Toy Storage Ideas for the Living Room to Help You Reclaim Your Space

You rise early in the morning hoping to sneak in a delicious sip of your morning tea when, on the way into your living room, you stumble over that talking baby doll…again. As you push toys over to make room on the couch, you look around and wonder what ever happened to that once so chic and stylish living room you created. With splashes of primary colours and random playthings strewn across the floor, you may wonder if you’ll ever be able to reclaim your living room again. We know how you feel. Thankfully, there are plenty of toy storage ideas for living room that are at your disposal. You just have to get creative enough, and brave enough, to do it.

So, go ahead and take in those last few sips of tea. We’ve got work to do.

Toy Storage Ideas For the Living Room

So, the big question. “How can I hide my toys in my living room?”

Contrary to belief, this is relatively easy to do, and there are several ways you can go about it.

The first thing you should do is to take quick inventory. Grab a pencil and paper, and scope out your space. Are there drawers, cabinets or awkward spaces that aren’t being utilised? Don’t be afraid to get creative, here. If you’ve got a closet or kitchen cabinet that sits adjacent to your living room, you can, indeed, utilise those spots for your kid’s toys.
Once you’ve taken inventory, it’s time to devise a plan. When it comes to living room toy storage, you need to know how many toys, and what type of toys, you are dealing with.

For example, if you are finding that there is a surplus of your children’s toys stacked to oblivion with no home in the corner of your family’s main common area, it may be time to reconsider. Could it be that maybe, just maybe, some of those toys could be stored elsewhere? Gasp!

No, parents, your children do not need to play with every single one of their toys at the same time.

Consider stowing away some of the lesser-played-with objects in their room or in a storage area outside of the living room, and leaving only the toys in the main area that really need to be there.

More toy storage ideas for living room? Some parents find great success with rotating toys. To do this, you’ll simply select a few toys for your child to play with and store the rest in a tote. Then, when you are ready, switch the toys you’ve chosen to stay in the living room out with some of the toys you’ve stored. Keep rotating toys throughout the days, weeks or months, depending on your chosen interval, and you’ve not only got a less cluttered space, but also, a more entertained child!

Living Room Storage Ideas

Now that you’ve scoped out your space and raided your children’s toy boxes, it’s time to fill in the gaps. Are you like countless other moms who are now kicking themselves for not purchasing a couch with built-in storage? If so, don’t worry. After you’ve taken inventory of the storage options you do have, you can now begin to save to invest in the items you would, eventually, like to have.

Let’s take a look at some of the most functional living room toy storage furniture on the market, today:

Kids Toy Storage Bins: We know, we know. You don’t want a neon green plastic tote littered with brightly coloured animals on it wrecking your neutral-coloured living space. We’re not talking about those kinds of bins. Instead, why not invest in a chic and trendy leather ottoman with deep sides that serves a dual purpose for storage?
Toy Storage Table: Nowadays, there are many options available for coffee table storage that looks just as sophisticated as anything else, if not more. Additionally, these coffee tables often provide ample storage space with multiple sections to stow away those teeny tiny LEGO pieces you keep stepping on. Youch!
Living Room Basket: Wicker baskets are all the rage these days, and many come in varying colours, textures and shades. Pick one to stow under your end table, but be sure that the sides come up high enough to cover the toys you are trying to conceal. Otherwise, you’ll just have a trendy looking living room basket with doll hair and plastic figurine arms showing over the brim. And that, friends, isn’t so cute.
Throws: A plush throw isn’t a storage solution for toys in and of itself, but it can certainly help. Remember those living room baskets we were just talking about? If you aren’t quite able to find one deep enough to cover the toys you want to put in them, you could always throw a chic throw over it to conceal anything you’d rather not see.
Shelving: Does your child have a lot of books? If so, good for them! Show them off in a creative way by purchasing a stylish bookshelf that can showcase their reads. Got a wee little one? It might be better to go with a forward facing bookshelf for easier grabs.
Toy Box For Living Room: If you do choose to put something “kiddie” in your living room for your children’s sake, pay close attention to the colour. If your living room is heavily decorated with muted greys, ivorys and soft greens, don’t disrupt the atmosphere with a bright red toy bin. Instead, look for a toy bin that is grey, white or even a shade of green, even if it is neon, to match what you already have in place. Then, your eye will be less tempted to drift straight to the toy box, and it might even add a level of charm to the area. Check out this neutral-coloured toy bin that’d be perfect for a warm or earth-toned living room. Just be sure to push those toys down, way down, if you aren’t wanting to see that smiling pink pig staring back at you.

How Do You Store Toys in a Small Room?

