Thursday, December 4, 2008

super (and affordable!) storage ideas


Various shades of blue, crisp white and a dash of light wood make this room serene.

Ok, so if you read last week's Take 5 magazine you'd have noticed some projects to get the look of this nursery were featured (I compiled the special and this was my first inclusion!). And if you've picked up the latest Cosmo Pregnancy, you'd also have noticed it is the boy's nursery feature. And if you are an avid reader of Real Living, you'd have seen it in there too about a year ago. Safe to say, it's a popular room for magazines. But in case you haven't seen it, here is the whole set! And some super storage ideas to steal.

Before I go on, I was not reading Cosmo Pregnancy because I'm pregnant again, but because I knew there was a pic of my kiddies and me in there babbling on about my choice of sling. Yes I paid $13-odd dollars just to see a picture I took myself and can see anytime for free. However, I used to work wtih these guys so it was nice to see the editor Franki's little baby boy and read my friend Louise's pregnancy diary. I was also pleasantly surprised to see mini meez got a mention under great blogs to check out. Not quite as pleased to see the address was wrong, but I was a subeditor in a previous life and despite being a damn good one if I do say so myself, I have made worse mistakes so they're forgiven!! (I called super-advertiser Avon's Retroactive cream "Radioactive" cream and, um, once signed off on an entire sealed section in Cosmo that got published... only to find out once it hit the stands that it had been published by us a year or two earlier. Not entirely my fault, but OOPS!)

But back to the pics, here are some great storage ideas to steal. And afterwards, some other ways to stash all the toys in a living space - stylishly.


Perfect for all those tiny toys: Lego, crayons, cars, cars and more cars. Ikea have similar (but smaller) boxes and you can so easily stencil or freehand paint the alphabet on. Or even stick flashcards on the fronts of drawers to describe the contents - kids will find it easier to pack things away if know where each thing's home is.


This I love and want to do myself: a mobile toy box. Paint the boxes, add some castors and join together loosely with a bit of rope and move it room to room. A box option is below.


Oh to have a wall of built-in storage... If you don't, try to DIY with a bookshelf and the same boxes as above. A coat of paint makes them a feature.


Oh look! The boxes again. Perfect nappy-and-cream station. Until baby gets old enough to pull everything out of course!


A drawstring bag does overtime duty as a laundry bag, library bag, overnight-at-Nan's bag, hand-me-downs storage and all those other annoying accumulations that don't look good on the shelf or aren't used that often.


A stack of cubes makes displaying the pretty, well, pretty. Try Howard's Storage World for similar. All images above by Getty Images.

Perfect for the projects above. Paint it, let the kids draw on it, cover it in chalkboard paint and turn it into a mobile craft station too! Trissa box, from $14.95, Ikea

I have one of these collapsible baskets in my living room. Holds more than you'd think! Vietnamese woven baskets, $24.95 for one large or a set of a small and medium, Little Gypsies


Huge! And lovely to look at. I'm going to grab one when I get my kitchen. NĂ„SUM basket with handles, $39, Ikea


I love these - very unique. You could leave as is, but they'd also look great painted a vibrant colour. Apple Tubs made from balsa wood, $9.95 (small), $19.95 (medium), $29.95 (large), Alfresco Emporium


I use mine for shopping but it looks so pretty propped against the hallstand, I often think it'd be fine staying their permanently and if so, could be put to good use as a toy depot. Plus, this one is the cheapest I've seen. French Market Bag, $19.95, Alfresco Emporium

It's a bugger finding nice ways to store everything. I have yet to see a real house that's got it totally covered. Even an interior stylist I know uses those bright plastic tubs in her living room for her daughter's toys. So do toys rule in your house? What's your secret storage device?

3 comments:

Chantal Butcher said...

Appreciate the blue theme. So excitment! we had a magazine phone us last week! they are going to feature one of our products in their mag. YAY, but it wont go to print until Feb. Will send you thru an elaunch now.

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love those shades of blue! So perfect for our weather.

Anonymous said...

lovin the baskets! .... I so need a home makeover ... will be addicted to your blog now I think x
Louise @ skout trade Fair