DUCKWORTH INTERIORS

TOYS, TOYS EVERYWHERE

STORY BY KATE DUCKWORTH PHOTOS BY GRANT DUCKWORTH PHOTOGRAPHY

“HOW IN THE WORLD DID WE ACCUMULATE SO MUCH STUFF?!”

Surely, I’m not the only one that feels this way. Along with kids (I have three of them) comes lots of collections. Little ones are more likely to stay organized if they have systems in place. Most of my clients have children, too, so organization is something that’s a must in all of my designs. I’m going to share some tips with you to help tackle the clutter.

I love to group items together and organize them as an artistic collection. In this colorful playroom, I made an entire wall of books. We hung shallow shelving along a feature wall, allowing for their books to be proudly displayed. This gives a place for everything, allows the reader to see all of the books they have to choose from, and makes for a pretty cute, ever-evolving art installation. It’s a simple addition that could be added to most any room.

Another item I use in most of my organizational projects is baskets. Baskets are so versatile and can be used to store objects of many different sizes and shapes. The baskets under the book wall are mesh, making it easy to see what is inside. I also love to hang baskets up on the wall, allowing for toys to be found easily and for them to double as art. Take a look at the stuffed animals playfully hanging out in bushel baskets.

Most kids have tiny collections with millions of pieces (think Legos or Barbies). It’s a challenge to organize them in a way they can be both easily accessible and orderly. Having specific storage containers for these items is crucial. It’s a bonus if the containers can have multiple uses. We found these large, colorful blocks that are made for Lego organization. They double as decoration and seating. Once all microscopic pieces are inside, the lid hides them all away.

In order for your game room to stay organized, there must be some systems set in place. Sometimes thinking outside of the box (or basket in this case) is the perfect solution. Utilizing vertical space and unexpected storage containers can be the solution for arranging unruly toys.

ORGANIZATIONAL TIPS & TOOLS:

GROUP ITEMS TOGETHER & ORGANIZE AS AN ARTISTIC COLLECTION

SHELVING

BASKETS

STORAGE CONTAINERS

UTILIZE VERTICAL SPACE & UNEXPECTED STORAGE BINS THAT CAN DOUBLE AS DECOR OR SEATING