Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

DIY

A Peek in the Credenza O' Toys

February 3, 2015

If you follow me on Instagram, you have witnessed I have been on an organizing spree lately. It started with our junk drawer that I couldn't take one more day of!

10949096_412279398938104_1435489994_n

10895396_1590093394554472_1710358076_n

And from there, we tackled our tool junk drawer (it's normal to have one of those, right?) and most recently the credenza, err fauxdenza (see how we made ours here), which holds most of the girls' toys (at least the ones they actually use). We first introduced our toy storage system back in this pretty controversial post.

IMG_9768

Things were tame back then. And when we moved into this house we still had only Greta, so I didn't take the time to sort things out and organize them again. And somehow, after Christmas and the addition of another child, this happened:

IMG_0467

The horror! Not only was it a completely disorganized mess, but things would fall out when you opened the toy cabinets just like in the TV shows. It really became a concern after Greta received all of her Littlest Pet Shops for Christmas and those tiny pieces were getting mixed in with Faye's toys. There was zero separation. So, I took everything out, discarded a few empty coloring books and instruction manuals and put things back in place.

IMG_0472

Now, everyone has their own compartment. The adult cabinet is on the left. It holds mostly cords and electronics and a few of our favorite family games. Faye's cabinet is in the middle. It's all Faye-friendly plush toys and baby mirrors and no pieces smaller than she can handle. Greta's cabinet on the far right has her puzzles and Littlest Pet Shops (aka baby choking hazards), coloring books and a few miscellaneous toys in the top bin.

I picked up those canvas bins at Ross (kinda like a TJMaxx) and I wish they had more exciting colors for the girls, but I was just happy to get different colors for each girl to make cleaning up easier. In other "Where are all the toys?!" news, we do have a trampoline in our family room downstairs (along with some toys they don't use) and I keep a basket of toys that both Faye and Greta play with (mostly stuffed animals and blocks) in a basket in the living room and toss a blanket over top--most people never guess!

IMG_8793

It feels good to have the credenza and junk drawers finally organized! The girls seem to be playing more on their own and I think it has to do with them knowing where and what to play with. Which means  I have more time to purge our master closet. That redesign is coming!

filed under: 
— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Hi there! Just discovered your blog and clearly going waaaaaay back because I'm hooked! I am loving all your projects :) Would you mind telling me where that print on the lamp is from?! It's such a perfect accent. Thank you for any response and looking forward to following!

  2. Wow are you getting organized, nesting perhaps! Ha, Good for you it looks great. I hope your getting better quickly Chris.

    1. I was only teasing about the nesting. You can come keep busy at my house anytime, I love things organized but organizing is not my favorite.

  3. I just LOVE that messy junk drawer pic....the colours, the lighting....love! I think it would be fabulous to blow it up poster size and hang it in an office. Maybe I'm just weird ;)

  4. I think the core of this issue is the mentality that STUFF = HAPPINESS. For us, for our kids, for other people's kids, for other people's pets...sigh.

    If your happiness gauge is set to say FULL when you see a lot of stuff then a tidy, simple, minimalist lifestyle will look very EMPTY to you.

    Thanks for writing Chris and Julia, please keep doing what you're doing!

  5. Love all your organization, especially the sneaky basket of toys under the casual throw blanket! Went back and read the original post, and... wow. Can't believe the judgement people pass along, and on such a silly topic... toys! Toys are great, kids love them, but there is so much more to childhood than just toys! Cooking, outings, playing outside, chatting, giggling, dress-up, coloring, crafts, building stuff, school, friends, family, dance class, sports, games, playdough, the playground...that's childhood. Not just toys! Sheesh. Anyway, you guys are awesome and Greta and Faye are happy little girls! Keep up the good work. :)

  6. I'm appalled at the comments on that previous post. I have basically the exact set up as you do and honestly, I'm judgmental in the other way. I think most kids have WAY too much stuff and I actually believe it is quite bad on a philosophical level. That said, I *think* this in my head and keep my mouth shut because it is none of my business! Our quantity is about exactly the same as yours, we have one bin upstairs in our formal living room (which is unfortunately off the kitchen), and three bins under the coffee table down stairs in the family room. We have a stack of puzzles in a corner and play kitchen we hand built (like Young House Love), which my daughter hardly ever played with because she'd rather be with me in the real kitchen. It is getting more use these days as she and her brother use it together. I actually refuse to dedicate a room to be used as a play room, but that is just me and what works for us. I LOVE your approach.

  7. Great idea to just throw a blanket over a basket full of toys. All of our toys are in a bin out in the open, but these are some great ideas to keep them hidden.

  8. I hadn't seen your post on greta's toys before, but well done! You do a fantastic job of keeping your house tidy, especially the toys. They don't have to be visible for everyone to see, nor do you have to have a million toys to raise a smart, imaginative child. I know I'm commenting about a previous post, but I found it so interesting. We're not people who love to own a million toys either, but we have plenty and our kids are happy. Once I got a comment from a friend who told me, you own the least amount of toys of anyone I've ever met, ha!

  9. I read the post you linked to before this one and I cannot imagine writing a comment on a blog about the parenting of another blogger based on the toys/lack of toys in a house. So ridiculous! I keep all the toys in our house in the playroom. Not one toy makes it's way out of there and I think that's fine. I love how your organize your toys and obviously it works great for y'all!

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

Beautifully wrapped traditional presents stacked in a doorway
Gift Guides!

Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone in Your Life {2024}

Remember the thrill of unwrapping a gift that felt just right? Let's bring that magic back this holiday season!! Our curated gift guides for 2024 are filled with thoughtful picks that will make your loved ones feel special. That's what it's all about, after all! Whether you're shopping for your main guy, your clutch coworker, […]
Chris Cooks Candied Ham Skewers
Chris Cooks

Candied Ham Skewers - Your New Favorite Holiday Appetizer

As a home cook, this is my favorite time of year: the time leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. But this year, I want to focus on low-effort, high-impact dishes. Something that can serve a crowd but is not too hard to make. And these spicy candied ham bites are just the ticket. Shop The […]
Lifestyle

Your Fall Home Maintenance Checklist

This post is sponsored by Neighborly, Your Hub for Home Services The beginning of the year we're always thinking "spring cleaning." But in fall, I like to cover our bases on home maintenance before we have guests or face colder weather. I usually like to split the tasks between things we tackle ourselves and things we […]
The Marcum family dressed as characters from the classic edition of Clue: The Game.
Entertaining

Our Halloween Family Costumes 2024: I'll Give You One Clue

It was Professor Plum, with the knife, in the Conservatory. Happy Halloween from Clue characters: 1986 edition! Shop Costume Inspiration Over the years, we've dressed as everything from dolls and monsters to Peter Pan, E.T. characters, and The Wizard of Oz. But in the last several years, one of our kids has usually chosen our costumes. If you look back, you […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES