Planning a playroom...Expedit? Trofast?

[ohiomom1121]

I know there's lots of love on this board for the Expedit system so I'm talking DH into an Ikea trip. We want to turn the unused dining room into a playroom for the kids. I love this and am using it for inspiration for setting up the room.http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ClSU4iSXUgU/S6gvB2qA2lI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/WJgdRjewDQc/s640/Playroom2.jpg

But looking online reviews for Trofast seem iffy. Wondering if anyone has thoughts about it. Plus I don't see tall ones online like in this picture. I like the idea of connecting them at the top and putting a little desk in the middle.

[boolady]

We used this exact photo as inspiration and ended up buying only Expedit. The Trofast bins seem nice, but they just didn't appeal to us as much as the Expedit...the bins on the Trofast seemed either really shallow or really deep. I also feel like when the room's done being DD's playroom, we can use the Expedit for other purposes...not so sure what we'd do with the Trofast. I am curious to hear from folks who have the Trofast system or some of both which they prefer.

[brittone2]

We are big Expedit fans for toy storage. There are toys that don't fit in it, but it houses a LOT of stuff.

I have considered the Trofast a few times but we don't own that unit.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

We are big Expedit fans for toy storage. There are toys that don't fit in it, but it houses a LOT of stuff.

I have considered the Trofast a few times but we don't own that unit.

:yeahthat:

we have a 4x4 expedit in our playroom, and love it. we just got another 4x4 for upstairs game room/play area.

i considered the trofast too, but went with the expedit, i guess for the simple basic design. we really only put boxes on the bottom rows anyway, for easier access. i also like how you can swap out the types of boxes you use to store toys for different looks (e.g. you can get basket-woven type, or plastic ones, or mesh ones, etc).

i agree with PP that once kids are older, you can easily use Expedit for other non-kid things (e.g. can put books, picture frames, etc).

[wendibird22]

We've had the Trofast for about 2yrs now and love it. We have two of the 3-tiered style and have them side by side with the tallest portion touching in the middle and the steps getting lower out to the sides. We use all 3 sizes of bins. The small are great for coloring books, plastic party favor junk, playdoh, small legos, doodles, magnet dolls, etc. The medium size hold our little people and their vehicles/accessories and our weebles and their vehicles/accessories, our Thomas train tracks and trains, blocks, pop-it dolls and their clothes, etc. Our large bins hold doctor kit, music instruments (drum, piano/xylophone), a large container holding Mr Potato Head and his accessories, duplos, foam blocks, etc. We have 4 of each size bin. Our large items (little people farm, weeble village), stuffed animals, etc sit on top. My girls are not exactly gentle with the bins and they've all held up great...even to them sitting inside them. They make lids for them too which was nice for keeping DD2 out of the bins containing choking hazards early on. Since we have two identical ones I envision either splitting them up one in each girls room later on or both with go to DH for repurpose in either the basement or the garage.

[brittone2]

:yeahthat:

we have a 4x4 expedit in our playroom, and love it. we just got another 4x4 for upstairs game room/play area.

i considered the trofast too, but went with the expedit, i guess for the simple basic design. we really only put boxes on the bottom rows anyway, for easier access. i also like how you can swap out the types of boxes you use to store toys for different looks (e.g. you can get basket-woven type, or plastic ones, or mesh ones, etc).

i agree with PP that once kids are older, you can easily use Expedit for other non-kid things (e.g. can put books, picture frames, etc).

Yeah, we keep one 5x5 in our study filled with non fiction books and HSing materials (manipulatives in container store boxes, curricula, etc.). Our other 5x5 is in the finished basement playroom holding toys. I have a 2x4 for our picture books but that's bursting at the seams and is going to get relocated to DD's room.

In our last house we didn't have a dedicated playroom, but we had a long living room. We had this one huge expanse of wall, so at the end of that wall we had two 5x5 expedits side by side to store all of the toys and books. It worked well for the situation at the time. The "play area" was behind one of the couches and the Expedits were in that area.

[JTsMom]

Cute room. I've heard some don't like the Trofast b/c of the dumpability of the bins. I wonder how easy they are to get in the grooves.

We have a variety of storage types b/c no one type works for all of our stuff. Some things are too bulky for the Expedit, so open shelves are good for those items. Some items work better in small bins, some in large.

Some things are just too ugly, so I don't want them exposed in the Expedit.

I'm a huge Expedit fan in general, and that's what we have the most of. I really think it's hard to go wrong with them. I don't own a Trofast, but I don't think it would be as flexible. I can't see storing books in it, for example.

I think the best thing to do is just to gather all of the stuff, sort it, and figure out what will work for your stuff now, and in the future.

