Are you tired of looking at the same old toys and books every time you enter your living room? That’s understandable, especially because you probably spend a lot of time there. Keeping things tidy requires some planning, especially if you want to invite friends over for a party. 

To help you out with this dilemma, we have this post that will give you creative toy storage ideas for the living room. With the right storage solutions, you can keep your living room neat at all times. 

If your living room doubles up as a toy cupboard, then you need to start thinking about creative ways to stash those toys away when not in use. It doesn’t matter how big or small your living room is – if it’s filled with toys, it’s probably starting to feel smaller. Fortunately, there are plenty of practical but creative toy storage ideas that will help make life easier for you and reduce chaos for the kids.

The living room is where you entertain guests or just spend quality time with your family, it’s essential to keep them neat and organized without spending much money on remodelling or adding new furniture. Fortunately, there are easy hacks that will turn this space into a functional area where everything has its place.

1. Discreet storage containers

If you are torn between buying a new toy cabinet or a storage container, we recommend the latter. The great thing about plastic containers is that they come in a variety of sizes and shapes. You can use them to store your toys and other stuff, and they will look discreet when placed on a shelf or table next to books or figurines. It’s also a good idea to place a few containers on the ground next to your play table. That way, your kids will be able to put away the toys they’re done using without having to ask you for help. 

If your kids love arts and crafts, you can also use plastic containers to store their supplies. Just be sure to label each container so that you and your little ones can easily find what you’re looking for when you need it.

2. Repurposing furniture

Kids like new things, but they also love to get creative with old furniture. You can use a coffee table with drawers to store toys, games, or books, especially if you’re short on storage. 

You can also use an ottoman or an end table as a toy storage solution. An ottoman is a great piece of furniture to store books on if you don’t have a bookshelf nearby. 

End tables also make a good place to store books if you have an extra one in your living room. You can repurpose a coffee table or end table by adding a tray on top. Another option is to go for a tabletop bookshelf. They are unobtrusive and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

3. Install shelving units and risers

If you have a large wall in your living room that you don’t use very often, you could install a shelving unit or build a riser to store toys. You could use one large shelving unit to store games, toys, and books, or you could use two or three smaller shelving units to store a variety of items, such as toys, DVDs, books, magazines, and other household items. If you want to create a more decorative look, you could paint your shelving unit in a colour that matches your living room. If you don’t have a wall in your living room that you could use, you could consider building a riser. A riser is essentially a raised platform that’s built into the wall. You could build a riser in any shape or size you like, depending on the amount of space you have.

4. Hiding toys with decor

If you want your living room to look tidy, but you don’t want to get rid of all your toys and books, you can use decorative items to hide them. Put decorative baskets on the bookshelf to store toys like stuffed animals and books.

 If you want to add a pop of colour to the living room, you can also paint the legs of a bookshelf. The shelves are a good place to store puzzles and toys. You can also use decorative items to hide toys.

5. Storing books and magazines

Whether they’re toys or items meant for reading, you can keep books and magazines organized in baskets or on shelves. You can also store books in decorative boxes or place them on a coffee table. If you have a coffee table, you can use it to store books vertically or horizontally. 

If you have a bookshelf, you might want to store your books vertically to save space. Often, you can find bookshelves with multiple shelves, which helps you organize your collection regardless of the size.

6. Install storage benches

If you have a large couch in your living room, one of the best ways to use the space beneath it is to install some storage benches. Tailor the storage space to the size of the couch so you can fit as much as possible. You could store toys and games, blankets, throws, and even spare pillows or cushions underneath. You might also be able to store a laptop, notebooks, and stationary under the couch. If you have a smaller couch, you can still fit a few smaller storage boxes beneath it. Just make sure they’re not in the way of people seated on the couch.

7. Try slide-out storage drawers

If you have a large coffee table in your living room, you could try fitting some slide-out storage drawers. These drawers can be used to store a variety of different items, such as toys, books, DVDs, and remote controls. They can be very useful if you have a large living room with limited storage space. 

