You’ve done your best to declutter and move things around, but it still seems like there are toys everywhere you look. Or maybe the toys are generally contained to a designated play area in your house (lucky you), but it’s just not working any longer or perhaps never did.
Maybe the kids aren’t happy to spend time in the play area, but you can barely stand to set foot inside because the mess has consistently grown exponentially since you last peeked your head in the door. Keep reading for some ideas to use custom storage and creative ideas to make the play area work for you and your kids.
A play area can be an afterthought, whether it’s a corner carved out of your child’s bedroom or an empty room where that just happened into the toy catch-all. Starting with the intention to make the play area a great place to be is essential. In addition, kids grow (so quickly!), and the assortment of toys and books and games they like to play is constantly changing. Giving the play area a regular update, big or small, will keep you and your kids happy with the space.
One day you’re storing plush toys and board books, and by the next birthday, you’re moving on to puzzles and toy cars. The assortment of storage you’ll need to efficiently manage the clutter will have to adjust as well. You need to make sure there’s a place for everything if there’s any hope of everything getting put away at the end of playtime.
Assess the space. If you want everything tucked into a closet at the end of the day, customize your closet with a wire shelving system. Include a hanging bar or rows of hooks for dress-up clothes, shelves (and more shelves) for games, and labeled bins for building toys, Barbie clothes, or toy cars that are treacherous when left on the floor at night.
Include shelving that only the adults can reach if to accommodate a rotation of toys to keep things fresh or to create space to store toys the older kids have grown out of but the baby isn’t yet ready to play with.
Maybe the play area in your house is part of your child’s bedroom or half of the family room or den. In that case, the storage needs to be both thoughtful and attractive. You still need to make sure everything has a place to tuck away when playtime is done, maybe more so if you hope to reclaim your family room at the end of the day, but the storage should also blend with your design aesthetic.
Look into customized laminate cabinets and dual-purpose furniture for a more public-facing playroom. Talk to a professional about creating a wall of built-in cabinets and shelves. Think about what your kids love to do and whether your kid needs to store each building kit separately or in a giant bin. You know you’re not going to change their minds, so don’t fight it! Buy matching bins or baskets you don’t mind looking at and create the shelf space to store them.
Don’t forget a table and seating for tea parties and art projects. Consider what your kids really love to do and plan to make cleaning up a breeze for kids and parents. Cover a built-in cabinet with cushions and pillows to create a reading bench within reach of the bookshelf. Include a nook with just-right cubbies and a counter to serve as a shop, post-office, restaurant, or whatever imagination calls for.
Once you’ve planned, measured, and installed customized wire shelving in a playroom closet or a built-in system of cabinets and shelves that transform your family room into a play area kids and parents can agree on, think about finishing touches.
Whether the play area is tucked away on the lower level or on display in the den, toy storage should look as good as all the other custom storage in your home. Include some personalized touches before you call it a day. Invest in a nice indoor-outdoor rug for the area so you won’t have to worry about spills and art projects. It’s hard to have fun when you’re worried about the mess.
Create a permanent or rotating art gallery, a mix of your child’s art, and some art, you both love. Use wire strung or twinkly LED string lights with clips to hang just-finished masterpieces that can be swapped out daily or paint and frame a section of the wall with chalkboard paint.
As your kids grow up, you’ll need to change the space around, so set yourself up for future success. Create attractive, versatile storage, and you’ll be ready to move with the times. A reading nook and space for books will work for any age. Swapping out the tea-party tent or train table for comfy seating perfect for board games and hanging out with friends can also move your play area into a teen hang-out area.
You might be overwhelmed by the amount by the number of toys and the size of the mess. Why is it that your play area seems to be everywhere? Let the professionals at Harkraft help you plan for play area success in 2021. Whether you’ve got no more than a nook or a blank canvas to create a giant playroom, we can help you see the possibilities.
Contact us today to talk about wire shelving to make every storage space work better and custom laminate cabinets to seamlessly blend custom storage into any room in your home.
