Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Taming Kids' Clutter

Wendy at The Shabby Nest is having a "Taming Kids' Clutter" link party! My little ones have LOTS of stuff, so I am loving this!!

I've posted before about my wall of cubbies in the family room. It is fantastic storage for my children's toys and works really well for our family. My children love having a place for everything and it makes cleanup very easy for them. Actually, that post from last summer gets a lot of hits from Google -- I think there are a lot of parents out there who are looking for toy storage ideas!
This is the picture from last summer--things have been rearranged a bit, but the general idea is the same. I bought those cubbies at Target from the closet organization area, but I know Ikea has something similar. I've even seen it done where people arrange them like built-ins around a window and do a long storage unit under the window and then turn two units on end and put them on either side of the window. My storage units are "wood" colored, but they also come in white.
A couple of years ago I turned an awkward closet under the stairs (also off our family room--to the right of the toy storage) into a toy closet for my children. I painted it with clouds and flowers, bugs, and butterflies and made it into a little haven for my children. In the back of the closet there is more toy storage--one of those racks with bins on it that I think so many of us have. My children really do like having a place to put each and every toy and both children do a great job of doing their own cleanup.
This dresser (which I'm using as a sofa table) is right off the eating area in my *small* kitchen/family room area. Yes, this is the garage sale dresser that I rehabbed. The drawers are full of art supplies for my children. I had hoped they would be able to access the supplies by themselves, but the drawers are too heavy and don't have drawer stops--still, it is very easy for me to pull out what they need and put it on the kitchen table for them to use.
The top drawer houses my Handwriting Without Tears stuff, current worksheets my 5 year old is doing (she loves them, crazy girl!), art kits, and miscellaneous art supplies.
The middle drawer is the most used and has paper, coloring books, lots of crayons (in the basket), paints, and workbooks that we haven't used yet.
The bottom drawer is half-filled with playdough supplies, stickers, Aquadoodle stuff, Perler beads, and the BIG coloring pages.

I love being able to hide away all this "clutter" and yet still have these supplies readily accessible.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really love your painted dresser as a sofa table! What great purpose it has... I would love to find an old dresser to put in the foyer, repainted of course!
~Misti

Meredith said...

I love your dresser - it looks lovely and is oh so functional!

Michelle said...

Love the dresser idea! Now I need to find a place to put one!

Unknown said...

Great storage ideas. I especially like the dresser, what a fabulous idea to use it as a sofa table with valuable storage! May have to steal that one...
Thanks for visiting my blog today and leaving such a nice comment. Come back soon!

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

Super storage ideas! What a cute idea with the closet transformation, and I love your dresser makeover -- great job :)!!

Julie said...

I really love your closet idea! I have one of those closets under the stairs too. I may have to borrow your idea! Thanks so much!

Wendy said...

Really fun storage ideas. I love the idea of a dresser as a sofa table...and an art center to boot! Good job!

DESJ and Company said...

I love it!! great job with the dresser.

thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Serendipity said...

Great ideas...and the dresser instead of a sofa table...such a great way to get additional storage!

Hideaway Girl said...

I love repurposed furniture. The sofa table/art center is awesome! Looks great too.

Trish said...

oh i love the dresser idea...
i just might have to copy :)

pink and green mama MaryLea said...

LOVE the dresser and the closet nook! So cute and clever. One of my favorite things to do is to look at something and use it in an unexpected way. Great job and great post!

Shannon said...

Love all those ideas!

knittingknirvana said...

The closet under the stairs is such a cool little nook!!

LuLu said...

Your dresser is great. what a perfect solution for all that stuff, cubbies are the best.
LuLu

Astrid in Bristling Acres said...

Love that dresser! I really love using furniture as toy storage units. Now I need to find a dresser (or cabinet).

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

I love that dresser that has all of the art supplies. What a great idea!

Thanks so much!!

Jen