36 Hidden Toy Storage Ideas to Keep Your Living Room Clean

Many parents find that their living rooms become de facto playrooms once kids come along, with toys seemingly multiplying by the day and taking over what was once a space for grown-up leisure and relaxation. If you’re struggling to clean up toy clutter on a daily basis, incorporating hidden toy storage into your living room design can be a lifesaver.

From built-in cabinetry to furniture with stealth storage to simple fixes and DIYs that blend in with your existing decor, these clever hidden toy storage ideas will help you (and your kids) to put away childish thingsx at the end of the day, turning your living room back into a calm and clutter-free space where you can unwind like a grown-up once the kids are in bed.

In Oversized Baskets With Lids

Oversized woven storage baskets with lids are stylish additions to any room that can help organize toys while keeping them accessible. In this living room from Desiree Burns Interiors, baskets are tucked beneath a console table positioned behind the sofa, adding hidden toy storage as well as texture to the neutral-toned room.

Hide in Plain Sight

In this living room from Emily Henderson Design, wood storage crates hide in plain sight beneath the window seat, virtually disappearing against the pale wood flooring. Keeping bins on the floor makes it easy for kids to slide them in and out, encouraging them to learn to put their things away even if they want to play with them again later.

In a Sleek Sideboard

Cathie Hong Interiors created a multifunctional living room and playroom with a wall-to-wall console that offers closed storage for kids toys and books that can be packed up at night to make space for the adults.

In a Vintage Trunk

Choose a vintage trunk instead of a coffee table to add warmth and hidden toy storage to your living room, like this space from Tyler Karu Design + Interiors. Keep the top clear or minimally styled to prevent accidents while opening and closing the trunk, and to encourage easy access to the treasure trove of toys.

In a Custom Game Table

Keeping puzzles and games accessible will help kids cut down on screen time and encourage more interactive family bonding. Blogger Ursula Carmona of Home Made By Carmona transformed her family room into a game room by building a custom game table that keeps puzzle pieces and other accessories at the ready and can be hidden away when play time is over. The adjacent built-ins have room for storing board games.

On a Side Wall

Kate Marker Interiors incorporated a seamless side wall of built-ins that creates plenty of hidden storage for toys and games without encroaching on the light and airy space.

In a Shallow Closet

The best hidden toy storage is user-friendly and accessible, encouraging even the most exhausted parents or reluctant kids to make a habit of staying tidy. A sliding barn-style door with gold-toned metal hardware conceals a wide, shallow closet in this living room from Martha O’Hara Interiors that can be used to whisk away off-duty toys and anything else that you don't want to look at in a flash.

Hidden in Storage Ottomans

Storage ottomans come in many shapes, styles, and sizes, making them perfect stealth toy storage today that turns into hidden storage for adults down the road. In this soothing space from Gray Space Interior Design, a pair of soft blue pastel with rounded edges hide toys when playtime is over and can be used to rest tired feet at the end of a long day chasing kids around.

In the TV Alcove

The alcove in this open plan living room Cathie Hong Interiors has plenty of floor space and a soft and colorful rug for kids to play on, with hidden toy storage in the TV console to encourage playtime in addition to screen time.

Shelf Baskets

Having a designated place for toys in the living room will encourage parents and kids to edit toys to favorite pieces while storing the bulk of toys in bedrooms or playrooms. Save a few bottom bookshelves on your wall of built-ins and outfit them with large baskets for easy hidden toy storage that kids can access easily, like this cozy London living room from Studio Peake.

Under the Sofa

Sissy + Marley Interior Design turned this NYC playroom into a multi-purpose space that parents can enjoy by keeping the color scheme warm and neutral. A deep sofa big enough for the whole family is equipped with built-in storage under the seat cushions for easy access. Playful house-shaped wooden storage armoires with a Scandinavian feel provide plenty of storage space for excess toys so that the space can be cleaned up in a flash and used by parents when the kids are asleep.

Floating Console

Interior designer Maite Granda hung a floating TV console to provide hidden toy storage in this Florida living room. The top surface is kept clear of decor so that kids can leave out some of their favorites, allowing the room to feel kid-friendly but not overly cluttered.

In the Base of a Reading Nook

Two drawers at the base of this living room reading nook from Emily Henderson Design are perfect for storing toys and can be used for extra throw blankets or board games as well.

Build Integrated Storage

This home renovation from Michelle Berwick Design was purpose-built for a family with kids, with integrated storage solutions like these living room built-ins to keep toys and games organized so that the space works for everyone.

Hidden Window Seat Storage

Adding hidden toy storage to a living room window seat is a clever way to keep toys from taking over the space, like this one from Martha O’Hara Interiors.

In Cubbies

Simple cubby shelving includes both open and hidden storage in this Scandinavian-inspired playroom and living room space from Maison Ellie Interiors. The top cubbies display toys while a row of black storage bins reinforce the black-and-white palette of the room and help preserve an uncluttered feel by hiding extras.

In Built-In Shelving

In this Orange County, CA family room from Mindy Gayer Design Co., open shelving shows off display-worthy toys, while closed storage drawers accessible on the bottom hide away the rest.

