Anyone have storage/organization system for kids toys?

I've been looking for a while but haven't really seen what I am looking for. Anyone have something that works to store your kids' toys with at least some success? I've been using rubbermaid tubs which work for about 5 seconds and then it looks like toys R us threw up in the room. They seem to prefer to use the tubs as toys to climb in or on. Right now we are using the "formal living room" as their playroom and it has no other furniture in it, so I am open to any ideas. The mess really doesn't bother me too much since we don't use the room for anything else, but it gets hard for them to walk around with all the stuff on the floor.

 

Hmmm...I think the word 'twins' is interchangeable with 'big mess' but here's what we do, we have one of those little bin stacker things, which is their height, and it holds all the little toys. Then we have a big soft box which holds all the stuffed animals, soft toys, etc. Then all the books go in the bookcase on which the tv sits on. I make them clean up a bit, especially the books, so things tend to stay (messily) in their designated areas. We also
keep a big woven basket in the kitchen for random stuff that we can throw in there quickly. We have a Little People station too. So lots of stations, and I find they don't move toys around too much. Maybe get them used to a system and they'll eventually get it! That being said, today our house is a disaster and there are bits of blackberry all over the place!

 

We have a 4x4 shelving unit from Ikea that we use for storage downstairs. Some of the cubbies have bins, the others are empty shelves that my older son parks his trucks on. I have no idea the name but I saw it on the Early Show on CBS. It is a great system because it is versatile. However, at this age, for the twins we just use cheap plastic buckets on shelves because dumping and sorting is fun for them. You may buy storage but realize until they are about 3, they dump and dump and dump for fun.

Ok, found it. This is what I have, in black. It is attached to a wall.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40047675

 

We have the Ikea Trofast system and I like it but it's really just bins on a rack

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=trofast

 

This made me LOL bc the new phrase in our house from both boys is "Dumpout!" 1 word...yelled all day...plates/bowls--"Dumpout!", toys--"Dumpout!", bathwater :headbang: --"Dumpout!" Hahahahaha! :laughing: :laughing:


As to the OP, ours go in a wooden toybox but during the day I just wait til they trip and say "It would be easier if you would put some toys away" Haha....it doesn't bother me though, or them! :laughing: :laughing:

 

My living room is our "play area" and it constantly looks like someone puked toys all over the place :bad: Every night after my 4 kids go to bed we clean up. Stuffies in a cheap laundry basket. Small toys in a three drawer plastic storage unit from walmart, books in the book shelf and big toys in a big storage plastic storage tub. It works, but realistically, as someone said, until they are a bit older, it's always going to be "dump dump dump". :lol:

 

We have one of the pottery barn kids play tables with roll out drawers(mine was on clearance last year, but similar to that)- that thing holds a ton!! Like one of th PPs, I have stations, too - books go on the bookshelf, play food in little baskets near the play kitchen, etc. I also bought about 8 little clear plastic shoe box sized bins from Bed Bath and Beyond to keep small messy things like trains, wooden blocks, potato heads and parts, puzzle pieces, etc. I keep those boxes up just out of reach and pull them down when they ask for them. I try to make them help me put those toys back before I'll pull down another box because otherwise they just dump it all.

These also look really good in theory, but I think if the bins come out mine would empty them immediatly...I was thinking about trying one in a year or so!

 

I got a bin system from ikea and it was a total waste of my money at this age. All they do is dump the bins and fight over the bins. I had to take it out of the living room all together because the fighting was never ending and they also liked to stack the bins ontop and climb up. :headbang: For me what works the best is a large wooden toy box that my inlaws made. it has the grooves cut out so they can't slam their fingers when closing the lid and also two hinge type things that lock the door open and make it impossible to drop it down by accident.

 

I have one similar to link below, just larger from Home Depot. I previously had a book shelf with bins and the game of dump the bins was driving me nuts! With this I can lock the doors & only bring 1 or 2 bins out a time. MUCH less mess. I also like it is deep and holds all the toys even larger, odd shaped ones.

http://www.target.com/ClosetMaid-Pantry-Cabinet-White/dp/B002IPG47I/ref=br_1_15?ie=UTF8&id=ClosetMaid%20Pantry%20Cabinet%20White&node=1283871011&searchSize=30&searchView=list&searchPage=1&sr=1-15&qid=1282442449&rh=&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=salesrank&frombrowse=1

 

We have the Trofast as well. It's fine in theory , but they like to dump out the bins then turn them upside down and stand on them.