Anyone use IKEA Expedit shelves to store toys?

[american_mama]

The Lowe's and Target cubes are the same. Sometimes the colors at Target vary by season (lighter in the spring) and sometimes just by stock availability. I think thhe Closetmaid bins waste a lot of the Expedit space and don't look so great b/c of their small size. I have a photo I will post later of 3 different baskets in the space, including the Sterilite product 1628, the Closetmaid, and Bed Bath and Beyond bins.

I have been looking everywhere for the right sized bins, and the pickings are slim, especially since they have to be about $10 or less. Otherwise, it's better to just get the IKEA plastic bins for $10 or the Branas baskets that fit perfectly for $14. But, I ignored my own price restriction and bookmarked these for $12 because they were really nice with straight sides to maximize space and looks:
http://www.organizes-it.com/powhitn-...ker%20Storage#

I am hoping later today to try painting the white plastic Sterilite with the Krylon Fusion paint. If this works, I could do it with either the Sterilite or even the IKEA ones. I found out the Krylon Fusion comes in more colors than are available at most stores, see good color rendition at
http://www.utilitysafeguard.com/Kryl...on-Spray-Paint

A can is less than $4 at Walmart in person, but appears to be much higher online, plus shipping, but if that's what it takes to get the color, I might do it. Krylon is also sending me a color wheel of all their colors.

I also did a little research on shelves similar to Expedit, but will post about that separately, along with the results of the Fusion experiment.

[DAKnits]

Thanks for the suggestion. My only thought is that if everything is in bins, DD can't see what's inside and I have found that it makes all the difference if she can see the toys exposed.

I guess I could have a separate small shelf type organizer just for puzzles and flat items if I get a smaller Expedit unit, but it would be a very tight fit. Grrrrrrr. You would think that it would be easy to find a product like Expedit that has both cubes and longer flat shelves within in the same unit.

[sugarsnappea]

We use the Trofast buckets in our expedit shelves. They fit, and work just fine.
You could use the kindergarten method and tape small pictures of the bins contents on the outside.

[lmintzer]

I know--don't you wish IKEA had a unit that had both? Pottery Barn now does (their toy units are mix and match and has art shelves, doors that close, cubbies, wide shelves, etc.). But they are so pricey. And the quality is not that great. We actually have a unit from a few years ago in our family room--it has chipped a ton and doesn't look that great anymore. We certainly didn't want to spend $800 for another one for the basement!

[funda62]

Can someone please give me the exact interior dimenions of the cubies? Thank you much!

[american_mama]

The exact dimensions of the Expedit cubes (empty) are 13 1/8 wide by 15 1/4 deep by 13 1/8 high.

[american_mama]

If L shaped cubbies and long rectangular shelves would help you, I have two ideas, both priced comparably to Expedit. Before buying Expedit, I looked at a local modern furniture that sells copycat IKEA stuff and Scandinavian imported stuff. That store has something in stock for about $80 or $100 that might work and could maybe be shipped to you. It's probably ready-to-assemble, like IKEA stuff, so not so hard to ship. The dimensions are 60w x 15.5d x 26h inches, color "cherry" (a reddish medium brown). It's divided into thirds the long way (so a shelf would be about 18 or 19 inches wide), with asymmetical shelves of various heights, and one L shaped shelf and one square cubby. Email me if you want to know more.

This same furniture store could also order something like you are describing from a big Danish? furniture company, so check this option at a modern/Scandinavian furniture store in your area. It was called Create It shelves, item 71600, manufacturer Tvilum Scanbirk (or maybe just Scanbirk). Good luck finding the product online, though: I looked and found nothing, even emailing a Japanese friend to look at a Japanese site to see if it was buried in the links. No go.

I only have a spec page from the catalog, no photos, but Create It shelves appear to be cubbies of various sizes (square, rectangular and L shaped). You can put them together in various configurations, and there are lots of nice options if you buy two of the 71600 units. It is too hard to describe; I'll have to try to scan the specs if I can get my scanner to work. I was told they are priced at $149 each and come in light maple (medium brown, like IKEA's beech), light cherry (like a darker beech), and beech (almost blonde, like IKEA's birch).

Sorry to write so much; units with asymmetrical shelves aren't easy to describe.

[lmintzer]

Karen,
I'm not sure if you were referring to my post, but we actually already have the Expedit. We just don't have baskets yet. But I'd still love to see your specs in case we ever do something different. You're always a wealth of information about this kind of stuff. You really do your homework! : ) Thank you!

[DAKnits]

Karen,

I emailed you! Thanks so much!

Oh, and I found Scanbirk....

http://www.racksandstands.com/nobot/...325%7E220.html

[clc053103]

I loved the look of the Expedit shelves, but none of the size options had the dimensions I exactly needed- so I found the Closetmaid Cubeicals option. The cubes are not as large, but still a good size, and have fabric cubes (they were referenced here, found at target and also available at Lowe's) to fit.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...&Ntt=cubeicals

They are also available at Target- though I have not had much luck finding them in stock at the store.

They can be stacked or placed side by side using 8, 6 or 2 cube options to custom shelf an area.

ETA: I originally thought Lowe's would ship free on order over $49- but it didn't apply on this item as it can not be shipped USPS or UPS. But still a good deal if you want to pick up!