Rack for books and toys in a children's room: A simple and original solution for a do-it-yourself storage system (225+Photos)

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Alyona

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Children always have a lot of toys. Therefore, parents very often have difficulties organizing the correct storage location. The ideal solution would be to install shelving on which you can place books, toys and other children's things. More details later in the article.

Organization of space in the children's room

At any age, a child has many different toys. These can be construction sets, dolls, cars, soft toys and much more. Some are given to grandparents for the holidays, others are simply bought by parents. Over time, there are too many of them. Therefore, you need to think about the optimal storage system.

Organizing space in the children's room for toys and books

Some people use baskets or boxes for these purposes . Their main advantage is accessibility. That is, every parent can buy such an item for storing children's fun. Toys will simply be stacked here in a chaotic, unsystematic manner. It will not be possible to find your favorite car or doll until you completely unscrew the box. This will entail additional cleaning. Installing a shelving unit will help you keep things, toys, and books organized.

A children's room with neatly arranged things and toys visually looks much cozier and warmer.

Decoration

Depending on who the children's toy storage rack is intended for - a boy or a girl, as well as the interior of the room, its decor is also carried out. But, despite all the strict rules, it should give the baby a feeling of joy and comfort. Any option can be combined with decorative elements such as butterflies, flowers, bows, cars or fairy-tale characters. They can be made of fabric or special paper and glued to the finished product. It can also be a ready-made decorative element purchased in a store.

• The finished wooden product, after finishing work, can be painted in the required color and varnished in the desired shade.
• Drawer fronts can be made directly using colored chipboard.
• The installation of melamine edging works well as a decoration. To do this, it must be applied to the end parts and ironed with a hot iron. After it is firmly fixed, the residues are removed with a knife. Another type of design is installing a baguette. This will make the rack look neater and more interesting.
• An interesting option would be to invite your child to decorate his children's bookcase himself.

It's hard to imagine a children's room without a shelving unit.
According to psychologists, from early childhood a child must be taught order. And this, in turn, is the baby’s personal belongings and toys laid out and placed in their places, forming a single storage system. Having a separate place will also be useful if a small family member does not have his own children's room. And the evening collection of toys can be turned into a kind of ritual.

Furniture made in a factory is devoid of individuality due to mass production.

Having a separate place will also be useful if a small family member does not have his own children's room.

Distinctive features of the racks

First of all, furniture is chosen for its functionality. The rack can be installed in a child's room of any age. It is convenient to store not only toys, but also books, stationery, linen, bedding and clothes.

Installing a shelving system will help keep things organized

By choosing a neutral color for the rack, over time it can be supplemented with new sections, shelves or pull-out systems that will be relevant as the baby grows up. It is very important to maintain the correct arrangement of shelves. The child should not have difficulty getting an object from any of them. Therefore, it is better to place drawers and shelves at the bottom of the rack, and open shelves at the top.

A shelving unit is, first and foremost, furniture for the child, not for the parents.

Furniture in a children's room should be safe. First of all, this applies to all angles. It is best to select elements with a rounded shape so that during active games the child cannot cause injury or injury to himself. Shelving should not be equipped with glass and mirror elements that can be broken due to carelessness. This can cause wounds of varying severity.

Advice You need to pay special attention to the design of furniture for a children's room. It shouldn't be dull or dull. On the contrary, the shelving should be designed in such a way that it can also be used in your games, and the storage system calls for putting things in order in the room.

Installed in a child's room of any age

As a color design, it is not recommended to make a shelving unit in classic girlish or boyish shades.

Children quickly outgrow blues and pinks.

Decorative coating

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When the rough structure is assembled, it will need to be beautifully decorated.

There are different materials here. But I would divide them into 2 large groups.

