Stuffed animals and teddy bears seem to proliferate when children are around. The problems with this are myriad, but none more so than how to save them all! With that in mind, I've compiled my ultimate list of stuffed animal storage ideas that will help control toy clutter and make your rooms a little less cluttered. Sounds good, right?
If you have kids, you have stuffed animals.
Done!
And the more birthdays and Christmases you have,these stuffed animals will increase in number.
It's nice to see your kids play with them, make friends with them, and sentimentalize about them, butHow the hell do you keep them clean!?
You won't be getting rid of them anytime soon, so let's see how to store them well so that you and the kids will be happy with the solutions.
ABOVE– Before you start organizing all those stuffed animals, make sure you really WANT them all, if not,Make sure they are clean first.(never organize the mess!).
Storage criteria for stuffed animals
There are some important things to keep in mind and think about when it comes to how to store your children's stuffed animals:
- Easy access- You don't want kids to get frustrated or call every time they want a toy.
- easy to clean– the easier the cleaning time, the better!
- easy to clean- storage and toy!
- does not always fall- When the stuffed animals are on the shelf, they fall down very easily. We have to be smarter about this!
- Seems to be good(not too messy!)
- safe for kids- Of course; understandable without words...
- Make the most of the space you have. If you have a playroom or just a small bedroom to add storage, think about utilizing the height AND width of each available space and you'll be amazed at how much space you actually have.
Lots to think about! But as with all organizing projects in our home, a little planning can go a long way in ensuring that whatever you decide to do will last and work well for your home and family in particular.
Below are all the ideas and solutions I found that I think are really awesome. Some are DIY options, others can be purchased, and there's something for every budget.
So let's get started, shall we?
1. Bean bag storage for stuffed animals
you can haveMany pouf designs, shapes and sizesThey are specially created to hold things like toys inside instead of being filled with the usual stuffing.
Genius!
I also like the fact that you can also stuff it with sheets, blankets, etc., but I digress...
This is my favorite idea of all, for several reasons.
first- I like multifunctional items in a house, and hidden storage for toys is a brilliant idea!
In second place– This would be a perfect option for both a slightly older child and younger ones. My daughter is 10 and has a few toys she wants to put away, but she also needs a "bigger" space. The bean bag would give him a place to relax, but it would also allow him easy access to toys should he want to snuggle!
2. Build your own stuffed animal zoo!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this, and would definitely buy it if my daughter was a toddler. Being able to see all the toys and easily grab them while being held in place with bungee cords is perfect!
Of course, you can DIY and make your own with bungee cords and wood, but if you're not practical or don't have the time, I found one available.HERE.
3. Place a hammock in an unused corner of the room.
Great over a bed to use up an unused corner (in children's rooms, be careful what you put on the bed, if any, stuffed animals are a good choice!).
You can get one (or three!)HERE.
4. Hang some storage from the ceiling.
Keeping toys off the floor and at child height works well.
You can get some awesome hanging basketso IKEAwhich are ideal for this, and you can have one for each child (color coded if you want to go a step further!).
5. Why not use the back of your bedroom door?
Smaller stuffed toys go everywhere (or is it just my house!). LOVED the idea of using the back of my daughter's bedroom door andhanging shoe organizerin it for her. This can be used to accessorize as it grows, so it will be a good buy for years to come!
6. Use poles or poles...
There are two ways to use sticks or sticks that are awesome!
First- How about putting a bar on the wall and taking advantage of the space between the wall and the bar to store the toy? :-
You could take a few posts and turn them into an actual feature.
Second- How about adding stuffed animals back to a shelf but adding adrawbara few inches high in front of each shelf, to prevent toys from sliding off the shelf? It's a simple solution that would work amazingly well and look great too!
7. Go old school with a basket of toys.
Nothing better than a good basket or a toy chest, as this is the best way to hide the large amount of toys in your house!
You don't have to buy anything special, but having a dedicated place for stuffed animals just means they always have a place and are easier/quicker to find and play with when needed.
Some additional ideas would also behang smaller baskets on the wallas another way to keep them off the ground:-
or with aSuitcase or wicker basket. They work especially well in a living room so you can wear what's there(!).
...and last but not least, not always hidden storage, but with athe way of the bodyIt can be a great idea because they are lightweight and can have handles, making it easy to transport.
Want to try some of these stuffed animal storage ideas in your own home?
These are some of the items used in the ideas above, all selected for you to purchase. Hope they help you!
You can find out more about any of the items listed below by simply clicking on the image, which will take you to the store where it is sold. All links are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase, of course at no cost to you.
There you have it – tons of stuffed animal storage ideas to choose from
I hope there are one or two that you can use in your own space that will make a difference.
They work well in most spaces and I have personally used hammocks, hammock hangers and chests/baskets at various stages of my daughter's life over the years. They all worked great.
But now I'm looking at these beanbags, so check this section for an update on that, as one of them could be arriving in our homes soon...
PS If you want to take things a step further with organizing the toys in your home, you can check out my post on that below.Toy storage in the living room.It's perfect if you don't want toys in your bedroom, and offers lots of tips and ideas for making it feel like a grown-up bedroom and playroom so toys don't take up too much. I hope it helps!