How To Make A Playroom In The Living Room ~ Saenz Tasty Recipe

How To Make A Playroom In The Living Room

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Finding ways to add storage space to a playroom can feel like an impossible task, especially if you have more than one child. Trying to find spots for their dolls, Lego, cars, action figures, and other oddly shaped toys requires a little ingenuity. However, making use of available wall space and purchasing multi-use furniture can help aid in the process.

1
Set up a pegboard. Find or buy a pegboard from a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes. You can get it cut to whatever size you need and it should only require a few wood screws and drywall anchors to set it up. Paint the pegboard whichever way you like.
- Try bright colors like red or orange or a design with stars and stripes. Once painted, attach hooks and hang things like baskets, toys, and clothes to get things up off the ground and add space to the room.^[1]
- This is an easily customizable item and can be changed regularly as you need.
- A wall slat system is another great storage alternative.^[2]
2
Convert a shoe organizer into toy storage. Buy a cloth or plastic see-through over-the-door shoe organizer for toys like Barbies, stuffed animals, or cars. Simply follow the instructions to hang it over a door and then fill every cubby as needed. You can even divide the shoe organizer in half with different children's toys. For example, barbies and their clothes can go in the top half and action figures like G.I. Joes can go in the bottom.^[3]
- Using a see-through organizer makes it easy for kids to see what's in each pocket, which helps make clean-up easier.
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3
Put up some strips of magnetic tape. Measure out a few strips of magnetic tape to add to a playroom wall. The amount you use will depend on the number of toys you plan to attach. For example, if your child has a large collection of race cars, then you may want 3-5 strips of tape. However, if you have the wall space, you can also just do one long line of magnetic tape. Once you've attached it to the wall, simply place the cars or other metal toys along the stripe.^[4]
- Make sure this strip is low enough for children to access easily.
- You can find magnetic tape at most craft stores or online on Amazon for around $20. It should have one side with a typical tape adhesive covered in thin white paper. Simply peel this off and stick the tape to the wall.
- The tape should peel off easily. However, if you are having issues, try using a mixture or warm water and dishwasher soap to remove the tape.^[5]
4
Invest in a wall mounted desk or table. A hideaway table or desk is a great way to free-up space in a playroom. You can find wall-mounted desks on Amazon or from Ikea for under $50. Everything you need for the set-up is included, outside of a screwdriver. Just make sure to test the durability of the desk before you buy it, as children can be rough in their usage of household furniture.^[6]
- Most fold-away desks only require screws and hinges. You first need to decide where on the wall you want the desk, then use a level and pencil to mark a straight and even line. Once you've done this, you should only have to screw the hinges into the desk, and then screw the other half of the hinges into the wall.
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1
Turn storage bins into seating. Take a couple of wooden, plastic, or wicker storage bins and attach seat cushions to their tops. These storage bins are the perfect size for young children and are a great way to get toys, books, and clothing out of the way without sacrificing space. You can even attach wheels to their bottoms to make them easy for kids to move around as needed.^[7]
- Try different colors and patterns for the fabric tops to add character to a playroom.
2
Use chests as tables. Repurpose a wooden or wicker chest to double-up as a table. Most chests are already at the perfect height for children, however, you can always add table legs to elevate the chest and make it appear more like a table. Try purchasing wooden table legs from Lowes or Home Depot, which are only $1-$3 each. You can also paint or stain these trunks to match the decor of the room.^[8]
- If you don't have a chest, try searching in thrift stores or at Goodwill for a cheaper item you won't mind the kids getting paint and other things on.
3
Line a wall or under a window with benches. Benches are a great way to get both storage and seating. Look for ones that have cubbies for you to put things away in. You can even get a bunch of baskets or colored storage containers to enliven the room's decor. Use these cubbies to pack away stuffed animals, clothes, or shoes.
- If you have a window, try installing a bench with storage directly under it to create a reading area. You can then fill the cubbies with your child's favorite books.
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1
Try floating shelves. This type of shelving is not only easy to put up but very affordable. You can find floating shelves in plain wood colors like oak or cherry, or in black and white. They are carried in most stores like Target, Home Depot, and Walmart. All hardware required for the shelves is included. However, you will need a drill to put in the drywall screws to make sure these shelves are secure.
- Floating shelves come in many sizes but are often short and thin. Try using them for smaller toy collections like cars or action figures.
2
Make a whole wall of shelving or storage boxes. Try devoting a whole wall to storage by putting up multiple rows of shelving. You can do this with standing or floating shelves. Just make sure you measure the height and width of the wall so you can keep the spacing between shelves even. You can also try creating a wall solely of storage bins or boxes, which would act similarly to cupboards.
- If you don't have the space for a whole wall, you can still install multiple shelves in the area available.
3

Use open standing shelves to divide a room. Use standing shelves to separate a playroom from a living or family room space, or simply between activities like reading and arts and crafts. This is a great way to separate areas while still retaining a feeling of openness. You can even divide the bookshelf between the different spaces. For example, playroom items can be placed on the lower shelves where children can reach them, while items like pictures and knick knacks can sit on the top shelves.

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Question

How do I organize my bulky toys?

Robert Rybarski is an Organizational Specialist and Co-Owner of Conquering Clutter, a business that customizes closets, garages, and plantation shutters to ensure organized homes and lifestyles. Robert has over 23 years of consulting and sales experience in the organization industry. His business is based in Southern California.

Organizational Specialist

Expert Answer

Try using a wall slat system in your garage. For example, if your kids play with Nerf guns a lot, you could attach sports baskets to a wall slat system, which can store the toys when they're not using them.
Question

How do I keep my small toys organized?

Robert Rybarski is an Organizational Specialist and Co-Owner of Conquering Clutter, a business that customizes closets, garages, and plantation shutters to ensure organized homes and lifestyles. Robert has over 23 years of consulting and sales experience in the organization industry. His business is based in Southern California.

Organizational Specialist

Expert Answer

A cubby system is a great idea! Store your toys in small, sturdy containers, which can go inside of the cubby system. If you'd really like to go the extra mile, try using these small containers to organize your toys by size, shape, or color.

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How To Make A Playroom In The Living Room

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Add-Storage-Space-to-a-Playroom

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