Storage Ottomans for the Den and Plans for MORE Storage

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I mentioned the new ottomans we bought for the den when I showed you the new color last week, but now I’m back to dedicate an entire to post to them + the search for storage solutions for the den in general.

When we bought the Karlstad sectional, we had to assemble it in a slightly unorthodox way in order to make it fit in our space. The end result is that the area in the center, where one might expect a coffee table, is sort of narrow and….not very conducive to coffee table placement. Aside from that, I liked the idea of keeping lots of floor space free for the kids to play and spread out. Abe likes to spread out train tracks here, and when the older kids have friends over, they usually all congregate in here.

So we decided to look for a couple of ottomans with storage inside that could easily be moved out of the way as a coffee table alternative. I expected said ottomans to be a darker blue (I admit I was hoping for blue velvet, in fact), but all my searches for something affordable were coming up empty.

But then I came across these on Target’s website. They had a few different colors, but the light blue was on clearance for half off, which I believe made them $45 each. I would love to link to them for you, but they appear to be out of stock. I was nervous about the light blue because I was (and still am) afraid they’ll look dirty soon or get stained, but I liked the idea of some lighter colors in here, and the price was too good to pass up.

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One of them tends to hang out in front of the sofa, where you see it up there, and the other one is usually right at the end, next to the arm.

I’m impressed with the quality and with how much they hold. This one has all of Abe’s train tracks and trains, plus those boxes you can see on top:

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But there are still MORE toys that won’t fit in the ottomans!

So. We don’t have a dedicated playroom in this house. And I don’t really want one, because 5/6 of us aren’t little kids anymore, and because we had one in our old house, and I never felt like it was used enough to justify taking up a whole room. Historically, Abe’s main first floor toy storage has been in the sunroom, but it’s shifting into the den these days. So far that means these ottomans, plus a basket of trucks, and his little table and chairs.

But eventually I’d like to see if I can find a place to tuck a little play kitchen in here somewhere, and I want a lot of shelving that can hold baskets of little toys (and bigger toys not in baskets. And, hey, probably actual books, too). To this end, Dave is planning to build a shelf for the corner on the other side of the fireplace from the TV. Like maybe a modified version of this one. I’m also toying with the idea of a set of glass doored Billy Shelves (like we have in our library) for the wall behind the sofa. It’s a tricky area, because it’s basically just a pass through from the doorway to the end of the couch, but it seems like a waste of space to have nothing on that wall. Right now I have the little, perpetually homeless campaign chest, but I think it sticks out too far. I thought I had a picture to show you, but I don’t.

And we actually have another thing ALL DONE in the den right this second…but I haven’t taken pictures of it yet. Next week!

 


Comments

Storage Ottomans for the Den and Plans for MORE Storage — 12 Comments

  1. toy storage – the struggle is real! and then it turns into toy hoarding and you have to convince your kids to let go…. i don’t want to be buying more storage pieces for crap i don’t want to store! 😉 you can definitely find a place to stick your play kitchen!

    • I tried to get Abe to help me weed out some stuffed animals (that he NEVER plays with) the other day, and every one he was like, “hmm….I think we should keep that one.” The toy hoarding has already begun!

  2. An indoor play kitchen as well as an outdoor one! Go, Abe!
    I have to inform you that grey and blue together literally make my teeth hurt (some unusual form of synesthesia) but on my screen the ottoman is a very pale grey (I kept scrolling back up to hunt for the blue one) so I am able to admire its size and shape without pain.
    Good luck on winning the storage wars.

      • No, actually, navy is worse. The classic men’s navy blazer with grey trousers is just awful. Luckily very few men I know dress like that. But I could ignore that and concentrate on the ottoman, because it doesn’t look blue. (Certain shades of pink and green do that to me. Other shades of pink and green are just heavenly. And the ones that make my teeth hurt together are just fine when separate. Neurology is weird.)

    • One of my friends had a rather large doll cradle that was toy storage. “It’s time for the toys to go to bed,” she’d say, and when her two-year-old had picked them up they would cover them with a blanket. Not quite as out of sight as an ottoman, but almost.

  3. I really love the ottomans – great idea for toy storage. Although if all my toys fit in those two ottomans, I wouldn’t be so overrun by everything TOY. But look at me, turning this into a story all about me. Typical.

    • ours definitely don’t all fit in the ottomans! I’m trying to keep a lot of the toys confined to his room…with mixed success 🙂

  4. I need some of these in my life! Love it friend and your room looks so amazing that color!! Wishing you a wonderful week! Nicole xo

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