How Can I Organise Toy Storage Without It Looking Like a nursery school?

If you’ve ever sat in your living room at the end of the day wondering how your home now resembles a children’s day nursery, you’re not alone! As parents, we all want to create fun play spaces for our children and give them a variety of toys to explore — but how do we do that and still have a calm, stylish home that we love?

We’ve been doing some research (if hours of Pinterest scrolling counts as research!), and we’ve come up with some great solutions — from clever toy storage ideas to family-friendly layouts that actually work.

🧩 5 Toy Storage Ideas That Keep the Whole Family Happy

1. Go for Closed Storage First

On a larger scale, think ahead when buying big pieces of furniture, like sofas and beds. We’re big fans of ottoman beds in our house — they hold so much and look super neat. The only downside is that an adult needs to open and close the bed, so it’s better for out-of-rotation or seasonal toys.

When it comes to living rooms, footstools with storage or even sofas with built-in compartments can be game changers.

On a smaller scale, baskets with lids and cube units with doors are brilliant for tidying things quickly and keeping the clutter out of sight. Bonus: you can match them to your existing home décor so they blend in. I love the look of this Kids Castle Storage Basket from Dunelm — it’s cute and gets played with constantly.

Mum tip: For a relaxing family room, stick to neutral tones or woven materials that blend in with adult furniture.

2. Create Zones in Shared Spaces

If your playroom is also your living room, try defining a kid corner with a rug, mini bookshelf or toy bench. This contains the chaos without taking over the whole room. It doesn’t mean your children can’t play everywhere — it just gives you a place to return things to when the day is done.

How to Create a Kids’ Play Corner in a Small Space:

• Use a rug in colours that match your living room decor, then add fun touches with cushions or bunting.

• Make sure there’s space around the area for play.

• Use toy storage that’s easy for little ones to access, like open baskets or low cupboard doors.

3. Rotate Toys to Reduce Clutter

This is one of my favourite parenting hacks! After a few birthdays and Christmases, most of us have more toys than storage. And having all the toys out all the time can feel overwhelming for both children and adults.

I’ve found — both as a mum and as someone who’s worked in nurseries — that children play better and focus more when they have fewer toys to choose from.

To do this, group your toys into categories and use storage boxes that fit in cupboards, under beds, or in closets. Then rotate them every few weeks. There will always be staple toys that stay out (my son’s car collection wasn’t going anywhere!), but puzzles, play food, and figurines are great for rotating.

Tip: Tuff trays are brilliant for keeping activities focused and making old toys feel new again.

4. Repurpose Furniture with Hidden Storage

Use sideboards, TV units, or benches with built-in storage — they can be practical and stylish. If you already have furniture with cupboard space, see if you can make better use of it for toy storage.

If you're doing a full refresh, consider whether a built-in unit could work. And don’t overlook those awkward under-stairs cupboards! I have seen lots of people turn theirs into a super handy pull-out drawer system for toys, coats and shoes, which looks like it makes a huge difference.

Parent tip: Think about what space would be most useful for your family and find someone to help make it happen.

5. Make Clean-Up Easy for Kids

Use picture labels or colour-coded bins to help kids know where everything belongs. If you’re rotating toys like we mentioned earlier, clean-up will feel a lot less overwhelming.

One product I love are playmat storage bags — they lie flat while your child plays, then cinch up into a bag to scoop everything away in seconds. Genius!

Tip: For tiny toys like Lego or play figures, give your child a dustpan and brush to help scoop them up — it makes tidying fun (and fast!).

🏠 Final Thoughts

A tidy home doesn’t mean a toy-free one — it’s all about smart storage that fits your family. With a little planning (and some cute baskets), you really can have a space that feels calm, looks lovely, and still lets your kids be kids