• Paint and varnish coatings
  . If it is wood, then you can use stain and clear varnish as a basis. And cover the furniture in several layers. To give the design a light mood, use bright and colorful paints. It is only important to choose those compounds that do not have a strong odor and do not emit toxic substances. This is very important for a child’s room;
• Decorative elements
  . This includes interesting wallpaper, colorful cardboard, ribbons, butterflies, as well as vinyl stickers and much more. They are made with their own hands or bought in specialized stores.

If you are interested, I will conduct a master class one day using a specific example of assembling a shelving unit or other structure. This already depends on your activity in the comments.

Modern execution

There are several types of shelving that are suitable for different children's rooms.

Among them:

• with a bed. At the bottom of the rack there are open shelves and drawers for storing children's toys and bedding, and at the top there is a bed. This solution will fit organically into a small room;
• with a table . The racks are convenient to use for various books and stationery. Shelves are usually located on top or on the sides of the work surface;
• in the form of fairy-tale castles, ships, trees or other unusual shapes . Furniture becomes part of the game, so he will be happy to put scattered things back in their place.

Should not be equipped with glass or mirror elements

You can choose any color of furniture. The main thing is that it matches the chosen style and design of the room. Thanks to this, the rack will disappear into the space of the children's room and will be able to completely harmonize with the rest of the furniture and textiles.

Advantages

Installing a shelving unit in a children's room is a rational solution for properly organizing the storage system. Furniture has many advantages. Among them:

• Multifunctionality . Visually, the shelves resemble sideboards, which in the recent past could be found in every apartment of a Soviet person. They do not have doors, which means that the child can easily get to his favorite toy or book.
• Variety . Today you can make a rack for any style and design of a children's room. Parents choose cabinets of a certain height and depth depending on the age of the child. In the future they can be supplemented with new sections and shelves. This will help save the family budget. That is, as the baby grows up, there is no need to completely change the furniture in his room.
• Convenience . On open shelves you can place your favorite toys, construction sets, books or drawing objects. It is better to fill the drawers with things or bedding. This will help keep the room tidy. If you install a rack in the shape of a ship or a tree, then the child himself will be interested in putting all the objects in their places. This will be exciting fun for him.

A rational solution for proper organization of the storage system

• Reliability . Racks are usually installed in a children's room for a fairly long operational period. Toys will be replaced by educational materials, then by various fakes or drawings. For older children, furniture becomes a place to store textbooks and writing school supplies. Here teenagers can place their favorite photographs, cosmetics, diplomas and other important little things for this age.
• Safety . All racks are made of environmentally friendly materials. This is important when choosing furniture for a children's room. All sharp corners are rounded as much as possible. To avoid injuries during active games, glass and mirror surfaces, which are easily broken if handled carelessly, are not used here. Also, the racks are installed using reliable and durable fasteners.

Visually, the racks resemble sideboards

This type of furniture helps the child in a playful way to understand what order is. For example, a certain type of shelving segment is a kind of garage for cars, a bedroom for toys, or a resting place for plush animals. That is, before going to bed, each resident must take his place.

If the elements and shelves are of different colors, then you can arrange toys and books according to the shades designated in advance for this.

Thanks to this, children get used to independence and responsibility.

Usually, large soft animals are placed on the upper shelves, with which the baby does not play every day. Here you can organize a place to store old or boring toys. It is better to put them in beautifully decorated boxes or drawers. When the child forgets about them, mom or dad will get them again. According to the child's feelings, these will be completely new toys that he will study or play for a long time.

Non-standard solution

Advantages and disadvantages

Shelves and chests of drawers for children's rooms are multifunctional and suitable for a child of any age. They fit a lot of supplies: for school, creativity, toys or bedding. The furniture is ergonomic: convenient placement of things and minimal waste of free space.

The following advantages can be highlighted:

1. Safety, environmental friendliness. Modern materials meet all criteria, do not cause allergic reactions, and do not emit harmful toxins.
2. Exclusive execution (if made independently), wide selection of models (if selected in stores).
3. Unique appearance - ships, animals, trees.
4. Ease of use.

