The Toy Closet Project
- Jackie O
- Sep 21
- 4 min read
I thrive in clean, organized spaces. Clutter stresses me out. You can imagine—with younger kids—my home has an influx of toys. And we do!
My two boys share a small room with space for a bunk bed, dresser, and bookshelf. To keep the bedroom feeling open, we store the toys across the hallway in a step-in linen closet. The closet is perfect for storing toys and additional books.
Would I love to use this closet for other storage? Yes. But during this chapter of our lives, it’s perfect for the boys' toys.
Recently, the closet had become a dumping ground for toys. Order was gone, and the space was a disaster. The boys couldn’t walk in, and what should have been a fun toy closet was no longer appealing—they didn’t want to dig through the mess to find whatever toy they were looking for. Something had to change. Even cleanup time felt chaotic, as the pile on the floor and the overflowing shelves continued to grow.
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TOY CLOSET REFRESH
Declutter
The first step to refreshing any space is to review and evaluate which items will stay, be donated, or be thrown away. This review process is a must, because there’s no point in putting a wild jigsaw puzzle back together if it has too many pieces — and there were definitely too many items in this toy closet.
With my eldest's birthday coming up and the holidays around the corner, I found myself bracing for an influx of new toys. At this point, I had no clue where those toys would go.
Decluttering can be overwhelming and challenging — how do you part with perfectly good toys? Here are a few recommendations:
Donate toys to a local preschool or Goodwill.
Sell or list them for free on Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, or another local online platform.
Store toys in another space, like the garage, and rotate them throughout the year. (This, to me, is too much work and won’t happen — so extra toys have to go!)
Storage Solutions
First, I reviewed my existing storage solutions to see which products were still working. The shelf baskets with labels were still a win for smaller toys and groupings like Magnatiles, Duplo Legos, Lincoln Logs, and Pixy Blocks. The baskets are manageable for the kids to remove from the shelf and are the perfect size for labels — because you know I need this space to be extra organized. And one day, my kiddos will be able to read them!
When we moved into this home a couple of years ago, I repurposed two small cabinets from our previous house as a storage solution for the base of this closet. These cabinets were among the items I decided to list for free on Facebook Marketplace because the drawers could only hold small toys, and I needed a better solution for larger items like trucks, action figures, and Ghostbuster proton backpacks. I replaced the dresser cabinets with three large round wire baskets. I chose this particular style because you can see through the baskets well enough to get an idea of what toys are inside. I also liked breaking up the space with a round shape rather than adding another square or rectangular piece.
Rope baskets and rug
My kiddos have several books, and I’m happy to keep a few shelves dedicated to them, but I wanted a better solution for storing coloring books, activity books, and craft paper. I opted for multipurpose storage bins—perfectly sized for these items and small enough to fit on my shelves. Since my children are still young and I prefer to supervise coloring activities, I store the activity books and coloring supplies on a higher shelf.
Multipurpose storage bins for coloring and activity books
On the top shelf, I have three containers designed for Legos. Each lid features a built-in base plate for building, and the bins include organizing trays for smaller pieces. To help with rebuilding sets, our Legos are divided into three groups: Star Wars, Minecraft, and all other Lego sets. Since my kids are still young, we've held onto the instruction booklets and store them in pouches on the top shelf.
Something Extra
When I initially emptied out the bottom of the closet, the space felt cold and uninviting—and while I understand it’s just a closet, it’s also a space my kids enjoy hiding out and playing in. I decided to warm it up with a rug. I found a beautiful accent rug that feels neutral yet cozy enough for the space. The rug pairs well with the white wire floor baskets, and the colors complement my hallway rugs, as this closet is just off the hallway.
New rug - available in several sizes
CLOSET ORGANIZATION
If you have a closet in need of organization and don't know where to begin, here are my favorite tips for getting started:
Remove all items and decide what to keep, donate, or toss (although I never love putting anything in the trash!).
Group similar items. Creating groupings helps you see how much you have of each category and makes it easier to decide on the best storage solution for each group.
Map out the ideal location for each item or group. Frequently used items should be easy to access, while lighter or less-used items can go on higher shelves, for example.
Label everything you can. Labels help everyone in your home find what they need and provide a guide for where to return items.
Maintenance is key! As children grow, and as hobbies and lifestyles change, it's important to evolve your space. Create storage solutions that support a clean and organized home.
No matter how big or small your space is, it can be as beautiful as the time and energy you choose to pour into it!
