Children's Shelves & Toy Storage

Types

• There are several different types of shelves that can be added to a child's room for toy storage. Open-ended shelves are good for storing books, figurines or stuffed animals. A shelf that is enclosed on all four sides can be used to store any toys, books or board games.

  Floor shelves are particularly good for storing books. Wall-mounted shelves are best for storing collectibles and display items that your child has collected. Floor shelves make it easier for a child to access their toys compared to wall-mounted shelves which are harder to reach, but keep in mind that a floor shelf should be anchored to the wall for added safety.

  Another good idea is to buy a cloth shelf that hangs over a door. This is a great way to store clothes, shoes and even more toys. Some shelves are available with brightly colored baskets, or you can purchase the baskets yourself; they help to minimize unsightly clutter and are an attractive way to store toys. For easy, portable storage, look into shelving units with wheels.

Features

• Children's shelves come in an assortment of colors and textures. Bright, bold colors may make a child feel a sense of fun. Have your child help choose the decorative shelves and then teach your child to take care of them and decorate them nicely with their toys. Wooden shelves are nice to look at it and can display toys. Plastic shelves are usually very durable and withstand usage.

Benefits

• Storing and organizing toys is not always easy to teach a child. It is a skill that takes time to learn. Shelves help keep cluttered toys out of the way and off of the floor, which makes it easier for both parents and children. ClutterFreeKids.com says that if we make organizing fun when children are young, it will become second nature. Making a habit out of putting toys away on a shelf everyday will help your child develop the habit.

Alternative

• If you're a do-it-yourself type and can't find exactly the type of shelving you and your child have in mind, consider designing and making your own. Building a shelf can be a fun weekend project for you and your child to do together.

Considerations

• Keep in mind that the goal is to find a storage shelf for a child's room, so the shelves should be geared toward children, which means patterned, colorful and durable. Bright colors, interesting designs and lots of space for small toys and collections helps to give a child's room a nice "feel" and let kids understand that this is their territory. Above all, children should also be given easy access to their belongings so that they can put their toys up and take them back out again. Parents tend to place shelves up high, which is not the way to teach a child about organization. Although parents want their child's room to be neat and organized, they want their son or daughter to feel comfortable too; this will encourage the child to keep the room cleaned up.