Toy Box Suggestions

[katydid1971]

I'm looking for an attractive toy box or other holder for toys that I can put in my family room that my toddler would be able to use. I want him to be able to get toys in and out easily. We spend most of our time in our family room and I really don't want to look at something that's red and blue and yellow and made of plastic. I also don't want to spend hundreds of dollars. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Sarah

[sarahsthreads]

Well, I know you don't want something red and blue and made of plastic, but we have this Target bin shelf:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/35352.jpg
(http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-4/qid=1156682304/ref=sr_1_4/602-0261274-3071839?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B000CSPO1A)

Since it's not primary colored bins, it actually works really well with the colors I had already decorated in. In fact, the red is the only "new" color in the room, so I've sort of embraced that and gotten a couple of other red items to tie it in.

Both my daughter and I love this shelf. It's really easy to keep things organized (which I like), and she can access any of the bins (which she likes). Anything but the largest of toys will fit in it, although taller plastic toys have to go on the top shelf. DD also fits in the bigger bins - she sits in an empty one and pretends it's a bathtub, a boat, a car, etc. So the bins alone are toys to her. It goes on sale pretty often for $40, too, so it's cheap!

We have this bookcase for her room that we got from the Company Store:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/35353.jpg
(http://www.thecompanystore.com/product.asp?product=xi1701ospaszz&dept%5Fid=5044&Au=RollupKey)

It was a lot more expensive, and we don't like it nearly as well. Not much fits in those bins and only the shortest of board books fit on the bookcase. (Disclaimer: I'd have to check the dimensions on mine - the picture on their site looks different: there seems to be a lot more room above the bins then ours has. We've had it for two years, so it may have been changed.) I wish I'd saved the money and gotten a Target storage shelf for her room!

HTH!
Sarah

[sidmand]

We have something from IKEA. I just checked their site to see if I could link to it, but it doesn't seem to be there. We have a storage end table and also a storage coffee table. I'm not sure how well a toddler could open and shut it though, but it's made of "wood" and has a lattice pattern. The end table is a cube shape (that fits a lot of toys!) and we have the coffee table in the playroom and that is more rectangular and toy boxed shaped. We stick the end table in a corner (we don't use it as an end table) and it's been great. But so far we remove the cover while DS is playing and put it back on at night. Like I said, not sure how well a toddler could get it on and off, but it's definitely not plastic and not hundreds of dollars. I think the end table was around $50 and the bigger table around $70.

Debbie
http://b2.lilypie.com/BI7Tm5.png

[niccig]

Can you repurpose something you already have? We have a sofa table, wood top, metal lattic shelf. I have 3 Ikea white trofast containers on the shelf and 3 on the ground underneath. The trofast containers are plastic, but you could use baskets instead. The toys are divided into the different bins, books, cars, lego, puzzles etc. I find separate containers easier than 1 big box. We also have the Nilo Table and 2 trundle drawers, but we're only using 1 drawer at the moment. The drawer is divided into 4 sections, so things don't get all mixed up.
together.

I've also head of some people using an Ikea book shelf that has cubbies. They put baskets on canvas bins in the cubbies. I think it's the expedit shelf. We didn't have the room for this, but our old sofa table works well.

HTH
Nicci

[mariza]

How about a storage ottoman like this from Penny's:
http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/ProductsHOM.aspx?ItemID=0f8aa54&GrpTyp=ENS&CmCatId=SearchResults

or you could find a raw wood store and finish a toy box to match your decor.
DH had a chest from the raw wood store from his "single" days and we use that for DD's toy box. I like it because it has smooth moving hinges and stay up by itself after the lid is lifted so I don't worry about DD slamming her hands in it. Also there is a 1/2 inch gap between the lid and the front so I don't worry about air flow. (DD likes to climb inside of it) As she gets older she may want to hide in it and there is plenty or air circulation so I would not worry about her suffocating in there.
Now if I could just get DH to paint it something fun instead of the boring stain he has on it now.