If your table is suitably sized, you could even fit a rotary storage system in the centre, where you can store even more items. If you have a smaller table, you could try fitting some smaller storage boxes underneath. Just make sure they’re not in the way when your guests are seated.

8. Turn an old cupboard into a storage space

If you have an old cupboard that is no longer being used, you could turn it into a new storage space in your living room. The type of cupboard you choose will determine how you use it. You could try a shelving cupboard, which could be used to store books, DVDs, and toys. A cupboard with drawers could be used for stationery supplies, games, or even spare blankets or throws. If you can’t find an old cupboard to repurpose, you could try finding a cupboard that could be used as a storage space in your living room.

9. Creative storage for action figures, puzzles and games

If you have a lot of puzzles and board games, you can use a rotating bookshelf to store them. If you have action figures or toys that need a special type of storage, look online for products that can help you organize them. 

If you want to store your action figures, puzzles, and games, you can use lunch boxes. When shopping for storage boxes, you’ll want to make sure you get ones that are large enough to fit your stuff. You can also use shoe boxes to store toys.

10. Wall-mount storage for toys

If you don’t have room for extra furniture in your living room, you can use wall-mount storage for toys. If you have kids, you probably know that legos are a big part of their lives. You can use wall-mount storage to store lego pieces. 

To hold lego pieces, you can use a mesh bag. You can also use hooks to hold up toys, such as stuffed animals, making it easier to clean up after your kids.

11. Hanging shelves for Lego and games

If you have a bookshelf or a few pieces of furniture in your living room, you can hang shelves on the wall to store Legos and games. You can also use the top of a coffee table to place a few shelves.

12. Corner shelf with baskets

If you don’t have much wall space left and you have a corner in the living room that isn’t used, you can place a small shelf in that corner. This will help to keep the room tidy and organized, and it’s a relatively simple project. You can choose baskets or other containers to hold books, toys, or other items. You can paint the shelf and the containers in different colours or patterns if you want. 

If you don’t have the budget to get new shelves, you can use baskets that you can find at a thrift store, garage sales, or auctions. You can place baskets on a small table or coffee table to keep items within easy reach.

13. Stuffed animal storage

Stuffed animals are a part of childhood, but they take up a lot of space. If you don’t want them to clutter your living room, you can store them in a closet. You can use a storage bag to hold a few stuffed animals. You can also use a hanger to hang stuffed animals on the wall.

You can also make use of a hammock or a tarp to store stuffed animals. This will keep them off the floor and make them easy to display. You can hang the hammock from a wall or the ceiling. A hammock will also make it easy to find a specific toy even if there are a lot of stuffed animals inside.

14. Use hooks and coats hangers to store toys

If you don’t have any spare furniture or wall space in your living room, you could try using hooks and coat hangers to store toys. Hooks are great for storing things like bags, jackets, and coats, but you could also use them to hang toys like bags, belts, and jackets. 

You could try using hooks to create an alphabetical order, or you could use them to store the toys by type or size. Coats hangers are also great for storing toys. You could use a few hangers to create a hanging alphabetical order for all the toys, or you could use them to store toys by type or size.

15. Other creative storage ideas

If you have a high-ceilinged room, you can use the space above the bookshelf to place a few shelves. You can also use a plant stand to place a candleholder and books. 

When decorating your living room, it’s important to keep in mind that every piece you add to the room should serve a purpose. You don’t want your living room to look like a tornado just swept through it. This is where creative storage ideas for the living room come in handy.

Final thoughts

The living room is one of the most popular rooms in the house, but it can also be one of the messiest. If you have young children, the toys in your living room will likely be scattered around the floor at all times. 

Keeping the living room tidy can be a challenge, especially if you’re short on space. However, with the right storage solutions, you can keep your living room tidy at all times.