Stuffed animals are so cute. But they take up a lot of space especially as they pile up. Sure, you can just stack them in a bin and hide them away but what if your kid isn’t ready to get rid of them yet? It’s a problem shared by every parent and anyone who’s lived with kids.
That’s why there are ingenious solutions that have made a parent’s life easier. Check out if any of the list below of stuffed animal storage options hits the spot for you and your kids.
Type
Hammock
Source: Etsy
Hammocks have always been a popular way to get stuffed animals off of the floor and corralled into one location. Also known as “pet nets,” they’re fun for kids because they can easily see their animals and parents like them because they’re not a big piece of furniture taking up more room on the floor. Stuffed animal hammocks come in various sizes so make sure that you choose one that is large enough for the collection of animals and then be careful to install it securely. While stuffed animals don’t weigh a lot individually, they will start to get a little heavy when there is a big pile of them and you don’t want the hammock to come down off of the wall.
One main advantage of using a hammock for storing stuffed animals is that the kids can usually toss the animals up into it at the end of the day when they need to clean their room. A problem is that, depending on where you hang the hammock, they may not be able to reach them when they want to play. This will result in children either calling for help each time they want an animal or trying to climb on furniture to get it themselves.
Wall Crate
Source: Houzz
Utilize storage on the walls so that you can free up room on the floor when you install wall crates in your children’s bedroom for storing their stuffed animals. These are great when you children need to be able to see what animals they have so that they don’t lose their favorite one. Another benefit of wall crates is that children can easily put animals away when it is time to clean up and get them out by themselves without having to ask for help. When you buy wooden wall crates, it’s easy to make them part of the décor with either a little wood stain or some paint. No matter what your children’s current favorite color is, you can make sure that they love their wall crates by updating them with a fresh coat of paint. This is easier and less expensive than having to buy new storage simply because your children no longer like the color or the design.
Zoo
Source: Etsy
Zoos are really popular for storing stuffed animals because they can hold a lot of them but don’t take up much space. Since they tend to be taller than they are wider, your children’s storage can go up the wall instead of sprawling out along the floor, making it difficult for your children to have enough room in their bedroom to play. This is a great storage option, as the bars of the “jail” or zoo are movable and will bend, allowing your children to pull out the stuffed animal they want to play with without having to call for help from an adult. The child can then either toss the animal back in over the top or shove it back through the side. While it is possible to make these stuffed animal storage containers yourself, it’s best to buy one as you can be sure that it will meet safety standards. It’s normal for the bungee cords of the bars to be covered in a special plastic tube that ensures your children can’t get caught in them.
Ottoman
Source: Wayfair
Ottomans with built-in storage are a great way to stash stuffed animals out of the way. While you can use ottomans in your children’s room to allow them to hide their animals when it is time to clean up, these are often used in the rest of the home as they prevent the living room from looking as if it was taken over by children. If you want to make it easy for your kids to clean up no matter where they have been playing but don’t want to have a lot of primary colors and plastic throughout your home, then giving them space in an ottoman is a great idea. They’ll be able to easily access their animals when they want to play and you’ll love that they can quickly clean up when company is on the way.
Bin
Source: Hayneedle
Bins are a fun way to give your children a place for their stuffed animals and work in most every room of the home. Look for one that has a fun print or a child-friendly design so your children will be more willing to use it when you want them to clean up. Cloth bins can easily be tossed in the washing machine, which will keep you from having to replace the stuffed animal storage as it gets dirty. Look for a bin that has handle so that your children can drag it with them when they want to play or when they are cleaning up their space as having it close by will make the process easier and less stressful for them.
Shelf
Source: Houzz
Shelves look great on any wall and are a perfect place to store stuffed animals when you want them on display. This is a great way to always know where your children’s favorite stuffed animal is or to place special animals that are hand-me-downs or antiques. One of the main benefits of installing shelves in the bedroom for stuffed animal storage is that they can then be used to store other items and to display special keepsakes as the children grow up. When their interest in stuffed animals wanes, you won’t have to deal with getting rid of their stuffed animal storage as they can continue to use their shelves even as they age.