I posted pics of our playrooms in Clean Sweep. We have 1 big one upstairs with open shelves and bins, and some other storage
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=391335&highlight=playroom

and an office/playroom/schoolroom downstairs with several Expedits, and a couple of cheapy bookshelves from Target.
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=338539&highlight=playroom
(Post 76)

[twowhat?]

We have both and the Expedit is FAR more useful. We could've done without the Trofast.

[jerigirl]

They do have a taller Trofast system. We have it.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30171123/

I will say though, we like the Expedit system better. It just works better for what we want to store.

[MissyL11]

We have both too and I like the expedit better. I feel like I am limited in what I can use the trofast for.

[sidmand]

We have both in our playroom but until very recently we had four Trofast smaller units set up to be a train table (a HUGE train table). I always thought that when the kids outgrew the train table it'd be great that we could repurpose the Trofasts into something else and we did. We stacked them up two sets of two and now they're just storage areas. I don't mind them and can't say that I prefer one over the other (Expedit vs. Trofast--we have the 5 x 5 Expedit too).

We have different sizes of bins and they've worked well. When it was a train table though we often had kids pull out the bins and hide in the middle!

ETA: A picture of when there was a train table: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1338326427186.2042473.1501906032&l=de027949f6&type=1

[JTsMom]

We have both in our playroom but until very recently we had four Trofast smaller units set up to be a train table (a HUGE train table). I always thought that when the kids outgrew the train table it'd be great that we could repurpose the Trofasts into something else and we did. We stacked them up two sets of two and now they're just storage areas. I don't mind them and can't say that I prefer one over the other (Expedit vs. Trofast--we have the 5 x 5 Expedit too).

We have different sizes of bins and they've worked well. When it was a train table though we often had kids pull out the bins and hide in the middle!

ETA: A picture of when there was a train table: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1338326427186.2042473.1501906032&l=de027949f6&type=1

Awesome train table! :thumbsup:

[KHF]

We have both and the Expedit is FAR more useful. We could've done without the Trofast.

:yeahthat: We have a low Trofast (one like the PP used to make the train table...which is awesome!), and one that's about 3 feet high. We use both, but not like we use the Expedit. We have a 4x4 Expedit in the playroom and a 2x4 with a desk in the office for DD.

[lhafer]

I used to have something similar to the Expedit system - I got it at Target.

I just changed the nursery to a playroom and bunked our girls in the same room. It's working out really well for us so far. Originally I moved the toys storage systems I had in to there. The baby is 19 months old, and I had cloth bins on one side, and an open storage bin on the other. In the middle was an old bookcase that housed the doll houses, etc, but it was really too small the toys would get stuck, and the kids had trouble getting them out. While I thought it looked nice, I knew the toys in there would be "out of sight, out of mind" and never get played with. So I set out looking for something different.

I found mesh bins at the Container Store (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/toyStorage/openBinsBaskets?productId=10009901&N=77427)that I fell in love with (we have the medium sized ones). The problem was they were too big for my current system. I finallly found this system (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-White-Wire-Storage-Cubes-Four-Cubes-Interlocked/5005200) that would fit the 14" tall bins (they hold a TON of stuff). I ordered 3 of them.

Now I really like the new storage system because the girls can actually see their toys. It's not as pretty looking at the expedit, but I find it more functional for us. It might make a difference if your playroom is in plain view. And while the actual system has a smaller footprint width wise, it actually holds A LOT more toys than the old system!!

Old system:
2095

New system:
2094

[dogmom]

I found the bins with the wood Trofast system would fall out of the grooves with any moderate amount of weight, which sort of made the big minds useless for anything by stuffed animals.

I wound up getting this system fro JC Penneys because our family room IS a family room and needs to be cleaned up for guests. I have the drawer units for bases, some of the open units and two of the door units, one in cork. They are very reasonable and you can always find a free shipping code. I've had them for 4 years now, still in great shape.

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6E.aspx?GrpTyp=ENS&ItemID=1ad21db&DeptID=83546&CatID=83582&SO=0&SelDim=5%7e&x5view=1&NOffset=0&Ne=949+5+877+8+18&shopperType=G&N=4294930644+4294964667&Nao=0&PSO=0&bcCat=3&CmCatId=83546|83582

http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6E.aspx?GrpTyp=ENS&ItemID=1b24a56&DeptID=83546&CatID=83582&SO=0&SelDim=5%7e&x5view=1&NOffset=0&Ne=949+5+877+8+18&shopperType=G&N=4294930644+4294964667&Nao=0&PSO=0&bcCat=3&CmCatId=83546|83582

[Melanie]

I love the expedits, though only have looked longingly at them as we haven't had room. :) We have an old ikea system that is about the same depth with doors then has one open section in the middle. It was actually for our office but as we've moved it's been repurposed for games and toys. I like that we can shut the doors on most of it to hide the toys away, but my kids are older. So anyway, just a thought when you're looking you might want some storage to be more hidden.

