NEWS

One of my favorite stores for Children's Storage ideas is The Container Store in the US. Their range of home storage is so broad that there is nothing here in Australia to compare it to - not even Howard's Storage! One of their storage tips is to 'maximise all of your vertical space' when it comes to storing toys. I automatically thought about plastic tubs that you can stack on top of each other, the super big ones! But, they are just so ghastly to look at in a room. So what are your options if floor space is an issue in your home?

Securing shelves up on the wall is always a good option. It doesn't have to be one really long row but you can stagger them at different heights and off centre to create a fun look. Fragile toys like large Lego creations, or boxes that have your child's very first drawings can sit neatly up on the shelf and kept out of the way especially if they are not needed during the day.

Under bed storage is a great idea if you have a clear area that isn't already occupied by a trundle bed. Consider putting toys that your children have outgrown or have become bored of under the bed so that when it's time to do a toy rotation you don't need to reach too high to get them out again. Aside from maximising floor space, is it simply just time for you to do a big clean out? Are 'you' ready to donate your child's toys from when they were toddlers to another family in need? If the answer is 'not yet' then we need to start to thinking about some of the options listed above!

For me, I'm still in the early stages and my son only has a year and half supply of toys for me to find a home for. But I can see that in the not too distant future I will also be in desperate need to find more space and if that's the case I better start finding a solution to replace the stacking plastic toy tub with something a lot more stylish!

So, I'm on a mission now to find a stackable storage solution that looks good, and is not a plastic bucket....

Fatima