Storage is an important feature in any child's room. Kids have a lot of accessories and with every birthday or holiday there are more and more items that need a place to live. Toys, books and clothes all offer the chance for practical as well as unique and creative closet storage ideas. A child's closet should contain a number of different storage solutions to accommodate the range of their belongings and activities. Does this Spark an idea?
Toys
A toy box in the bottom of the closet is a great place to store toy overflow (especially after birthdays). A toy box can contain alternate toys that can be exchanged for those in the main toy box on a weekly or monthly basis. The toy box could be the traditional hinged-lid kind or a series of plastic crates that line up on the floor of the closet. Consider vacuum-seal bags for overflow soft toys such as teddy bears and other stuffed animals. This will keep them clean and fresh and ready to replace over-loved toys.
A hanging shoe rack (the kind that consists of a number of deep-set plastic pockets that attaches to a coat hanger) is another way to store stuffed toys or small playthings in the closet in plain sight. This way, they are off the floor and clean, directly in the line of sight. When toys are stored incorrectly, they are quickly forgotten and soon become a waste of money. Any stored toy should be visible to ensure use and value for money.
A clothing line with clothes pegs is a creative way to store toys in an open closet design (when the interior is visible from the outside). Peg the ears of favorite fluffy friends to keep them off the carpet, away from family pets and to prevent crushing at the bottom of the toy box. The clothes line design also works well as a place to dry toys after washing while keeping them out of the way.
Books
Storing books in the closet is one way of freeing up space on the nursery floor for playtime. Built-in shelving units or a small, single-row, open-design bookcase at the base of the closest is a good place to store oversized books and overflow from the main reading selection. A plastic crate also works for book storage and a handle design provides ease of reach.
A number of ready-made closet storage units are available at home stores, such as metal shelving that offers a safe dry spot for a child's favorite books and toys.
Sports Accessories
Baseball gloves, golf clubs and tennis rackets are best stored at the back of the closet. A number of hooks (such as the kind you see on garage walls) attached to a peg board is one storage solution. The pegs are movable and adjusted to suit the needs of the individual child. A base shelf below the peg board is useful for soccer balls, footballs and other non-hanging accessories.
Clothes
There are several ways to store clothes in a child's closet, from hangars to shelving units. The traditional hanger system allows for quick perusal of items and the ability to hang like with like. Two rows of hanging items, one above the other, utilize the additional space created by the size of children's clothes. Larger coats and offseason clothes can be placed on higher shelves and in-season sweaters and shirts on lower shelves.
Pegs and hooks are another way to make the most out of storage space. Hanging extra jackets and hats on hooks behind or to the side of hanger rods helps eliminate wasted space inside the closet. Pegs at kid height can teach children to put away and store their own belongings. A peg on the inside of a closet door is the ideal place to store a book bag or gym bag.
Shoes
Children may have a number of shoes in a small size, making hanging shoe pockets a great way to increase storage space. Storing shoes vertically not only saves space, it makes the items more accessible.
Bedding
Like offseason clothes, bedding can be stored at the very top of the closet as it does not need to be as accessible as seasonal clothes or favorite toys. Utilize vacuum storage bags that can store large blankets and pillows in a compact amount of space to make the most of top shelves in closets. These bags allow for a number of bedding items to be stored in a small space, stacked or side by side. Alternatively, plastic laundry baskets the same width as closet shelves are another way to keep extra blankets on hand for a cold night or until the seasons change.
Tags: place store, also works, child closet, closet storage, hanging shoe, inside closet