For the baby, the most important thing is the atmosphere of the room, where he feels comfortable, first of all, with his favorite things.

It is convenient to place wooden and collectible toys and books on open shelves. You can hide construction sets or cubes in the drawers.

Making a rack with your own hands means being able to provide all the child’s preferences.

Depending on the type of furniture, there are the following disadvantages:

• plastic chests of drawers should not be overloaded;
• furniture made from natural wood is too heavy and uncomfortable for children to use independently;
• drawers without stops can cause injury;
• When made independently, textile finishing collects a lot of dust.

You need to purchase shelves and shelves taking into account the individual characteristics of the child, his age and independence.

How to choose?

Furniture is selected based on the following criteria:

• height . The child must be able to reach all shelves independently without assistance. Therefore, the height of the rack is selected according to its height. In the future, the design can be supplemented with various sections and elements;
• shelf size . You should choose racks that have open shelves of various parameters and depths. This will help distribute all the toys and books harmoniously and correctly. The rack should be equipped with several large shelves. For example, you can put a large house for dolls on them, put a soft toy, or arrange a collection of kinder surprises;
• the presence of retractable structures . In such drawers or compartments it is convenient to store bedding for a crib, some of the child’s things or even books, as well as board games;

The child must independently reach all shelves

• originality of design . In order for the child to be able to reach the upper shelves, the lower ones should be a little wider and pushed slightly forward. That is, visually the rack looks like a ladder;
• quality . Since the furniture will be installed in the children's room, it is very important to select environmentally friendly materials for it;
• safety . All corners and other sharp protrusions in furniture should be rounded. Also, the installation of glass shelves or mirror surfaces is not allowed here. A child can be too active in his games, so any furniture in the room should not cause injury or damage;
• color scheme . For a nursery, furniture with various bright accents is best suited. This will help add color to the room, as well as properly organize the storage system. The shelves can be painted in different colors, and there are images of animals on the handles.

Must be equipped with several large shelves

You cannot make a blind purchase. Before you finally decide on the type of shelving, you need to see the furniture with your own eyes. Parents should pay attention to the base material, the strength of the structure and all its fasteners.

Making a chest of drawers for toys

The design of the chest of drawers can be different, depending on preferences. The material used is only environmentally friendly: chipboard, plywood, wood. You need to make a drawing with dimensions, purchase consumables and get to work. The tools you will need are a drill, a building level, fasteners and a jigsaw. Design the drawers: decide on the width and depth, and the height of the sides of the chest of drawers. A good solution: a chest of drawers with a door on top - for large toys.

Depending on the gender of the children, the design of the children's toy rack will vary.

Important! The fittings must be of high quality: durable, smooth and comfortable for a child’s hand.

First of all, the frame is assembled, then the side guides are fixed. Third stage: cutting out the boxes and installing them together. The bottom is secured with furniture nails. The last thing to do is install the facades. You can view detailed step-by-step assembly instructions on the Internet.

To equip a structure with drawers, it is important to accurately determine their dimensions.

Types of storage systems

The racks are equipped with various shelves and other structures. It is selected according to the child’s character, as well as his hobbies. Before doing this, you should consider possible options for storage systems for toys, books and other items. Among them:

Shelves

They are present in all racks. They are a convenient solution for organizing order in a child's room. Such racks can be installed for a child of any gender and age, starting from the first year of life . Initially, only the baby's things will be stored here. For example, diapers, personal care products or clothing items. As the child grows up, open shelves will begin to be filled with various toys.

Compact solution

Square cells

If the rack is tall, then for a small child it is best to place it horizontally first. This way he will be able to independently get to his favorite toys, and after playing, put them back in their place . When the baby begins to grow, the structure is placed vertically, and another rack can be purchased to fill the space that is freed up.

Modules of different heights

Placing furniture with different heights is a very original and convenient solution for a children's room. Firstly, the child himself will be able to get a book or toy that is interesting to him at the moment. Secondly, such a design can be used for active games. The main thing is to securely fasten all parts of the modular system to each other and to the wall.

