Creative Storage

Updated on January 12, 2009
L.C. asks from Virginia Beach, VA
20 answers

My daughter has a ton of stuffed animals. She plays with them occasionally, and most of them I don't want to get rid of because they are from family, some who aren't with us any more. But the animals are taking over her bedroom. Does anyone have any creative ideas on how to store / display them so that they aren't in a box, but aren't all over the place? Thanks moms!

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N.B.

answers from Washington DC on

We use a mesh laundry divider. It holds a ton of stuffed animals and they (my kids) can still get to them so that they can play with them. Hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.E.

answers from Washington DC on

L.,

We always used the room nets, that you hang in the corner of the ceiling. WE had to also ask that people stop sending or giving her stuffed animals, it gets so out of control. Here is the link to what I was talking about http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Pet-Net-Stuffed-Organizer/dp...

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E.V.

answers from Roanoke on

I have used corner toy nets and a big bucket (laundry type, w/rope handles...the label shows it holding sports equipment, toys or leaves. I got it in college for laundry!) It is about 2+ feet tall and round, getting smaller at the bottom. The toy nets are nice, but if you hang it above the bed, the stuffed animals will get pulled down all the time! you also need to have sturdy anchors/walls. It didn't hold too well in my trailer's walls! Or you could try a big rubbermaid/sterilite storage box w/a lid so that you can rotate out what ones she can have, and put the rest away for a while. Hope some of these ideas help!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I agree with all the other suggestions for hammocks, etc. I would, however, also suggest that you try to pare down as much as possible as she will only get more as she grows. One idea is to take nice pictures of some that you plan to get rid of and you can display them in her bedroom or in an album for memories. That takes pretty much no room at all. Just a thought.

1 mom found this helpful
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F.B.

answers from Charlottesville on

They sell these really nice, affordable, mesh netting that you hang from the the wall in a corner, and then all the stuffed animals can sit up on it. Below is a link for one on amazon. Good luck!!

http://www.amazon.com/Stuffed-Animal-Toy-Organizer-Deluxe...

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L.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Maybe buy (or build if you are handy) some shelves that go along the top perimeter of the walls in the bedroom. High enough that they can be seen but not necessarily easy enough to reach for the child. That way you are in control of what comes down and gets played with. Target sells really cute shelves painted in white or black to match just about anything. Shelves are a great way to display but also have some organization to things Good luck!

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T.V.

answers from Washington DC on

My neice stores hers in a hammock looking net in the corners of her room. She's 20 now but she still keeps them. Toys R Us might carry them.

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C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

L.~

Go up! A hammock-type sling across one corner and high up on the wall can corral lots of stuffed animals without major expense or installation. Another way to maximize unused space would be to install a shelf around the room about a foot and half or so from the ceiling. Great for display and keeping collections tidy!
If going up is not an option, think about using the back of the room door. Using a shoe bag as a model, you could create (sew) a special "home" for the stuffed animals with a room-coordinating fabric. I saw this done once by a creative mom who customized the pockets to fit each animal and then stenciled/stamped their names of the front of pocket. This extra touch gave her young daughter a learning opportunity when reading the names as well as developing the good habit of putting her things away where they belong.
Check out www.hgtv.com for other childrens' rooms decorating ideas.
Good luck!

C. M.
Certified Professional Organizer

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A.B.

answers from Washington DC on

You didn't write how big your home was, if there are additional rooms available or if you have inlaws who live nearby. I have toted bins over to grandparents and godparents who no longer have little ones and welcomed having additional toys over so that when our little ones went over, they had something to keep them busy and was easily stored. Also, if you have space in home, use some of the special stuffed animals, particularly from loved ones who have passed away in the decorating scheme of your home. Finally, if you have a free room, place some of her items in a cozy reading space where the two of you (or Dad and she) can share during quiet time. It can be her special place for quiet time. You can play music and/or read, paint or sew.

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S.H.

answers from Washington DC on

We used the mesh hammocks and loved them. To keep smaller animals organized and in view, we also liked the over-the-door organizers like this one http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?search...

