a mess upstairs, then they will just be their usual mess, downstairs this time. At least the mess with not be in your living area.
And when the time comes that you can afford something better, do it all the way, and get something great.

SingALong

Sat, Nov 13 2010, 11:14 pm

http://www.homedepot.com/Stora.....10053

link above shows wire shelving really cheap. if oyu and DH are handy, you can install just a few of these in the basement to put all your bins of toys, or some of them at least. I have these in most of my closets, and in my laundry room.

it can't be used for books though, since they would fall through the wire, unless oyu line the shelves with something sturdy that won't add too much weight. but you can maybe find a reasonably priced shelf for books separate.

I think that stacking the bins would make one of your kids reach for the bottom box and BOOM go all the toys everywhere.

bins are the way to go with toys. almost everything in my toy closet goes into a bin, it would be a zoo otherwise. I have different sizes for different toys. for larger toys I got bigger bins in walmart, but for smaller things I was able to get $1 bins at the dollar store.