We recently moved into a tiny 2 bedroom townhouse and while downsizing is super exciting to me – initially I was concerned about the lack of storage, especially in Eben’s bedroom. He has so many small trinkets, art supplies, LEGO pieces, books, and other fun kids stuff. I wanted to reuse the pieces of furniture that we already owned in any way possible. Here are the solutions that I have implemented into his new bedroom which have given him a ton of storage and cut the clutter too! Check it out.
#1: Floor to Ceiling Shelving
We love this IKEA Expedit Bookcase – it is perfect for holding his insane book collection. I recently pushed all the books to the back of each shelf, giving him more room for those little trinkets in front. He has also utilized the top of the bookcase for displaying his comic book, coin and vintage toy collection. There are 5 large pull out bins on the bottom level that house all of his trading cards, robots and other toys.
#2: Under the Bed Storage
I always feel like the storage space under the bed gets ignored. We have large sliding bins under his bed that are perfect for storing his large art masterpieces. However, I also love the idea of an elevated bed with drawers and shelving underneath – what a great way to add more space to a small bedroom. This particular solution wouldn’t work for Eben because he sleeps with these cuties – and they can’t jump very high. Ha!
#3: Stacking Storage Bins
We have three of these fantastic Sortera stacking bins from IKEA in Eben’s closet right now. They were designed to house recyclables in the garage – however, they are perfect for storing LEGO pieces. Since Eben has seriously over a million LEGO pieces this has turned out to be a great storage solutions. They are easy to slide out and since the lid comes off, they make clean up time a breeze.
#4: Top of the Closet Bins
The top of the closet can become a waste land of anything that your child throws up there that doesn’t fall back down! We purchased large fabric bins and were able to get 6 of them to fit perfect side by side on the shelf (however we only have 5 up there – since his overflow LEGO bin is up there too!) They are tall and deep, so they fill the shelf up exactly and this is where we store all of Eben’s stuffed animals. He doesn’t play with them anymore, however they have sentimental value to him and it’s a great way to store them, keeping them off of the floor or cluttering up the bed.
#5: Rethink the Closet
Eben’s new bedroom had a much larger closet which is great – except for the fact, that he doesn’t have a ton of clothes. He wears a uniform to school – therefore he only needs a handful of outfits for the weekend and special events. We removed the doors from his closet and transformed it into his office space. We had a 6′ slim desk from my office that fit perfectly inside, giving him tons of space to work. We hung all of his clothes at the far end of the closet, giving him the rest of the closet space to organize his art, photography, computer and animation supplies. This project is probably my favorite storage project that I completed in our new space because it gives him the space he needs for his creative endeavors.
YOUR TURN: What suggestions do you have for adding more storage and reducing clutter in a child’s bedroom?
photos via here, here, here