In a Pair of Dressers

Matching dressers flanking the fireplace provide plenty of hidden toy storage in this hybrid playroom and lounge space from Maison Ellie Interiors. The pale neutral Scandinavian-inspired palette of the room is comfortable for parents and calming for kids. It can easily transition into a family lounge and game space once they no longer play with toys.

In Antique Apothecary Cabinet Drawers

When choosing toy storage, take a sustainable approach and look for vintage or antique pieces that can be repurposed later as your kids grow up. Blogger Liz Marie added a large antique apothecary cabinet to a wall behind the living room couch that displays a collection of vintage clocks on top and has a multitude of drawers on the bottom to stow away small toys.

Leaning Storage

In this basement living room from Louis Duncan-He Designs, a leaning ladder-style storage unit has drawers on the bottom that are accessible to little ones and can be used to hide toy clutter.

In a DIY Credenza

A Beautiful Mess hacked IKEA cabinetry to create a DIY Hollywood Regency-inspired toy storage unit, adding baskets and pull-out bins to keep the contents organized.

Multipurpose Accent Wall

This living room from Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis has a whole wall dedicated to storage and display space that functions as an accent wall while while providing closed storage that's perfect for hiding toy clutter.

Tuck It Behind the Sofa

A Beautiful Mess tucked this low profile DIY storage console behind the sofa, keeping it out of sight of the main living room seating area and helping to define the space.

Go Wall-to-Wall

Mindy Gayer Design Co. added wall-to-wall cabinetry and drawers that maximize a whole wall of this living room, turning it into a casual play space with plenty of toy storage for kids of all ages.

Behind Sliding Doors

Sliding console doors on the long wooden console in this midcentury modern living room from Cathie Hong Interiors make it easy for kids to access and put away toys. Plenty of open floor space and an oversized ottoman in place of a coffee table allows kids to play and bounce around to their hearts' content without getting dinged or breaking anything.

Behind a Curtain

Sourcing vintage toys and kids furniture will help you to find pieces that are unique and made from more sustainable materials like wood instead of the sometimes garishly colored plastic variety that is prevalent today. A Beautiful Mess chose a vintage wooden play kitchen that blends in with the neutral decor of the living room. To help reduce visual clutter, a little striped curtain was added to cover the baskets of food toys that are stored beneath the kitchen sink.

Antique Stand + Baskets

Blogger Liz Marie added large baskets with lids to the bottom shelf of an antique stand that hides toy clutter in her farmhouse living room.

Make Reversible DIY Storage Bins

Reversible DIY fabric storage bins from A Beautiful Mess add easy storage and some graphic pattern to the living room and can be used anywhere in the house for toys like stuffed animals, Legos, or wooden blocks.

Midcentury Modern Console

Keep your living room looking chic and minimalist between play sessions by hiding toys in a midcentury modern-inspired console like this Northern California space from Cathie Hong Interiors.

Choose a Storage Ottoman

A large ottoman with hidden toy storage is a family-friendly coffee table alternative that can be used to store extra blankets or board games as kids get older like this bright modern living room from Calimia Home.

In a Media Console

Martha O’Hara Interiors added a long cabinet with semi-transparent cabinet door fronts beneath the flat screen in this comfortable media room that has plenty of storage for toys and games so the room can be used for more than binge-watching and movie nights.

Behind a Sleek Storage Wall

This sleek black-and-white color block storage wall from Sissy + Marley Interior Design runs from floor to ceiling, offering stealth storage for toys and anything else you don't want to tuck away to preserve a calm feel in the living room.

Built-In Cabinetry

Built-in storage on either side of the fireplace in this living room from Martha O’Hara Interiors includes open shelving for display and closed shelving on the bottom that's accessible for kids and keeps toys and games off the floor once they're done playing.

In a Sideboard

Emily Henderson Design added a wood and metal sideboard with plenty of storage beneath a gallery wall in this family living room to keep toys at bay when playtime is over.

In a Pair of Storage Ottomans

Tyler Karu Design + Interiors designed this coastal Maine new build home for a young Boston family with a comfortable and casual feel. A pair of hexagonal storage ottomans subs in for a coffee table in the living room to hide toys away. For a house with multiple kids, designating an ottoman to each kid can help to create a sense of responsibility when it comes time to clean up.

Freestanding Storage

This playroom from Maison Ellie Interiors includes sofas for adults and kids, allowing the light-flooded room with river front views to function as a second living room. A freestanding toy storage unit beneath the windows provides both open and hidden storage for toys to be easily put away between uses, giving the room a family-friendly feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I hide my toys in my living room?

You can hide toys in your living room in an ottoman with hidden storage, behind the doors of a TV console or sideboard, or in large decorative woven baskets with lids. Or you can use the lower half of built-in bookcases along a wall or flanking the fireplace to hide toys while keeping them accessible to kids.

How can I hide toys in my house?

You can hide toys in any room in the house from the living room to the bedroom by using built-in or added storage. Hide toys behind the doors of built-in media walls, closets, cabinets, buffets, or consoles. Think storage baskets and bins with covers for rooms without built-in storage options. Or try a vintage chest for toy storage that can double as a coffee table or be placed at the end of a bed.