I have two daughters ages 6 & 8 who are spoiled rotten (only grandchildren-both sides). I have almost 100 Barbies that I am trying to find a creative way of storing yet accessible for them to play with. This doesn't include all of the accessories. Currently I have them in a large tote but of course the ones they want are always at the bottom! They have a very small room (bunkbeds)I finally had to resort to putting them on a closed-in porch with card tables. We live in Nebraska so it's too cold or too hot to play out there. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated before I have a HUGE garage sale!

By Sunny on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 11:47 am:

How about a hanging shoe holder?
http://store.yahoo.com/organizeeverything1/canovshohol.html

I don't know how many Barbies it would hold, but it might organize some of them.

By Feona on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 12:54 pm:

I don't think they need all those Barbies. How can you play with a hundred Barbies?

By Barbiemom on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 01:32 pm:

You are so right...there are too many. My oldest wants to sell some this summer at a garage sale. I like the shoe holder idea. Thanks. I was considering thinning out the collection and using some cheap clear shoe box type of plastic totes.

My next challenge will be the stuffed animals that have taken over their room! The dust bunnies love them though.

By Ginnyk on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:36 pm:

Stuffed animals do well in net hammocks hung across a corner, low enough for the child to reach and put them in or take them out, and it looks nice and is off the floor. Or two hung across one wall - one for each child's animals. Or, hang one on the bottom of the upper bunk for the child who sleeps in the lower, and over the upper bunk for the upstairs child. They can be hung over to one side (by the wall if the bed is by a wall) so they are not in the way.

The shoe bags could go at the foot of the bunkbed, with accessories going in shoe slots as well as the Barbies. I have seen inexpensive shoe hanging things with clear plastic sections, which would let them see what they are going after.

Foam plastic egg cartons are also good for the accessories - they are not clear, but they would work. Or a couple of those very cheap plastic boxes for jewelry or makeup, with lots of dividers.

By Barbiemom on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 12:43 am:

Thanks. I love the ideas for the stuffed toys. I also like the other ideas for the accessories. I think a trip to Wally World is in order.

By Barbiemom on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 09:59 pm:

I am so excited. I had to take my daughter to the dr today so I stopped by K-mart to fill a prescription and looked for a shoe holder. I found a three drawer clear plastic holder on sale in their ad this weekend. I bought two and came home and totally organized the playroom/porch. The barbies fit in two drawers while the accessories in another, clothes in another, and doll stuff in yet another and finally more barbies with the baby kelly's, etc. It looks great and they can find everything!

I also purchased a tall clothes hamper and put all their play dress up clothes in it and another clear plastic tote for doll clothes, etc. It looks great!

My next challenge is their room. That will be more like a weekend project instead of one day.

Thanks for listening.

By Mechelle on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 09:44 pm:

Thats what I got for my Dk's rooms is the clear plastic 3 drawer holder. Those things are wonderful hu?

I typed out in big red letters for Ds's 1st drawer Puzzles
2nd drawer match box cars

3rd drawer army men (those hurt to step on bare foot OUCH!!)

I got one for DD's room too. For Barbies, and paper/pens and for books.

I got 2 for my baby room, I stacked them on top of each other, accessories, baby clothes, a drawer for each of them with thier own names, for spare clothes, diapers and etc,, another one for baby bed sheets, and another for baby blankets.
I swear I wouldn't know what to do with out those things!!

I'm going to get one for my living room for coloring books, and crayons, and baby toys...