Space for all the necessary accessories

Pull-out shelves

Here you can play a board game or assemble puzzles. After you get tired of playing, the entire surface simply slides back into the rack. When the baby wants to play again, all he needs to do is pull out the shelf. To ensure that the retractable structure is safe for the child, parents must equip it with special stoppers.

Pull-out boxes

They are made from various materials. For example, plastic, textiles, wood. They are usually installed at the bottom of the rack so that they can store various books or toys . So that the child understands what is located and where, various marks are made on the front of the box. For example, cars, dolls or books are drawn. In addition, containers can be selected in different colors, which will add bright colors to the room and organize the storage system.

Where is the best place to install shelves?

Installing a shelf in one place or another depends on how exactly you plan to use it. It is usually useful for storing newspapers, magazines, books and other small items. But can be used to store shoes, boxes and anything else.

Accordingly, when you plan to store books and other items of this type, you can install a bookcase in the living room. If it will be used to store shoes, the most suitable place will be the corridor. It is also used for storing linen, towels and bathrobes - these are bathroom or pantry areas.

Design Features

Before choosing a shelving unit for a child’s room, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of the room and its intended purpose. The design of the room and all furniture are selected according to the age and gender of the child.

In the room of a little princess, shelving can be installed in the form of a castle or a small house, for a boy - a ship, a garage or a fortress. For a school-age child, the façade for the shelving can be decorated with a map of the world or the starry sky. During the game they will be able to gain knowledge and explore the world around them.

If the furniture has closed shelves, then it is appropriate to equip them with round holes. This way, a child at any age will be able to effortlessly open the doors and get out the item that interests him. You can also use them to see what toys are there to reduce the time spent searching for your favorite game or book.

It is necessary to take into account the specifics of the room and its intended purpose

When buying a shelving unit for a child’s room, you need to maintain a certain system of order on its shelves, niches and drawers.

This way things will look much neater. This will help develop responsibility and cleanliness in the child.

In order not to overwhelm the rack, it should be supplemented with various boxes, baskets, boxes, drawers, pull-out structures and similar sections. This will help organize all items and create a unified storage system.

Advice It will be more convenient for a child to stack his toys if all parts of the furniture are made of different shapes and sizes.

You can stick a specific picture on each segment or designate it with your own color. So, small boxes are suitable for small cars, and drawers are suitable for books and creative activities.

Easy to do it yourself

Using improvised means

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Let's look at several options for how you can assemble a toy rack with your own hands using improvised materials.

Some people copy their favorite ideas from photos and also create original projects. Others prefer to simply buy a ready-made design, or purchase a custom-made one.

Among the available means, I would highlight the following options:

• Plywood
  . A couple of sheets of plywood can be found in the garage or storage room. Or buy them. They are inexpensive. Cut according to a pre-designed pattern, and then glue or fasten with self-tapping screws. But so that the fasteners remain invisible. On top is a layer of paint, as well as other decoration options;
• Boxes
  . Cardboard boxes can also be a great choice. They are connected to each other with glue and a stapler. I advise you to cover the side and inner walls with cardboard or thick wallpaper. This will give the structure additional strength and also ensure stability. Don't forget to fix the rack on the wall, even if it is a floor-standing type;
• Boxes
  . They come in plastic and also wood. They are stacked on top of each other, creating the desired height and number of sections. The connection can be made with wood glue. But it’s still better to take screws or nails. It is recommended to clean the drawers with sandpaper so that there are no burrs left. And then cover it with varnish or paint in several layers. Decorate as you wish.

You can show your imagination and go much further. For example, collect wooden branches using them as a frame. Between them, install horizontal shelves made of plywood or wooden boards. The result is an unusual and creative design.

How to make a rack?

All furniture that is manufactured in production, regardless of its further purpose, loses its individuality and becomes the same type. A child learns about the world around him through play, so he should be surrounded by exclusively bright and living objects . The rack was no exception to the rule.

