Diaper Swappers

2+2macht4 · 01-09-2013, 03:16 AM

We keep one bin of toys with a lid and a wooden doll house. Otherthings come out when they want to play then get put away. The toys living mainly in the boys room, but since both cosleep its more a playroom with a crib.

clothlover8 · 01-09-2013, 04:19 AM

Currently we have 3 of these white cubes - usually they are stuffed with toys/books/games but this day they were all out and around the place lol.

One lives in the old fireplace as pictured the other 2 are together against a wall, the other 2 have canvas type boxes that fit in the cube holes so they hide the stuff when it's packed up, it isn't ideal but it's been working okay.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8531412...n/photostream/

I have heard a lot of good things about the wheelie bins.

emeyer76 · 01-09-2013, 07:38 AM

Thank you everyone, and please keep them coming! It's so helpful to see "real" homes and not just magazine/blog photos where everything looks absolutely pristine and costs a gazillion dollars

I love the idea of closed storage for toys in the LR, and especially loving some of your furniture pieces that you all have! I'm just wondering if DS (and really DH!) can get into the groove of putting stuff away so it's behind closed doors/bins/baskets. Currently we have some open shelves and the toys rarely make it back into the baskets and onto the shelf. Here's an example of how it looks right now:

Those toys on the hearth are supposed to be in the blue baskets and on the shelves, or just on the shelves if they are too large for the basket.... but instead they line up proudly displayed in front of the fireplace

Those shelves and the TV placement are temporary until we get the hardwood installed and the built-ins built, which is all supposed to start next week - can't wait!! The other side of the fireplace is the exact same.... such wasted space in those two little nooks. Hopefully we can make them work for toy storage and look nice at the same time!

foreternity · 01-10-2013, 08:53 AM

Oh, I can post pics because I'm in my living room right now! This is exactly how it looks at the moment. My son and I have been playing so bins are out and it's messy. We have a couple of large borrowed toys (the plastic kitchen) that need to be returned to friends but otherwise, we have the tv stand with bins, an easel, a hidden basket with big building blocks (some on the floor, as you can see) and my DD's cradle. I finally like my living room. We redid it over Xmas, splurged on a tv (Kijiji!) and the stand/cubby and the carpet I also scored on Kijiji. My only issue is the cradle. DD's grandfather made it for her and she used it as a baby. So it's a full size cradle! Holds dolls and blankets at the moment but not sure what to do with it in the long run. He also made my son a gorgeous full size rocking horse that is in the basement living room at the moment and I would like it upstairs....anyhow, I digress

The third picture is the play kitchen that lives off the living room. I sat in the couch to take the picture. I switch the easel and kitchen back and forth to mix it up. And for reference, my kitchen/dining is on the other side of that large staircase and my front entryway is directly down the hall from the play kitchen.

P.S. we also do not do toys in the bedroom (books only). This is everything we have. One blue bin holds some dress up clothes, one is wooden train/blocks, one is little people type toys and the others are a mix. One is empty. We have 2 of the same bins on top of our fridge that hold play doh and rainy day arts and crafts supplies, games and puzzles. My kids are almost 3 and almost 1 so I can't leave the this stuff out at the moment. But using the same bins (Dollarama, $2 each) keeps things streamlined throughout my downstairs.

dancnfool · 01-10-2013, 08:59 AM

This is my dilemna as well. We have open shelves in our living room that go all the way to the ceiling. The bottom 3 are about 12" deep but the top ones were just made for books and are very shallow. Once the kids put big books, coloring books, toys, plastic shoe boxes of crayons, etc on them - they always look like they have stuff falling off of them. Keep your fingers crossed for me - I have someone coming next week to see if they can enclose the shelves and add doors and although my husband is resistant (because of the price of lumber) make all the shelves deeper. It will be hard to spend very much to retrofit something that works and I happen to just not like but we'll see.

dancnfool · 01-10-2013, 09:01 AM

In my last house we had a sofa table against one wall (the tall kind with a shelf on the bottom). We were able to fit a few square baskets on the lower shelf - we used to keep kid toys in there. It was easy to grab and then put back and overall you mostly noticed the top of the table and the baskets.

moonlightblonde · 01-11-2013, 02:23 PM

I'll get a picture this weekend when I get back into the groove & finish unpacking from our 18 day visit over the holidays. We don't do any toys in the bedroom either.

Well, in the bedroom we have a twilight turtle, a sleep sheep & some books that dd1 is allowed to read when she goes to bed if she isn't tired right away. ALL of our toys are in the living room/dining room. Right now we have the ugly foam alphabet mat on the floor which is way too busy for my liking but it is functional (it is the room furthest from the fireplace & is too cold to play over there without it.

leadmare · 01-11-2013, 10:58 PM

We don't have a lot of toys, so it's simple, accessible, and everything can be cleaned up in just a few minutes

Sorry I don't have a better pic at the moment. To the right of the white cabbies is my glider, and the behind the photo is our couch.

burnsis · 01-11-2013, 11:02 PM

can't find a pic right now, but ours are in a trunk from Pier 1. It matches with the rest of our furniture, and I like that it has a lid that I can close for a clutter free look.

