Up Against the Wall
Hang repurposed planter baskets on the wall to get odds and ends off the floor. When your kids outgrow this storage system, you can always return the baskets to their flower-containing duty!
Crate Idea
Pick up simple wooden crates at a craft or big-box home improvement store. Finish the crates with paint or stain and stack (or hang) them in a configuration that works for you. Cheap and cheerful!
Auto Show
Mount a magnetic knife strip to the wall, and you’ve got a place off the floor to park all those toy cars! A fun and lively visual display, this approach also saves you from stepping on cars (ouch!) in the dark of night.
Reach for the Sky
With a storage hoist, you can turn dreaded playtime cleanup into an exciting game! An added bonus is that using a rope-and-pulley system like this one offers a science lesson in itself!
Book Nook
Use magazine holders to organize that jumble of books on the shelves of your playroom. Label the holders for quick and easy access. This is a great solution for both odd-sized books and titles you want to switch out seasonally.
PVC Pipe Dream
PVC couplings can be glued together in different combinations to hold any number of bits and baubles. (Wide-diameter couplings would hold larger items like stuffed animals.) Either leave the piping white or spray-paint it to coordinate with the colors in your kids' room.
Action Figure "Condo"
An over-the-door shoe rack serves as a "high-rise condominium" for action figures and other toys, making them easy to see and reach. Every superhero in his—or her (right, Wonder Woman?)—place.
Pegboard Panache
Perhaps the ultimate flexible DIY storage solution is pegboard. And the minute your needs change, you can easily redistribute the hooks to accommodate new playthings. This boldly painted board also functions as wall decor.
Vertical Hold
A wall of adjustable shelving creates a desk for two youngsters as well as space for all the supplies they could possibly need. It’s a solution that can "grow" along with your kids—just keep raising the desk higher!
Hiding Under the Bed
Repurpose old drawers as underbed storage for clothing (or even more toys). Add casters beneath the drawers to make them more easily movable.
Creative Corner
Control the chaos! A wall mounted tool organizer is perfect for corralling LEGOs and art supplies— and mounted file holders keep coloring books and magazines neat and tidy.
Dress-Up Cabinet
Remove the doors on a thrift store TV cabinet and install a rod inside. Add a little paint and decorative paper, and you have a splendid dress-up cabinet. Tutus and superhero capes are at the ready!
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Art Caddy
Don’t put the six pack holder in the recycling bin with the beer bottles. Instead, dress it up in some pretty paper, so art supplies are ready to go wherever the artist wants to create. It works equally well without the makeover— the pockets are ideal for holding markers, paint brushes, pencils and other creative what-not.
Sports Equipment
Build a plywood cabinet, or modify an existing bookshelf, to keep sports equipment corralled. Bungee cords serve to keep balls in their place, yet easily accessible. Skateboards can occupy a short shelf, while bins with small accessories like knee pads and shin guards, live on a larger shelf.
Bath Basket Storage
Hang a three-tiered, wire fruit basket on a shower rod to hold bath toys and accessories. They’re up and out of the way until you need them, and will quickly drip dry after use.
For More...
If you are interested in more about storage, consider
12 Fresh Ideas for Your Kids' Room
17 Creative and Whimsical Kids Rooms
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