Toy storage box buyer guide

Toy boxes come in many different sizes and categories, from ones tailored to boys, to ones tailored to girls. However they are an invaluable tool to keep your home neat and tidy after the day has ended. Of course every child is different, so here are some points to consider when purchasing your new toy box.

Will your child like it?

How safe is the toy box?

It is important to have a safe toy box. One safety feature which is paramount is to have a lid which does not slam shut, so look for a toy box which has a special hinge which allows it to stay open. This also makes putting toys back much easier. Also make sure to look for toy boxes which have good ventilation in case your child happens to get in and close the lid. All toy boxes should come with an age range, generally this will start from 2 and above, but look at the details for the specific box for the actual age range.

How well does the toy storage box fit in with the general decor of the room.

Toy boxes come in varied different styles, however the toy box can potentially be in use for many years to come as a place to put odds and ends even when your child grows up, so having something understated may be a better way to go, this will also allow more likelihood for the box to stay in keeping with your home decor as your house furnishings evolves.

Is the toy box sturdy? Can it take someone standing inside it?

Certain boxes are constructed much more sturdily than other boxes, and it is especially important with themed boxes such as Thomas the tank engine or car boxes that your child may want to try get in to, so it is important to teach your child that this may break the box, as most will come with a bottom which is not sturdy enough to be sat in and cannot deal with a child bouncing up and down in it. Alternatively you could go for a bench toy box to allow for more interactivity. It is also important to think about the durability of the toy box, it may well get bashed around as your child retrieves his favourite toy.

Is the toy box easy to clean?

Realistically a toy box will get heavily used as your child happily rummages through all the treasured possessions, so the box may need to be cleaned, the more elaborate the box is the more time this will end up taking, generally the plastic ones will be easier to clean.

How easy it is to construct the toy box?

Some boxes are very easy to construct, they just clip together, others require more construction of screwing them together, also it is also possible to construct your own toy box, while this will not necessarily be the cheapest option it could give you give you immense satisfaction or frustration depending on how well it goes.

What material is best?

There are two major options for materials to use with a toy box, either wood or plastic, both have their advantages and disadvantages. Wood allows a sturdy look which is more likely to match a room's decor, plastic will provide tough durability an ease to clean and will also generally be the cheaper of the two. Plastic toy boxes can be moulded into vibrant colors which will brighten up a room. While wood toy boxes can potentially turn into a family heirloom for the high quality versions.

How many toys can it hold?

It is important to find out how many toys your child has, some toy boxes do not have as much internal capacity as others so look into the dimensions to identify this. If your child has many toys it would be better to get a larger sized toy box. However children like variety so it may be time to put away toys that your child has not played with for a while. These can then be retrieved at a later date and your child may find them interesting again as they have not seen them for such a long time.