As for the trofast, I loved the real wood but the plastic bins weren't my cup of tea. I've recently seen one where someone cut some wood shelves and replaced the trofast bins with those.

[twowhat?]

As for the trofast, I loved the real wood but the plastic bins weren't my cup of tea. I've recently seen one where someone cut some wood shelves and replaced the trofast bins with those.

Yes to this - the real wood part is nice, and solid. But the plastic bins seem flimsy to me. We have never had one break (but we don't use ours heavily at all since we prefer the Expedit) but I do remember seeing bins at the store that were cracked at the rim - I could see them breaking easily with heavy toys. And since they pull out like drawers, it is very tempting to pull them 3/4 of the way out, pop the lid off, and pull stuff out/put stuff in which puts a lot of stress on the back corner rims of the plastic bins.

[jerigirl]

As for the trofast, I loved the real wood but the plastic bins weren't my cup of tea. I've recently seen one where someone cut some wood shelves and replaced the trofast bins with those.

DS has cracked a few bins (standing on them!)

There are shelf inserts that you can buy for the trofast.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90091454/

[ohiomom1121]

Thanks for all the info and links/pictures. They are very helpful! I'm leaning towards all Expedit. Now I just have to decide on the dark brown or white!

[JTsMom]

The white is nice b/c it doesn't show scratches or dust as much. The dark looks nice though too. I have and like both.

[essnce629]

We have 5 expedit units and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. Our biggest one, the 5x5 one, is in our playroom. We also have a 2x4 one in the playroom. DS2 has a 2x4 one in his room as well, and DS1 has a 2x4 in his room and a 2x2 in his closet. Can't. get. enough. expedits!!!! We have the birch ones.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1943.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_2212.jpg

[ohiomom1121]

Latia where are your containers from? I like the size that fills them up completely and there are two of them (if that made sense!).

Lori, good points to consider with the colors!!!

[KrisM]

Latia where are your containers from? I like the size that fills them up completely and there are two of them (if that made sense!).

Lori, good points to consider with the colors!!!

You need to go read this thread (http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=338539&highlight=container+expedit)on the containers!

[KrisM]

We have 5 expedit units and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. Our biggest one, the 5x5 one, is in our playroom. We also have a 2x4 one in the playroom. DS2 has a 2x4 one in his room as well, and DS1 has a 2x4 in his room and a 2x2 in his closet. Can't. get. enough. expedits!!!! We have the birch ones.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1943.jpg

Can the kids get the sideways games out without spilling them? Looks like and maybe easier than stacked like we have ours. I just wonder if they can do it without a mess!

[theriviera]

We have both in our playroom but until very recently we had four Trofast smaller units set up to be a train table (a HUGE train table). I always thought that when the kids outgrew the train table it'd be great that we could repurpose the Trofasts into something else and we did. We stacked them up two sets of two and now they're just storage areas. I don't mind them and can't say that I prefer one over the other (Expedit vs. Trofast--we have the 5 x 5 Expedit too).

We have different sizes of bins and they've worked well. When it was a train table though we often had kids pull out the bins and hide in the middle!

ETA: A picture of when there was a train table: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1338326427186.2042473.1501906032&l=de027949f6&type=1

Awesome train table! Do you mind sharing how many units you used to build that?

[anonomom]

We've had the Trofast system for about two years. I like the smaller bins, but can't say I love the bigger ones. They fall out of the grooves very easily if there's too much weight in them. We've also broken the rims of at least two of the largest bins, again because of weight issues. Our kids also tend to leave the bins half pulled out, then they climb on top of the units (we have the low ones), and kind of carelessly use then bins as foot rests while they're sitting up there playing.

That said, it's nice to have such a flexible system -- I like that you can combine different sized bins and that it's easy to organize toys. Makes cleanup very easy.

[brook.wallace]

We have the Trofast for all three of our children. They are very durable. We lobe them for the kids. They make shelves for them for when you're children grow up and dont need the bins for toys.



I know there's lots of love on this board for the Expedit system so I'm talking DH into an Ikea trip. We want to turn the unused dining room into a playroom for the kids. I love this and am using it for inspiration for setting up the room.http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ClSU4iSXUgU/S6gvB2qA2lI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/WJgdRjewDQc/s640/Playroom2.jpg

But looking online reviews for Trofast seem iffy. Wondering if anyone has thoughts about it. Plus I don't see tall ones online like in this picture. I like the idea of connecting them at the top and putting a little desk in the middle.