Storage Cube
Source: Hayneedle
If you have plenty of room on a bookcase or chest of drawers and only need a little storage space for smaller stuffed animals, then you may be able to get away with using a collapsible storage cube. These come in a number of colors and designs that are sure to appeal to your children and many have the added benefits of clear fronts so it’s easy to see what’s inside without having to dump out the storage. These cubes make it very easy for children to organize their animals and separate them the way that they want and they make it much more likely that your children will help when it is time to clean up their room. Make sure that you choose storage cubes that have soft sides so you don’t have to worry about your children accidentally getting injured if they trip over the cube or drop it on their foot.
Storage Bench
Source: Hayneedle
Storage benches have always been popular in children’s rooms, and for good reason. They come in many different designs that will appeal to kids and their current interests and they are large enough to easily house even the most impressive stuffed animal collection. One main benefit of using a storage bench in your children’s room is that it also provides them with a piece of furniture that they can sit on. This makes it easy to help your children get ready in the morning as they will have a place to sit and put on their shoes or to wait while you brush their hair. If your children ever outgrow the design that is painted on their bench, it can easily be painted over, making this a great option if you want your stuffed animal storage to grow with them. In addition, since it isn’t made primarily to store stuffed animals the way that some other storage options are, as your children grow and their interests change, it can be used to store their new toys, shoes, or clothes.
Bean Bag
Source: Etsy
Bean bags are a great way to store stuffed animals in plain sight without anyone ever knowing that they are there. These bean bags don’t come with any fill in them; rather, they are simply the shell with a very strong zipper. When it is time to clean up and put away the stuffed animals in the bedroom, the children simply have to stuff them into the empty bean bag and then zip it up. This hides the stuffed animals out of sight while also giving your children an extra piece of soft furniture that they can lounge on. These storage options are really light and are easy enough for even a toddler to use. When looking for a bean bag for stuffed animals, you will want to make sure that there is a very strong zipper on it as it may be stuffed to capacity and you don’t want the zipper to break. These storage options come in a number of colors and fabric choices so you can easily pick one that will perfectly fit the personality and interests of your children.
Basket
Source: Home Depot
Storage baskets are an easy way to store stuffed animals in a main room of your home without it being obvious what’s inside. There are many different types of baskets that you can buy and when you get one, make sure that it will fit with the décor and appearance of your home. Wicker is a very popular choice as it looks nice on shelves in the living room; however, make sure that there aren’t any sharp pieces that will accidentally snag your children’s stuffed animals. Another option is wire or plastic baskets. These have the added benefit of being light enough that children can generally pull them out and access what’s inside on their own without having to ask for help.
Features
Personalized
Source: Etsy
Kids love having things that are personalized to be just for them. This is a great way to give your children a one-of-a-kind gift that they will cherish or to help children who share space or a room delineate which stuffed animals are theirs. Personalized storage options also make it very fun for children to clean up as they can race to see who fills up their storage first. In addition, you won’t ever have to worry about your children arguing or bickering over who a stuffed animal belongs to or where it should be in the room when it is in its space in the personalized storage. From zoos to bean bags, you can get most anything personalized and it’s worth the little extra cost to have storage that will work for your family without causing any fights or drama.
Stacking
Source: Home Depot
If you want to be able to save floor space by storing stuffed animals vertically, then opt for storage baskets that can stack on top of each other. These will allow you to make a tall tower of stuffed animals that can easily be accessed by your children. When planning this, make sure that you attach them to the wall so that the tower doesn’t come down on your children when they are trying to get a stuffed animal out to play with it. You will also want to make sure that the holes in the side of the storage baskets are large enough that your children can easily pull out and put away their animals without a lot of help.
See-Through Bag
Source: Houzz
Bags that are see-through make it very easy for you and your children to see what they have stuffed inside. Gone are the days of your children being panicked because they can’t find their favorite stuffed animal. When the bag is see-through, you won’t have to deal with all of the animals being strewn all over the floor in the search for the right one. While see-through bags aren’t as neat in appearance as solid bags are, they will reduce the stress of looking for a lost animal.
Wheeled
Source: Hayneedle
Picking up stuffed animals and moving them out of the way has never been easier than with wheeled storage. This is especially beneficial in the main living area of the home as it will allow you to push the storage out of the way. Look for a trunk or an ottoman that can double as a table or place to rest your feet instead of relying on traditional stuffed animal storage.
