Playroom Design - Storage and Filing Areas

The "stuff" to be stored are the following:

• Books
  
• Materials
  
• Tools / Equipment
  
• Toys
  
• Games
  
• Replenish and cycle new items into this area

There is always a need for storage but in order to do it effectively, you'll need to think of things in the following ways:

1. What do I need readily available on a daily basis
2. What do I need readily available but not on a daily basis (maybe weekly or monthly)
3. What do I not need readily available but do not want to discard
4. What do I not need and can discard
5. And, you'll need to put aside a little time to allow yourself to move items from #1 to #4. This process is referred to as Filing.

For #1 and #2, we've created various areas throughout the room according to work/play flow. For instance, located beneath the Wall of Accomplishment are bins for #1 type work and #2 type work and this distinction is reinforced regularly. For #3 items, we've created a storage area in the basement (we'll outline the details of that later) and for #4, refer to the Recycling Area.

Regarding the Filing process, it's important to make this as easy and consume as little time as possible so that it will continue to be done over the long term. With that said, and in keeping with our integrated approach, early involvement and reinforcement with the family of this process is an excellent idea.

A couple of key characteristics of the Filing process are:

• Have easy / accessible / openable drawers for storing already completed work and projects worth keeping but not needing to be displayed
• Cycle items from this area into a long term storage area (e.g. shelving / cabinets in the basement)