I should be too embarrassed to share that photo but I'm all about keepin it real up in here. The problem?  Too many kids. Too many toys. And secondary to that- too much pink. It turns out the easiest way to clean a playroom is by getting rid of half its contents.  Who knew?  I got rid of a bunch of the toy clutter and distributed other items to the kids' rooms and the loft.  The result is much more manageable. I also replaced the pink and green bins with black and white ones. A new color scheme was born out of the black and white bins with natural shelving along with the girls' humongous pastel and wooden dollhouse. Here's my plan:

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Natural wood + pastel + black and white work with what we already have while making it a less girly. (You're welcome Dax).  I was tempted to go with a vintage vibe in the playroom but in reality their toys are not vintage. Or even pretty for that matter. I decided a slightly modern look would suit their bright and garish belongings best. Plus it's fairly affordable (click links to see prices). My goal is always to balance pretty with practical. Speaking of practical, here is how I dealt with the toy clutter:

1. Purge- I took out almost half of what was in the space.
2. Redistribute- My goal was zero toys in their rooms but it wasn't feasible.  Any toys I didn't donate, I relocated.  I moved most of the pretend play items like the kitchen, high chair, etc to the loft and moved "calm" toys like dress up and blocks to their rooms.
3. Display- putting toys on shelves instead of in bins helped it feel more orderly which is counter-intuitive.  And since Dax is so little it helps him easily grab his favorite toys.

This plan is totally fluid. There's a lot to do in the house so the playroom is not a priority.  Oh and guess who just got a ridiculously expensive dentist prognosis?!  Yay me. Regardless of timetable, drawing up plans for every space helps me to be more intentional with decorating our home. And bonus: It makes me feel like I'm doing something when I can't really afford to do something.  Is my honesty refreshing?  So there you have it!


Oh and if you liked this one, you might like these posts: Small Space Toy Storage Solution + DIY Toy Labels. Affordable Toy Storage Options. Genevieve's Toddler Room + Room for Toys.

Last week I posted about our small space toy storage solution. Today, I'm following up with some additional affordable options plus my response to comments and questions on that post.

First, the option we use is the ikea trofast system. I received a few comments from boy mamas which make me think I should add that the bins come in a variety of colors. The last time I was at ikea there was red, green, black, pink, and clear. The frame also comes in birch wood.  I got the system after my sister-in-law purchased it for her son and loved it! It's definitely suitable for boys and girls.  A few other tips I should have added, if you go with the trofast.

Longest blog title ever? I think yes.  Today I'm sharing one small space toy storage solution that's worked for us, how I made the labels, and since I never shared a picture of the girls shared room, I'm throwing that in too! I've discussed trying to create toy storage for a small space before. When I moved Nadia into Genevieve's room I got rid of a lot of stuff but obviously couldn't get rid of everything. I knew I needed to find something other than a typical toy box in which everything gets thrown and forgotten about. And while I love the popular toy storage ideas all over Pinterest, they don't always work in a 10x12 room that includes 2 beds, a bookshelf, and a dresser.