4. Cubby Bookcase Toy Box Combo
Toys and books end up in the same pile no matter how carefully you organise them, so a box with built-in cubbies solves two problems at once. The lower half is a deep open bin for larger toys; the upper section is divided into two or three square cubbies for picture books and small bins.
Build the outer frame from 1×12 boards, then add a horizontal shelf at roughly 14 inches from the floor and two vertical dividers above it. A 3/4-inch plywood back keeps the whole thing from racking sideways, which matters once a child starts pulling books off the top shelf.
Time: a full weekend. Difficulty: intermediate.
Anchor this one to the wall. Any tall, narrow piece of children’s furniture should be secured with an anti-tip strap, and a cubby unit is exactly the kind of thing a determined climber will try to scale. Attach the strap to a wall stud, not drywall alone.
Because the piece is tall, paint it in a single calm colour and let the toys provide the brightness. Alternatively, paint the back panel a contrasting shade so the cubbies glow when they are empty. Woven baskets in the cubbies hide the small clutter, and the open bin below takes the big stuff.