Mariza
Mommy to my "Thing 1"
and soon to arrive "Thing 2"

[dhano923]

I know you said no plastic, but we have this one in our family room and really like it. The toy section has an angled top that slides up so it's easy for kids to get the toys out on their own. And the shelves are good for oversized toys (in our case, trucks) and also books. Plus it's a beige color, so it's pretty neutral and blends in. I bought it in store and it was less than the online price.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2336203&cp=2274250

[american_mama]

We're going through this too. Dh wants a toy box, presumably because it's easy to clean up by throwing everything in one place, but I don't because it's hard to find anything when it's all in one place.

The lattice box at IKEA that someone else mentioned is HOL. The cube is 19 5/8 inches all around, price $50, page 138 in the current catalog.

We have something similar to the JCPenney's storage ottoman and the lids are very heavy. At least for ours, I don't think a child could remove the lid easily.

The Expedit shelving unit is what we are probably going to get. It comes in different sizes and finishes. The downside is that 1) buying baskets or containers separately gets expensive since nice ones are usually at least $10 each 2) there is no back to the expedit so I am worried that toys will end up marking the wall behind it.

We have also seen people get low bookshelves or benches with cubbies underneath, then put decorative wicker or canvas baskets inside for storing toys. Target has lots of stuff like this, see Kids Rooms on their website. I couldn't find it on the site, but they also have a Closetmaid (?) shelving unit (not plastic) divided into little cubbies. You can put toys on it as is, buy the separate canvas containers that come in lots of colors, or buy doors that swing open.

Also at Target, I found a nice cube thing that can hold three canvas containers which came in a pretty dark blue, light blue, and light freen. it was pre-assembled in the part of the store that sells small footstools, small end tables, decorative shelves to hang on a wall. It wasn't the furniture section, but kind of the... furniture accesorry section, if that's what it's called. It wasa $35.

[icunurse]

We bought this one a couple of years ago for a great price on Amazon right after Christmas (I think it was $100 shipped?). It's solid and sturdy and looks nice.
http://www.littletikes.com/Toys/Toys-Detail.aspx?Product_ID=3171&Description=Mission+Design+Storage+Center&ProductCategory=MISSION
Traci
~Connor's Mom 02/2004~
Agency paperwork completed - waiting (and waiting) for another baby!

[gordo]

I have a toy chest from Ikea that just happend to match my Ikea coffe table, tv cabinet, and chests. It was $60 or so and just a plain wooden rectangle. The lid is great since it stays up on its own and won't slam on DC's hand. Hold a ton of toys!

[TwinsItIs]

I bought two of these from Pottery Barn Kids

http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpab%7Ccplasto%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb%2Fshp ab%7Ccpla%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb&pkey=cplasto%7Cab&gids=pk790
I absolutely love them. They hold up well, are extremely portable, with the handles, so you can take them to whichever room you're in just by grabbing the handles (even little kids can do that). I bought the light blue and wrote Toys on the large and Stuff on the medium (I'd love to get the small, but they don't have them anymore). I would recommend them to anyone. I think it looks nicer in DS's room than on the site.

They also have these colors:
http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpab%7Ccplasto%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb%2Fshp ab%7Ccpla%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb&pkey=cplasto%7Cab&gids=f735

and then they have a bit of a different version:

http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?src=shpab%7Ccplasto%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb%2Fshp ab%7Ccpla%7Cda%7Crshop%5Fb&pkey=cplasto%7Cab&gids=w2520
I think that this one is a bit stiffer. I like the fact that the ones I have are foldable to put away if and when it's not needed. I also have some of the pop up totes from them for smaller toy sets. Love it as well.

[Tondi G]

we got 2 from IKEA that are in the antique stain pine (I think). I believe they were around 60 bucks and they look nice in our living room!

You could also check Little Colorado

http://www.littlecolorado.com/stock55.html

[the mommy]

Hi- I bought a three box set from Via Toy Box and so far we love it. I will try to figure out how to post a picture later, but we got three different "fronts" for the boxes, a circle, door, and a square. I also got a book rack for the side too. I like the look of them, and they are fairly inexpensive. You can arrange the boxes however you like, and that flexibility is what sold me. I think they will be able to grow with my DD. Since you are looking for something more "adult friendly" you could choose the natural finish- with doors to contain the toys. . .

http://www.viatoybox.com/products/complete_boxes.html

Good luck!

Heather
dd 1/04