Furniture made with your own hands acquires a number of distinctive features.

These include:

• individual design;
• a variety of different interesting visual solutions and designs;
• complete harmony with the style direction present in the room;
• originality;
• uniqueness;
• quality;
• environmental friendliness;
• functionality;
• safety;
• structural strength.

The rack can be installed in a child’s room from the first months of life. Initially, personal hygiene items, as well as diapers and clothes, can be stored on the shelves . Later, parents can easily transform it into furniture that will be suitable for the age of the baby. Here, toys, books, construction sets, creative kits and other items that interest the child begin to be placed in a certain order.

When making a shelving unit for a child’s room, you must adhere to 2 basic rules:

• The structure must be as stable as possible. That is, during the manufacture of furniture, you need to focus and check the base and all fastening elements.
• Safety. Shelves with sharp corners should not be placed in the children's room, nor should shelves be made of glass or mirror surfaces. This may cause injury.

Using fabric boxes

Taking into account these simple rules, you can easily and quickly build a rack with your own hands for your child, which will grow with him.

Painting parts

I painted the shelves in pure white using glossy acrylic paint. This paint is safe for a child's room, it has almost no odor, dries very quickly, has excellent covering abilities, the shelves were painted only twice, and the surface looks perfect. But I decided to make the legs of the rack and the beams for raising the height matte. But they all together resemble a rainbow. The colors chosen were clean and bright, pleasing to the child.

One color was chosen for one shelf, this gave the whole rack a real resemblance to a rainbow, and not the feeling of a colorful vinaigrette. I entrusted my children with painting the beams for the shelving using brushes - it caused a storm of delight!

We painted 4 legs purple, then 5 posts blue, 4 posts green, 5 beams again, but longer ones, yellow, 4 posts orange-orange and the remaining 5 beams red.

When the paint had dried well, I decided to drill holes for the fasteners. To do this, along each end I drew two diagonals from opposite corners. Their intersection gave the location of the hole for the fastener.

Choice according to the child's age

The toy storage system has the following classification:

• for a child under 1 year of age . At this time, he still has few toys, but more hygiene products and clothes. All toys can easily fit on one shelf;
• for babies from 1 to 6 years old. At this age, children are characterized by increased curiosity and excessive activity. Furniture in a children's room should be functional, safe and comfortable. It is best to develop a special storage system that will help place all the toys;

Option for girls

• for a child from 6 to 10 years old. The baby begins to be interested in active games, creativity and board games. She also has classes at school, which means. On the rack it is necessary to allocate space for textbooks, notebooks and stationery;
• for a teenager . He practically doesn't play with toys anymore. They are being replaced by school supplies. In addition, older girls need to allocate space for cosmetics and jewelry.

Furniture should be appropriate for the child's age.

You should also consider his gender when choosing. For example, more restrained shades are also suitable for a boy. The future man does not need a bright and flashy design. For little princesses, you can opt for romantic and delicate shades. Girls will appreciate all the additional decoration elements.

Convenient and practical

Advice: The shelving unit should fit organically into the overall design of the children's room, and not go out of style.

Corner children's rack

In a child’s room, it is very important to distribute the furniture correctly and harmoniously. the space should not be cluttered. If the room is small, then it is better to choose a corner rack here. The shelves will comfortably accommodate all the little ones' toys and books. At the same time, there will be plenty of space in the room for active games and creative activities.

Thanks to the corner storage system, every precious centimeter of space in the room is correctly and efficiently used. Therefore, these racks are popular among parents.

Small, corner option

The main advantages of furniture include:

• Convenience . Here you can choose your favorite configuration of shelves and drawers for storing children's things and toys. The height and size fully correspond to the child's age.
• Safety . The rack is stable and securely attached to the wall. Even if the child climbs completely on it, the risk of injury is reduced to zero.
• Capacity . Despite the fact that from the outside the corner design gives the impression of small furniture, it accommodates a lot of children's things and toys. You can hide bedding or clothes in the lower compartments, and place toys and books on the upper shelves.

