Toys seem innocent enough, but they are actually sneaky little monsters that will try and take over your entire home if you let them. If you're not careful every single room in your home and every surface available will be covered in toys, toys, toys. Your children won't mind, but you will. The only solution is to have designated places to store each and every toy that are easy for your children to actually use.
More from MamásLatinas: Old-school toys that will never go out of style
We've put together some rather creative toy storage ideas for you that range from basic to clever, so you and your kids can live peacefully with toys.
Not only are these great options in and of themselves, but they'll get you thinking of other ways you can store toys that you may not have thought of yet.
Turn a gorgeous piece of furniture into toy storage.
You don't have to buy furniture that is specifically for storing toys. You could use furniture that you already own and use it for toy storage. Your house, your rules.
Dressers aren't just for clothes.
In the spirit of using furniture as toy storage, consider using a nice dresser for toys instead of clothes.
Use the space under beds for storage
There are so many affordable rolling storage options like this one for under your child's bed. Get one with wheels so it's easy for your little one to roll it in and out all on their own.
Find more under bed toy storage options here.
Repurpose wall mounted planters.
If you remove the liner from wall mounted planters like these, they work to store stuffed animals.
A hammock for stuffed animals keeps them off the floor.
This toy hammock works great for stuffed animals, but you could also use it for balls.
Find other toy hammocks here.
Or you could crochet your own hammocks!
If you know how to crochet, you can totally go the DIY route with these toy hammocks.
Get the full DIY directions at Ryckmania.
Ottomans with hidden storage to the rescue!
Ottomans with hidden storage are brilliant. You can use them to keep toys in, put your feet up and as extra seating when needed.
Stuffed animal storage that doubles as a bean bag.
Meant to be filled with stuffed animals, this toy storage bag is perfect for sitting on when it's full.
Find other stuffed animal storage bags here.
A bath toy organizer that fits right into the tub.
Bath time toys are great, but usually end up on the bottom of the tub for you to deal with, but not with this bath tub toy organizer that easily slides out of the way.
Find other bath toy organizers here.
DIY bath toy organizer.
Clever brains come up with clever solutions like how to make a bath toy organizer out of a shower curtain rod, shower curtain rings and plastic bins.
Get the full DIY directions at Cleverly Simple.
Over the door organizers can store all kinds of things.
Over the door shoe organizers like this one don't have to be just for shoes. They work well for storing kids knick knacks and if you get the clear kind, it's easy to see everything.
Find more over the door "shoe" organizers here.
Hanging storage that can transition from diapers to toys.
If you have wall hanging storage like this one, save it for stashing toys or art supplies when the diaper years are behind you.
Find more hanging diaper organizers here.
Tiered hanging mesh organizers with lots of space.
Collapsable mesh organizers like this one can be stored when not needed. They can also easily be hung inside a closet if you don't want them out in the open.
Find more mesh hanging storage options here.
A mat that turns into a toy storage bag with the pull of a string.
Legos are a barefoot parent's worst nightmare. They must always be put away when not in use and this drawstring mat/storage bag makes it easy for kids and parents to avoid the pain of stepping on a Lego.
Find other toy storage mat bags here.
Plastic bin storage organizers are popular for a reason.
We're sure you've seen a plastic bin storage organizer like this one at any of the big box retailers you've been to. They are popular because they are basic and they work.
Find more plastic bin storage organizers here.
Cube wire storage shelves that let you create your own stacking options.
This wire storage unit is really just panels of wire grids that you put together with corner connectors. No tools necessary.
Find more wire storage shelving options here.
A place to keep all dem balls.
Balls are always challenging to put away because they have a tendency to roll away. This vertical ball rack keeps them in place brilliantly and the elastic cords make it easy to pull out a particular ball without having to pull them all out.
Find more vertical ball rack options here.
Heavy duty mesh bags are your friends.
Mesh bags like this one are great for storing balls. They're also see-through so kids can see kind of sort of where they need to reach to get the ball they want.
Find more mesh bags here.
Why not use balls as a decorating motif?
They look cute on the walls in ball claws like this one and they're easy to grab when needed.
Consider furniture with built-in toy storage.
Look for furniture with cubby storage like this bookcase.
Baskets are just waiting to be filled.
Baskets are pretty, baskets are useful, baskets are easy to come by. Use them on shelves, on top of dressers or on the floor.
Is it a box or is it a basket?
Anytime you come across affordable basket/box-like containers that look pretty on shelves, consider stocking up on them and using them to contain toy clutter. You could store small cars, action figures, art supplies and so many other things in them.
Save cookie tins and repurpose them.
You know how your abuela used those round cookie tins to keep sewing supplies in? You can also use them to store small toys or puzzle pieces.
Modular drawers that you can stack however you like.
These modular drawers from The Container Store are a great way to build a storage system that works for you.
Remember when you used to use crates as furniture?
College students use food crates to create furniture all the time. Who says you have to be in college to use them? Get creative: stack them, make shelves with them or hang them on the wall to stash toys.
Turn crates into seats with storage in them.
Get crafty and add cushion tops to crates so they can be twice as useful.
Get the full DIY directions at Welcome to the Woods.
Park toy cars in a custom DIY garage.
If you build it, they will park them. Make it easy for kids to put away their toy cars with this DIY garage.
Get the full DIY directions at The Gracious Wife.
No lid, no problem.
Sometimes the lids to food storage containers go missing. Keep the bottoms and use them in drawers to organize pens, markers and crayons.
Kitchen baskets can be toy baskets.
Three-tier wire baskets work great in the kitchen for fruits and veggies. They are also great in kids' rooms for toys. You could even hang them on a curtain rod inside a closet.
Tattered card game boxes be gone!
You know how the boxes that card games come in start falling apart and become useless? Well, the solution to the problem is just a dollar store trip away with this tutorial.
Get the full DIY directions at All For the Love of Teaching.
Cube storage furniture with storage cubes.
Cube storage furniture has become ubiquitous. You can find it at just about any place that sells furnishings. It's super useful because you can store things inside cubes and have them be out of sight quickly.
Put a peg board on the wall.
Peg boards are great in the garage for hanging tools and there is no reason why they can't be used in a playroom or child's room to hang toys.
Find peg board options here.
Not sure what to put on a peg board for storage?
Not to worry, there are so many useful options like these wire baskets.
Make your own stackable storage furniture.
Create your own stackable storage by painting wooden crates.
Nothing wrong with using an actual toy box.
There are so many varieties of toy boxes available nowadays that you are bound to find one you love.
Find toy box options here.
Pack 'em up.
Old suitcases that you can find at thrift stores are a lovely way to store toys. You can stack them in the room as part of the decor or slide them under the bed.
What about doll storage?
How about a doll storage case that can be rolled up and taken on play dates like this one?
Bedside caddies are a thing.
These bedside caddies can be hooked to the side of the bed and hold small toys, books, book lights or anything that would otherwise end up on the floor once your child falls asleep.
Stick metal toys on a magnetic strip.
Some metal toys would stick perfectly on a magnetic strip like this one.
Wall pockets for coloring books and more.
Normally, you would think of using these wall pockets for magazines or mail. They're also great for keeping coloring books, small electronic toys or whatever you want.