BubBubsMom · 01-12-2013, 02:28 AM

I dont have a pic but we use an ottoman in the loving room to store toys

01-09-2013, 03:16 AM	#11
2+2macht4 Wahm Moderator Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: I live in Southwest Germany, but have a mailing address stateside in Oregon:) Posts: 10,242 Ratings: 152 Feedback: 100%	Re: Photos of toy storage in the living room please :) We keep one bin of toys with a lid and a wooden doll house. Otherthings come out when they want to play then get put away. The toys living mainly in the boys room, but since both cosleep its more a playroom with a crib. __________________ Rena crunchy, ecclectic SAH expat mommy to Lu (12/22/2010) and Ez (10/28/2012). Married to my myspace BFF T and living in Germany since 2008.

01-09-2013, 04:19 AM	#12
clothlover8 Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 346 My Mood:	Re: Photos of toy storage in the living room please :) Currently we have 3 of these white cubes - usually they are stuffed with toys/books/games but this day they were all out and around the place lol. One lives in the old fireplace as pictured the other 2 are together against a wall, the other 2 have canvas type boxes that fit in the cube holes so they hide the stuff when it's packed up, it isn't ideal but it's been working okay. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8531412...n/photostream/ I have heard a lot of good things about the wheelie bins. __________________ Mama to 8 cherubs - 5 princesses, 3 princes. cloth loving, baby wearing, co-sleeping, natural loving, thrifty living, healthy eating me!

01-09-2013, 07:38 AM	#13
emeyer76 Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Loveland OH Posts: 1,312 Ratings: 108 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Photos of toy storage in the living room please :) Thank you everyone, and please keep them coming! It's so helpful to see "real" homes and not just magazine/blog photos where everything looks absolutely pristine and costs a gazillion dollars I love the idea of closed storage for toys in the LR, and especially loving some of your furniture pieces that you all have! I'm just wondering if DS (and really DH!) can get into the groove of putting stuff away so it's behind closed doors/bins/baskets. Currently we have some open shelves and the toys rarely make it back into the baskets and onto the shelf. Here's an example of how it looks right now: Those toys on the hearth are supposed to be in the blue baskets and on the shelves, or just on the shelves if they are too large for the basket.... but instead they line up proudly displayed in front of the fireplace Those shelves and the TV placement are temporary until we get the hardwood installed and the built-ins built, which is all supposed to start next week - can't wait!! The other side of the fireplace is the exact same.... such wasted space in those two little nooks. Hopefully we can make them work for toy storage and look nice at the same time! __________________ Erica - Married to Jeff, Momma to Gibson, our rainbow baby Josie, and furbaby Boston Terriers Shelby & Penny, forever missing our angel babies Marshall Feb '11 and our Beans Nov '11 & Feb '12

01-10-2013, 08:53 AM	#14
foreternity Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 141	Re: Photos of toy storage in the living room please :) Oh, I can post pics because I'm in my living room right now! This is exactly how it looks at the moment. My son and I have been playing so bins are out and it's messy. We have a couple of large borrowed toys (the plastic kitchen) that need to be returned to friends but otherwise, we have the tv stand with bins, an easel, a hidden basket with big building blocks (some on the floor, as you can see) and my DD's cradle. I finally like my living room. We redid it over Xmas, splurged on a tv (Kijiji!) and the stand/cubby and the carpet I also scored on Kijiji. My only issue is the cradle. DD's grandfather made it for her and she used it as a baby. So it's a full size cradle! Holds dolls and blankets at the moment but not sure what to do with it in the long run. He also made my son a gorgeous full size rocking horse that is in the basement living room at the moment and I would like it upstairs....anyhow, I digress The third picture is the play kitchen that lives off the living room. I sat in the couch to take the picture. I switch the easel and kitchen back and forth to mix it up. And for reference, my kitchen/dining is on the other side of that large staircase and my front entryway is directly down the hall from the play kitchen. P.S. we also do not do toys in the bedroom (books only). This is everything we have. One blue bin holds some dress up clothes, one is wooden train/blocks, one is little people type toys and the others are a mix. One is empty. We have 2 of the same bins on top of our fridge that hold play doh and rainy day arts and crafts supplies, games and puzzles. My kids are almost 3 and almost 1 so I can't leave the this stuff out at the moment. But using the same bins (Dollarama, $2 each) keeps things streamlined throughout my downstairs. __________________ Madly in love with my bluenose guitar man Mike (04.08) - Happiest Mommy to Loghan (01.10) and Dexter (02.12). Proud Pitbull Mama to Finlay (08.08). BSL is the Pitts!

01-10-2013, 08:59 AM	#15
dancnfool Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: OH Posts: 2,141 Ratings: 103 Feedback: 100%	Re: Photos of toy storage in the living room please :) This is my dilemna as well. We have open shelves in our living room that go all the way to the ceiling. The bottom 3 are about 12" deep but the top ones were just made for books and are very shallow. Once the kids put big books, coloring books, toys, plastic shoe boxes of crayons, etc on them - they always look like they have stuff falling off of them. Keep your fingers crossed for me - I have someone coming next week to see if they can enclose the shelves and add doors and although my husband is resistant (because of the price of lumber) make all the shelves deeper. It will be hard to spend very much to retrofit something that works and I happen to just not like but we'll see.