Corner for children's things

• Variety . Racks are very popular. Each furniture manufacturer can find a collection with this type of furniture. Therefore, parents will have many options when choosing furniture for their children's room. You should pay attention to color and configuration. If the room is too small, then the best option would be to choose white furniture. It dissolves in space and creates a feeling of lightness and airiness in the room.
• Economical . Corner shelving takes up little space in the room. That is, there will be no feeling of clutter and congestion in the space. The child will have plenty of free space for active games.
• Multifunctionality . The cabinet is installed in such a way that it uses the corner of the room and two adjacent walls. This contributes to different internal contents of the furniture. Parents can choose shelving with open shelves, pull-out structures, closed cabinets and even clothes rails.

Inexpensive option

This type of rack can easily be installed in any corner of the room, even if there is a bed or desk next to it . It will not be a hindrance, since it does not have hinged doors, which require free space.

White bookcase

Parents should approach the choice of design and furniture for a children's room with all responsibility. The entire environment should be as safe as possible, and also be in harmony with each other, regardless of what gender and age the child will live in it.

One of the most correct decisions will be to choose a white shelving unit for the children's room . Many parents mistakenly believe that such furniture will fall into disrepair within a short time. But today, racks are made from high-quality and reliable materials that are easy to clean. They can be quickly restored to their original form, even if the child drew them on the surface with paints or felt-tip pens. Taking care of the white shelving will not be difficult.

White shelving

Advice The main thing when choosing furniture is to choose safe and functional models.

A white shelving unit will blend harmoniously with the different colors of the rest of the furniture in the room.

It can be installed for both a boy’s and a girl’s room. It is better to abandon dark and acidic furniture in the interior, and choose light and bed shades. The rack can be made of any material: wood, plastic.

A white shelving unit for a children's room has a number of advantages. These include:

• The white tint helps develop a child’s correct perception of colors.
• The interior turns out to be very elegant and airy.
• The space visually expands and increases. It creates a feeling of spaciousness.
• The child subconsciously strives for cleanliness.
• A good and correct taste is formed.
• The rack can be installed in any style direction.
• The furniture is easy to clean. If high-quality material is used for the base, then cleaning will not take much time.
• Large selection of different combinations. A white shelving unit will look harmonious with furniture of other colors in the room.

What materials to use

First, determine the size and purpose of the racks, as well as the expected load.

Lightweight, small-sized structures can be made from boxes or cardboard. More durable ones are better assembled from plywood. If this is a whole storage system, then it is made of wood, that is, from boards.

A little about the materials.

• Tree
  . Natural and safe. Wood is pleasant to work with, and you can create any design. But cutting requires special tools and skills. An ordinary hacksaw cannot make an even and neat cut;
• Plastic
  . Ready-made racks are purchased from it. You won’t be able to assemble storage compartments on your own from available plastic;
• Plywood
  . Has different thickness. Easily cut with standard tools. It has sufficient strength and reliability. Ideal for making homemade furniture with a medium load level;
• Cardboard
  . You can even cut it with scissors or a stationery knife. If you properly decorate and connect the elements, you will get an excellent rack. True, he will not be able to withstand a large load.

I recommend that you resolve this issue in advance.

Chipboard would be a good alternative to wood. Although it is important to understand that the material is not the safest. It releases certain substances during operation and can also harm the child’s body.

Therefore, I advise you to stick to plywood, wood or cardboard.

General rules

1. The ideal option is containers or baskets with lids.
2. The material of the basket or container should be easy to clean. It is desirable that the material be environmentally friendly: for example, a wicker basket or a wooden box.
3. It is necessary to think in advance about how the child will get and put away toys. It is better to keep those toys that are used constantly within reach of the baby, and those toys that are rarely used are better to be put somewhere higher - for example, on a closet.