If you’ve have a child who is three or older, it’s probably been years since you’ve seen an uncluttered floor. No matter how hard work at organizing kids’ toys, they end up everywhere. But with some smarts and creativity, you can get your child’s room or play area to look at least a little less like a hurricane and more like a magazine spread. Even better, these toy storage ideas make it easy for kids to help with clean-up. Win-win.

Kids’ toy storage ideas

Drive on the walls

Mount magnetic strips to a wall in your kid’s bedroom or playroom to easily collect and organise a toy car collection. Part-display, part-storage, it will brighten the room and keep you from stepping on one ever again. With the storage in plain sight, there’s no excuse or forgetting to use it.

Turn art supplies into art

So a bunch of markers will never be the Mona Lisa. That doesn’t mean they can’t brighten up a room. Put that large collection of “jars I will use one day” to good use organizing kids’ toys and art supplies. Crayons, markers, coloured pencils can each get their own jar, making it easy to find the right implement for the right masterpiece. And when not in use, they provide nice pops of color around the room.

Corral the crayons

Here’s another tip for organizing kids’ art supplies. A repurposed popsicle tray can help keep crayons from underfoot. You don’t need the top holders for this, just the tray.

Each compartment of a 6-10 popsicle tray can hold about 5-10 crayons, depending the size. The crayons can be grouped by shades and the tray can be placed in the middle of a desk or table making it easy to share and ideal for play dates. These are a particularly good alternative to glass if you have young children.

Make a bucket list

Paint buckets or tin pails can be recycled to store blocks or toy sets comprising smaller pieces. If you’re using smaller buckets with lids, they can be stacked in groups of three. Larger ones can be stowed away under a desk or bed when playtime is over. The handles on these make it easy for kids to carry them.

The best part is turning the repurposing – from paint buckets to toy containers – into a craft project, letting your kids personalize the pails with paint, sequins, or stickers.

Swing with the stuffed animals

Another DIY project, this toy organization idea is a bit more labor-intensive, so save it for a long weekend. A wooden swing made from pre-cut strips of wood is hung from the ceiling to hold the whole family of stuffed animals. You’ll need to bring out the toolbox for this one, but we think it’s worth the effort.

Once all the gluing, drilling and hanging is done, the stuffed animals will all have a designated space, and your kid will be sure to “take them home” after playtime.  If carpentry isn’t your thing, you can fashion a hammock out of an old sheet or even fishing net to get the same effect. Using two hooks on your ceiling about 6 feet apart and a length of rope, tie the sheet or the net securely.

Break out the baskets

This idea for organizing kids’ toys can work in any part of the house, not just your child’s room. Mount baskets on the wall at varying, kid-friendly heights, making them easy to access. You can color code, assign different sizes, or create personalized labels for each child or adult. The advantage of using baskets: an open top makes it easy to put things away quickly in case of an unexpected visitor.