We also discovered that most stuffed animals are machine-washable in mesh bags on the gentle cycle in cold water. That was important when my son's allergies got bad.

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N.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi, Lata - I feel your pain! We had the same issue when our kids were small. I remember using a mini-hammock that was designed for just this purpose. It hung in the corner and could really hold lots of the smaller animals. It was really cute. I honestly don't remember where we got it, or what it was called........Good luck!

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K.H.

answers from Dover on

I have little ones that keep adding stuffed animals to their collection, and wont agree to get rid of anything either! Not sure how old your daughter is, but what I do for mine is to take a rubbermaid bin and put stuffed toys in it that they just really don't play with, and put it away for about 6 months. If any of the toys within the bin are never asked for...then they are out of the house for good. If they ask for it, or are looking for it, I'll go retrieve it and add it back to their toys, but usually, they are long forgotten. If your daughter is of an age to understand it more, and maybe cooperate more, you can have her be the one to fill up the bin with you. Maybe with the back up idea of being able to change your mind, she may be more willing to get rid of them than you think.
K.

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J.M.

answers from Washington DC on

One solution we used was to buy a wooden closet pole and secure it vertically from floor to ceiling. We then secured the stuffed animals with ribbon and cup hooks on the pole. This way they can see the animals and alternate which ones they play with and when they aren't playing with them, they make a nice decoration.
We also used the toy hammocks suspended in a corner near the ceiling to store currently unused stuffed friends and dolls.
Hope this helps!

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A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

We have an 'under the sea' theme in my son's room- I hung all his stuffed sea creatures from the ceiling on fishing line so it looks like they are all swimming above his head. I also tucked some in the pocket valances of his curtains. So they are kind of scattered all around, but in a cool and organized sorta way.

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N.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I remember with my kids using the hammocks.
Now my new "Ty Beanie Baby" collector is my new hubby.
We bought a collection that was displayed on a long pole, like a clothes tree. It has elastic bands coming out the sides and you simply squeeze the beanies through the bands. I was "thrilled" to find another one at a thrift shop (nobody knew what the purpose was). Now I design my own as his collection grows. Just a piece of wood, elastic, but make sure the bottom of the "tree" is secure and will hold the heavy load.
Grandma N.

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T.L.

answers from Washington DC on

high shelves around the top of the room or animal hamocks up high or some creative ideas i have seen- good luck!

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D.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I had an idea and went with it. I had a carpenter come (not expensive) and created a shelf about 18 inches from the ceiling all around her room. He painted it white to match her room and we placed the stuffed animals on the shelves. She has a little ladder if she wants to get any down to play with. It makes use of much unused space! Best of luck.

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C.S.

answers from Richmond on

When my kids were little we had a teddy bear net in their rooms. It is a colorful net that hangs up by the ceiling in a corner of the room. It is big enough to hold about 50 stuffed animals. I would keep a few in the toy box or on their beds and rotate them in and out of the net. It was great for keeping so many stuffed animals out of the way, but it also looked really cute in their rooms. I think I bought them at Toys R Us.

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J.W.

answers from Norfolk on

a net that attaches from corner to corner of a wall, we have one for my daughter and it is great

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

they sell plastic chains that hang from the ceiling with clips and you can clip the small ones on it http://www.stacksandstacks.com/the-chain-gang-toy-storage... . get one of those big hammock things that attach to the corner of the roomhttp://www.stacksandstacks.com/stuffed-animals-toy-storag...
up high for those that maybe you dont want played with or that she doesnt play with as much then switch them out with those on her bed occasionally.get a long shelf and attach it to the wall at at least your head hight to that they can sit up there to be seen yet out of theway when you clean up. a new thing ive seen is a bg like a bean bag that you fill with your stuffed animals and you sit on it. kids take the animals out when they play wih them but when they arent they are stored in the chair. http://kellystoetzel.typepad.com/city_baby/2006/08/stuffe...

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