When it comes to small spaces and toy storage ideas for living room, you may find yourself frustrated. Sure, you like the idea of the regal and sophisticated Ottoman that keeps your children’s toys just so, but when you’ve got limited space on your hands, the last thing you want to do is add additional bulky pieces of furniture to the mix.

We get it! Whether you’ve got a smaller home, a mobile home or are renting an apartment, you too can conceal your children’s toys. You’ll just need to be a bit resourceful when doing it.

First things first, you’re going to want to keep as many items off of the floor as possible. And we aren’t talking toys, here. Your storage solutions will largely depend on what concealed storage space you already have available, such as unused cabinets, and what you can add that doesn’t have to take up much needed floor space.

One option that might work for a smaller setting is to invest in hanging wall shelves. These can be used to store toys, books and other items not currently in use.

But who wants their children’s toys to be on display on the living room wall? You’ve got a point, there! Not all shelves are created equal though. Take a peek at this nifty shelf that features spaces to fit storage cubes for an easy way to conceal small toys without taking up floor space with baskets.

Another great idea is to utilise closets as kid friendly spaces. Some even go as far as to wallpaper the closet and add additional hooks and shelving to make the closet a majestic hide-out for their children’s pleasure. Once your child is done with its contents, simply put the toys and the rest of the mayhem back in, close the doors and go about your merry way. It’s a win!

One final and frugal tip for storage in small spaces is to utilise your couch. No, we aren’t talking about spending extra money on that leather storage couch you’ve been eyeing but can’t afford. Instead, rather than shimmying your couch flush against the wall, why not pull it out a bit and make room for toys? This can be particularly helpful for larger toys that you want concealed. The catch? Only do this if the storage area is out of sight from most angles. Otherwise, this is likely to look a mess, and won’t do you any favours in the long run.

Bonus Tips: Storage Solutions for Toys

Another word of advice for you mums and dads trying to cling to that cheeky living room you invested in. Try purchasing a neutral coloured baby gate for the sole purchase of hiding toys. There are a few opaque versions in earth tone colours that’ll likely make great and unnoticeable additions to your living room.

Simply pick a corner or an unused portion of your home or living space and use the baby gate to cover it up any toys you place there. These gates often have the ability to sit straight or at an angle, so no matter how awkward the spot, these gates should have you covered.

Have an infant that can’t clean up after themselves, yet? Grab a trendy blanket that matches the rest of your decor, and put your baby’s toys on it for tummy time. When it is time for your baby to take a nap or go to sleep for the night, simply cloak the toys with the blanket and move it out of the way. When your baby wakes up, simply unroll it. It may not be the ideal situation, but seriously, when you are sleep deprived and low on energy, anything helps!

Large Toy Storage Ideas

Along with the idea of putting some of the larger toys behind your couch, consider reserving large toys to be put on display… in your child’s room of course. No, you likely won’t want to display your little one’s hula hoop in your living room, but you may find a creative way to display it on his or her wall. Moreover, you can display smaller toys, unashamedly, on hanging shelves in your child’s room. Especially those toys that happen to match his or her bedroom theme or colour scheme already.

Another idea for the kid’s bedroom or playroom? Just as we mentioned before, you may wish to take inventory and see what space you have already in your child’s room. A little creativity and reorganising might be involved, but at the end of the day, if it means that you’ll get your living room back, we think you’ll gladly oblige. Looking for more inspiration? Check out this informative read by Ideal Homes for even more ways to conceal your child’s toy bits.

Bear in mind, too, that although using your children’s bedroom and playroom closets and space for storage sounds like a no-brainer, there are some parents who prefer not to have any toys in their children’s rooms…at all.

The idea behind this is that with the negation of toys in their immediate environment, children are much more likely to be able to fall asleep on their own. Got a child that always seems to go bump in the night? Keep these fun plasters on hand for minor accidents and check out our blog post for more information about how to keep your child in bed.

Toy Storage Ideas for Living Room: Get Back to Loving Your Living Room

To summarise, getting your home back in order doesn’t have to be stressful, time consuming or crazy expensive. Open your eyes to your surroundings. Begin utilising spaces such as cabinets, pantries, closets and shelves in new and interesting ways.

If you have to, limit your kiddos to how many toys they can have in the living room. Stow away the rest for the following week, or month. To fill in any gaps, begin saving for pieces of furniture that you may have been looking to purchase anyway, either for the living room or your children’s rooms. But this time, make sure that it includes storage options.

Before you know it, you’ll be back to relaxing again in an environment that you’re actually happy to call your own!

We’ve got more toy storage ideas for you! Check out IKEA toy storage hacks on our blog!