How we finally cleared the living room toy chaos: Tidy Books Sorting Box
Right before Christmas I got a new stacking toy storage box for review - The Sorting Box from Tidy Books. I am a big fan of Tidy Books. I've written about their bookcase and how it can help encourage kids to read, and I reviewed their Book Box too. Now I am reviewing our third Tidy Books item - their stackable toy storage boxes. Please note, this post is written in collaboration with Tidy Books.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, it is nice to have a few items by the same maker. Much easier to match them than items from different suppliers. Because of ease, and because we are not sure which room they will move to in the future I have chosen all our Tidy Books items in white.
This review could not have come at a better time. For quite a while we have been struggling with the endless mountains of toys, everywhere in our living room. It didn't take long to set the boxes up and it was pretty easy. Especially for me ha ha as I was working while my husband set them up. It looked quite simple though when standing on the sidelines!
So once we set the boxes up, we set to clearing the living room. We managed to clear away a lot of these little toys we have accumulated over the last year or so we have lived here. You can see in the pictures how many toys fit in. I liked that there were smaller fabric boxes inside, so you could sort the toys in different categories. We dedicated one section for small character toys, one for all kinds of cakes and cups and eating toys, and one for musical instruments and musical toys.
We got two of the Sorting Boxes, and a lid. These are priced separately, with the boxes retailing at £59 a pop and the lids for £12. You can stack the boxes, maximum two at a time. There are a few different colours, like dark and light greys and natural, so you could mix and match them to get a bit of interest. For these toy storage boxes I was toying with the idea of getting them in a combination of greys and whites, to go with our grey living room... Having a dark grey and a light grey box with a dark grey lid would have also been a nice look!
They are quite easy for kids to use independently as they are light. However, depending on which toys you store inside them, they might become a bit heavier to handle when stacked. I would say older kids are perfectly fine moving these, and for pre-schoolers you might want to supervise it in case they drag them around or drop them accidentally.
All in all, I have been really happy with these toy storage boxes from Tidy Books and would recommend them to others too. I have been really pleased with the quality of all our Tidy Books items and love them!
What kind of solutions do you have for storing toys?
You might also like: Introducing the clever book storage solution for kids: Tidy Books Book Box and How to grow the love of reading in toddlers
I love the dividers inside. We need some of these, there are always so many tiny 'treasures' that must be kept at all costs! #TriedTested
ReplyDeleteThese little dividing boxes were great - really help in finding the right toys at the right time!
DeleteThese look so useful! I could really do with something like this in our living room. I love how these are quite plain, so they'd blend into a room well rather than standing out too much, and the little baskets inside are a brilliant idea to organise toys and bits and bobs! x #TriedTested
ReplyDeleteI was really keen on getting something that will look good in the living room and will look good in her room too - something quite neutral and simple. I have found these boxes to be really good!
DeleteOh I LOVE this! The smaller dividers inside is just genius. Thanks for linking up with #TriedTested
ReplyDeleteThey are so handy - especially as we have separated toys according to functions!
DeleteA great way to reclaim your living room for adult time. #TriedTested
ReplyDeleteHa ha well we try... Although the toys mysteriously seem to keep on multiplying in our living room!
DeleteWe maybe don't have the most beautiful solution but purely practical. We have Ikea Trofast shelf with boxes. In every box I have both drawen and written what kind of toys there should be. Every single toy is having an own box. Our son knew already as 1,5 years old where to find a toy he wanted and now as little bit older that three years old he's very good to clean his toys in the right place after he's ready with playing. As I have drawen pictures on the boxes also visiting kids find toys they will and written text helps visiting parents to sort toys in the right places after visit. As I want every single toy need to have it's own place that's also a good way to limit amount of toys. When there is coming some new toys some old needs to go. That has been actually pretty easy as all toys aren't as interesting as others and then we agree we can give away them. I have been really happy for our box-system for toys.
ReplyDeleteYeah I know Trofast and they are so handy! Lots of people have them. I (if I'm totally honest) don't like the look of them so it's not for us, but I do think they are very practical. And what a brilliant idea doing pictures / drawings outside showing what toys are in! That must make it so much easier to manage.
DeleteWe've got too many toys btw... Ha ha. I think I might have to take some away for a bit, hide them in the attic and then bring them in being all fresh :)
Very tidy indeed. We are using IKEA storage units in the play room.By the way I love your frames on the wall.
ReplyDeleteWe've got IKEA units too in the play room - although we use ours for clothes and blankets and stuff. Thank you! I've written a post about those frames as well earlier :) http://www.wavetomummy.com/2016/01/our-picture-wall-and-story-of-our-lives.html
DeleteAh they are fabulous - stylish and keep the bits well hidden. We are constantly evolving our toy storage to keep on top of toy-mageddon and have a variety of units, boxes and baskets.
ReplyDelete#TriedTested
Ha ha, toy-mageddon! Sounds like exactly what we have! :D We need some more storage still actually - we have so many toys!
DeleteThere's nothing better than proper storage is there!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review on #TriedTested this week x
Yep - and this is really working for us :) Thanks for hosting!
DeleteThese look so practical - I love the smaller boxes inside, and they're just the right size. They really don't look like toy boxes either! #HomeEtc
ReplyDeleteYeah that's the nice thing about them - I think they will last for a long time, and in any room as the design is simple.
DeleteI am incidently looking for stylish toy storage for our living room, Tyler's train tracks are taking over the place! This one looks really stylish and practical, might consider it! xx
ReplyDelete#HomeEtc
Ah - yep, those pesky trains are quite a handfull of lots of little items! Legos are another sort that just gets everywhere :)
DeleteOh what amazing storage! So clever! Love finding new ways to keep things tidy :) Great item!! Thanks for sharing and joining in - much appreciated xx Jess
ReplyDelete#HomeEtc
They really are quite handy! Thanks for hosting :)
DeleteI NEED these in my life!! What a fantastic idea — I love the storage within the boxes. I get so fed up of all the boys' toys being mixed up together in one big box. Great to be able to separate them! Cx #HomeEtc
ReplyDeleteHa ha we need so many more of these boxes - her stuff is taking over the house! All these toys are such a pain :D
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