Does anyone use those plastic white rubbermaid storage containers with the pull out drawers? They are either 3 drawer or 7 drawer I think. They have different widths for the 3 drawer unit and I'm considering buying one. They run about $20 each.

I have a huge open room with toys on the floor and no shelving. I'm trying to find a quick, cost-effective means of storage/displaying, but something that I can keep for awhile. I applied for a grant, but it will be up to six months before I can use it to buy the really nice 9-section toy shelves with rounded edges.

Please share ideas on what to put in the 3-drawer storage system. I was thinking I would put one next to the kitchen and use the top of it for either the cash register with the shopping cart nearby or to use the top of it for the toaster, blender, and mixer. Then I would use one drawer for play food, one drawer for play cooking items, and the last drawer for????

I have some cardboard blocks that I will put together and just pile up on the floor so they will "fill" the room a little more. Seriously, the room looks horrible with everything on the floor. I'm wondering if I should buy a second 3-drawer bin to use for the dolls to be on top and the clothes in a drawer, the blankets in another, and all the doll bottles/phones/etc in another????

How do I make the room look better without any toy shelves and what should I put in the 3-drawer bins?


I have books, balls, puzzles, manipulatives, tons of baby items and baby equipment, dolls, costumes for dressup (I will hang on the wall), cars, blocks, and some foam chairs and a toddler mattress which I will use as a "couch" for now when I put a few pillows on it. The room is about 16 feet by 24 feet.

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Just a thought....those three drawer storage carts (if I'm thinking of the same you are) may be a little flimsy. I think they will be easy to pull over and you will become quickly frustrated with them.

I would recommend cheap white bookcases from Walmart. They are cheap but sturdy and can be secured to the wall. Then you could buy clear storage containers with lids (of different sizes) to store toys in. I like the kind that have lids that are slighly harder to get off. Less toy dumping that way!

Just a thought. I'm sure the 3 drawer bins would work fine, but I really think they may be a little too flimsy to hold up to much wear and tear!

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I agree I had them and first they don't hold alot of toys and second they are flimsy I ended up using mine for blankets and baby wipes and other stuff of that nature I went with the crates at walmart and they are sturdy and hold alot more and cheaper

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They are flimsy. I use one for outside toys and after a very short time the kids have a hard time opening and closing them. You also can't set anything on top, as it caves in and then you can't open the top drawer.

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Those bins you can pull out really easy... my baby boy loves to grab everything else out of those possible

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Have you looked at organizers from Ikea? They have nice ones that aren't too expensive.

I love the walmart book shelves idea. I currently use an Ikea organizer to store the toys, but I also use medium size bins with lids. The rubbermaid bins might be too flimsy and I would worry about them being a tipping over hazard - with a bookshelf you can secure it against the wall.

have you checked out craigslist for some used stuff? that helps too.

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I have tow of these. One is the three drawer shorter one ( it is not the really wide one). The other is the taller 7 drawer one. I've never had a problem with them tipping/being flimsy/breaking. Mine are Sterilite brand though so maybe sturdier than Rubbermaid? I also do not put the wheels on the bottom so it's more stable. The only one I had that was flimly on top was the smaller (12x12?) desktop sized one. I still use it though and am able to keep my spray cleaner, Lysol, paper towels and baby moniter on top without any problems.
The 3 drawer one used to hold my dishes/food etc. but now I use it in my dramatic play area. It has one drawer with purses/keys/phones. One drawer with lklk;little dress up stuff (tiaras, masks) and one drawer with "baby' things like pretend diapers, bottles, bibs, clothes and feeding dishes. I deep the builder and fire fighter hats stacked on top.
The taller one has 4 small drawers on top and 3 larger ones on the bottom
They hold, from top to bottom:
1. papers for me-copies of things I need regularly like reciepts,
my payments log...
2. Stickers
3. scrap paper
4. Mr potato head pieces, I'm using pumpkins for the "heads" and
they're displayed on a different shelf next to it. This drawers
contents change regularly.
5. play-dough and play-dough toys
6. construction paper
7. coloring books
The top of this one is awful, it's the "catch all" place where I put everything when I'm in a hurry I need to clean it all the time! It's sturdy enough to hold WAY too much of my junk!
I wouldn't use them for all my toys. but I do like drawers for some things verses shelves or shelves with bins that hold most of my other things.

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I use the drawers. Love 'em. I tried the bookshelf/container route for a while and it didn't work for me. The kids would just dump the boxes and put them on their heads etc. The drawers work better for me. I have a larger, sturdier one that we use for kitchen play items and one for blocks.

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I use them from time to time. Not so much for everyday toys as for clean infants "mouthing" toys, linens and art supplies.

I drilled holes up top, in the drawer pulls and framing, and use plastic zip ties to seal them when I don't want them opened. (infant-2 only right now )

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call me crazy...right now I have shelves, but they are all empty.
the kids were doing the dump and run. I tried everything I could do resolve this and this is the only thing that has worked.

I took out every last toy and item off the shelves. I palced everything in medium size storage buckets. I moved everything to the garage.

I added another table to my back room for a total of 4 tables. Now what I do is I set up each table as a work station.

1. game station (chutes and ladders today)
2. legos
3. Playdough
4. sensory

When the kids are done they put everything back in the totes and we place the tote under the table. At the end of the day I will decide what I will change out for the next day.

Until they learn to clean up their messes, I won't put things back to how they used to be. On shelves and free choice..

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This is exactly what I have been thinking. I'm going to set out a number of stations at tables and even then it should be PLENTY to do.

I've always been for free choice but it seems to create chaos. I think I will try it the other way for a while and see how it goes.

How are your kids doing?

I'm thinking an art project, sensory tub and easel in the workshop plus 2 or 3 table activities in the playroom and blocks on the rug with a basket of "parts", a few items on the writing desk and some books.

Is that child abuse? lol


edited: My kids do clean up after play time but I still think it may be too much choice.. furthermore...they won't learn to clean up their mess if not given the opportunity. I think it may be good to say, puzzles stay on the table, blocks on the rug, etc.

??

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we have been at it for almost a month. So far it is working great and the best part is that because I have put some things away a long time ago and I bring them back out, the kids think I bought new stuff...

I have a rule that you can play with one thing at a time and then you must clean it up when you are done. One of the parents was a little upset about it. So I said how about when you child refuses to clean up I can call you to come and do it for him. She didn't have anything further complaints...

So tomorrow:
we will build a train in the morning after circle time

then tables will come out and we will have
1. airplanes in the sky game
2. cars/hotwheels on a car rug / table has teh parking lot
3. playdough with the car cutters and rollers
4. art, build something that you can use to travel with. there are boats, planes, trains, bikes and cars....

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