A lot of kids have stuffed animals, and once one comes into the house, stuffed toys have a tendency to multiply at an extraordinary rate.You're faced with a sea of plush toys before you know it.There are some ingenious storage methods out there that can help keep your child's stuffed toy collection organized, and there are also steps you can take if you want to put some toys away for long-term storage.Some of the best ways of organizing toys include ways that allow you to keep the animals tidy while still allowing your child access to them, because most kids grow pretty attached to their toys and stuffed friends.
Step 1: Rips and tears need to be repaired.
It is a good idea to clean your stuffed animals before storing them.You want to make sure that the animal doesn't get destroyed during the cleaning process if there are rips or tears.Take a needle and thread that is as close to the animal color as you can get.Tie a knot at one end of the thread.Push the needle up through the underside of the rip to put the thread in place.The thread should be pushed from one side of the rip to the other in a straight line using the needle.Make another stitch if you move down.Continue making slip stitches until the rip is fixed.If they fall off, sew and secure eyes, bows, and other features back on.
Step 2: The animals need to be vacuumed.
If you want to remove particles from stuffed animals, you need to vacuum them frequently and always before they go into storage.There are stuffed animals in a garbage bag.The bag should be sealed around the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner.All the air, dust, and dirt can be sucked out of the vacuum cleaner by turning it on.If the stuffing has lost its shape, you may need to re-fluff the animals.To vacuum smaller toys, hold them in your hand and use a nozzle attachment of the right size to suck up dirt and dust.
Step 3: The animals should be cleaned.
Depending on the age of your animals, you can either machine wash or hand wash them.Before choosing which method to use, check the care labels on the animals.Place individual animals in mesh laundry bags or pillow cases to protect them from bugs.If it is possible, wash them on the delicate or hand wash cycle.To wash animals, fill a sink with cool water and add laundry detergent.Rub the fur of the toy in the water to remove dirt.To remove excess detergent, rinse in a fresh sink.If you want to clean animals with baking soda, place one at a time in a plastic bag or pillow case.Baking soda should be used to cover the animal with a light dusting.Give the bag a good shake.Allow the animal to sit in the baking soda for half an hour and then use a damp towel to wipe off dirt.
Step 4: The toys need to be dry.
Press out the extra water by wrapping each toy in a towel.If the animals have lost their shape during the cleaning process, use your hands to fluff them out.Hang the animals on a clothesline in the sun to dry them.This is ideal for all toys, but it's important for older toys that can't go in the dryer.Allow them to dry on a towel.The air can reach all the sides if you turn them over periodically.Before storing the animals, make sure they are completely dry.Animals can be put in the dryer.Add a few towels to the load to help protect the animals from tumbling.
Step 5: The animals should be wrapped.
To help protect animals that are going to be stored for a long time, wrap them in acid-free tissue paper, which will help to preserve them.Online or at most craft stores, acid-free paper can be purchased.
Step 6: The animals should be moved to plastic storage bins.
Plastic totes are ideal for storing stuffed toys because they can be stacked on top of each other, they keep out pests that could damage the animals, and they allow the air to flow inside.You can store the bins in a dry location to prevent mold problems.Overstuffing the bins will cause damage and crushed fur.
Step 7: They can be displayed on shelves.
Storage stuffed animals isn't always about putting them away for the long haul, and sometimes you just need a solution that will help you organize and store toys to keep them off the floor and out of the wayIf the shelves are low enough, your child will still be able to access all his/her favorite toys, and built-in or bookshelves are a great way to get animals off the floor.Dust, dander, and allergens settle quickly on immobile toys, so be sure to dust and rearrange them often.If you have more than one shelf, put your child's least favorite toys on the upper shelves.
Step 8: There is a toy cage.
Toy cages, or toy pens, are tall open crates that can be used to store as many as 100 stuffed animals at a time.The toys are piled on top of each other and the open slats or bars that keep the animals contained allow children to access the toys and put them back.A large basket can be used for a small animal pen.If you want to make a quick animal zoo, take the shelves out of a bookcase and tie string or twine around them.Place the stuffed animals in the bookcase with twine.
Step 9: They should be stored in hanging organizers.
Over-the-door shoe organizers or hanging closet organizers can be used to store stuffed animals.For smaller toys, over-the-door organizers are better than closet organizers.
Step 10: A toy chest can be used.
Toy chests are wonderful pieces of furniture that can be used for all sorts of storage as your child ages, and come in all shapes and sizes.Old crates can double as rustic toy chests and crates on wheels make excellent portable toy storage units.
Step 11: There is a hammock.
There are hooks on the wall or ceiling of your child's room that can be used to hang toy hammocks.You can use a toy hammock, a net or an old blanket.Most toy hammocks work best when they are suspended in corners, and from three separate hooks.
Step 12: You can hang a clothesline for toys.
You can run a clothesline along a wall in your child's room by using hooks on opposite walls.Clothes pegs can be used to connect stuffed animals to the line.You can use yarn, string or twine for the clothesline.You should hang the line somewhere that your child won't run into it.
Step 13: They can be used as a bean bag chair stuffing.
A bean bag chair shell is made out of fabric with a zip that is designed to be stuffed.Instead of using cotton batting, fill the bean bag shell with plush animals.The stuffed animals should be contained, easily accessible, and turned into furniture.
Step 14: They should be vacuum sealed.
If your child won't be using the stuffed animals soon, put them into vacuum bags.The vacuum cleaner nozzle can be used to suck the air out of the bag.Don't use vacuum bags for stuffed animals or antique plush toys because they could be damaged by the process.
Step 15: You need to gather your supplies.
You will need four sanded pillars of wood that are six feet tall and two inches wide for this project.A 40-foot length of rope, a drill, six pieces of sanded wood, and five front railings are required.
Step 16: Put the front panel together.
The pillars are 32 inches apart.There is a railing at the bottom of the pillars.Pre-drill two screw holes through the front railing and pillar on the right side.On the other side repeat.Attach the front railing to the pillars with two-inch screws after pre-drilling the holes.There is a front railing at the center of the pillars.Attach the piece at the top of the pillars.
Step 17: Put the back panel together.
The same steps are used for both the front panel and front railing.
Step 18: Attach the front and back together.
Attach a piece of board at the top, center, and bottom of the back panel.Make sure the boards are attached to the back panel by using the three-inch screws.Attach the front panel to the 12-inch boards using the three-inch screws once you have the boards attached on either side of the back panel.
Step 19: Attach the hooks.
On the front panel, there are hooks on the fascia, center railing, and bottom railing.Pre-drill holes for the hooks are placed evenly across the length of the boards.Pre-drill the holes for the one hook in the center of the side panels of each 12-inch board.Attach the hooks after the holes are drilled.
Step 20: Run the rope.
You're going to use the hooks to run the rope through the cage.At the end of the rope, tie a large knot.The hook is on the left side of the panel.The knot catches on the first hook if you pull the rope all the way through.The center hook is on the side panel.After threading the rope across the top side railing, you should be able to run it down through the first hook on the fascia, followed by the center railing and the bottom railing.Run the rope across the middle set of hooks.Continue until you have three sets of bars across the center panel and one set on each side panel.When you are done running the rope, cut the excess and tie a knot in the end.
Step 21: The zoo should be filled.
After you decorate the zoo, position it against a wall.You can fill it with your stuffed animals once it's dry.The rope bars make it easy to get to animals.