Anyway, back to the playroom. It really is all about the storage here. The room is small and functions as a a pass-through so we needed shelving that would maximize floor space and not impede traffic flow.
Two sets of shelves span opposite walls--the ever-popular Ikea Expedit (the 5 x 5 unit) on one side of the room and an adjustable baker's rack on the other. I like the flexibility of these units. Over the years they've each made appearances in nearly every room of the house, and I'm sure they'll get moved around again as our tastes/needs evolve.
Of course the challenge with open shelving is making it functional yet still attractive. I owe a big thanks to my sister who helped me style/organize them so it doesn't look [too much] like a toy store threw up in there. The kids can easily find everything they need and put it back when they're done with it, so it's all good. A few of the ideas we used:
- Repurposed peanutbutter jars for storing small items like plastic animals, finger puppets, art supplies, etc (originally seen on Plum Pudding)
- Repurposed pretzel jars for storing larger collections (Matchbox cars and dolls)
- Old crates
- Baskets (a picnic basket and a Moses basket both got repurposed as toy/game storage)
- Miniature suitcases
- Ikea boxes
Seen any other creative storage solutions recently? Leave a link in the comments.
Oh, one last thing! See that chair in the photo? My brother helped me reupholster it and my sister made the quilt. I see my family everywhere in this room. It makes me happy.
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