How do you store a lot of plushies?

Plushies, also known as stuffed animals or soft toys, have become increasingly popular among children and adults alike in recent years. With their soft, huggable nature and cute designs, it’s no wonder so many people love collecting them. However, as your plushie collection grows, storage can become an issue. Storing a large plushie collection properly is key to keeping them clean, organized, and protected. In this article, we’ll go over some tips and solutions for storing lots of plushies.

Assess Your Collection

The first step is to take an inventory of your plushie collection. Gather them all together and do a count to see around how many you have. Next, assess the sizes. Make note of how many small, medium, large, and extra-large plushies you have. You’ll store small and medium ones differently from larger plushes.

Additionally, assess the types. Do you have mostly standard teddy bears and animals? Game or anime characters? Bean bag plushes? Knowing the predominant types in your collection will help guide your storage solutions.

Choose Appropriate Storage Locations

When choosing where to store your plushie collection, you’ll need to pick locations that are clean, dry, pest-free, and have stable temperatures. Damp basements, attics, and garages are not ideal. The best spots are often bedrooms, closed closets, spare rooms, bookshelves, or collectors cabinets.

For large collections, consider storing plushies in multiple locations around your home. Having some downstairs and some upstairs helps distribute the volume. Store the ones you love playing with most in easy to access spots. Put more delicate or collectible ones in safer, less disturbed places.

Use Bins and Baskets for Small and Medium Plushies

Plastic bins and woven baskets make excellent storage containers for small to medium sized plushies. Look for bins and baskets in various sizes and stack together for a neat organized look.

Clear plastic bins let you easily see contents. They also allow for airflow to prevent mildew and dust buildup. Label the bins by category or color to make finding plushies easy.

Woven baskets have a cozy, decorative look. You can match them to your room’s style. Nestle plushies inside upright or stacked. Lidded baskets keep dust out while hiding the contents.

Display Shelves Showcase Plushies

For the plushies you love seeing every day, display shelves are perfect. Standard bookshelves or wall-mounted shelves let you neatly arrange plushies. Make sure shelves are strong enough to hold their weight without sagging.

Place small plushies in rows by type or color. Sit medium plushies upright against the wall or lay them down across several shelves. Big plushies can serve as bookends on ends of shelves.

Rotate plushies on and off shelves to refresh the display. Keeping some in bins and rotating allows you to put out more of your collection over time.

Hanging Plushie Storage Ideas

Hanging storage is great for collections with limited floor space. Wall installed shelving units with slots or rails allow you to hang plushies by hooks through their tags or loops.

Over the door hanging canvas bins are another option. You can find them in stores or make your own by sewing fabric bins and hanging them on hooks over a door. They provide easy access for grabbing and replacing plushies.

For ceiling height storage, install tracks or poles across the top of a room and hang plushies from hooks. Use S-hooks for smaller plushies with loops or clips. For bigger ones, use large shower curtain hooks through tags or makeshift shoulder straps.

Large Plush Furniture and Beds

Extra large, life-size plushies can be stored on beds, chairs, couches, and custom furniture made just for plushies.

Build or buy a plushie bed frame and make a cozy mattress out of foam and fabrics to store multiple oversized plushies. Prop them against the cushions into sleeping positions.

An oversized bean bag bed or giant floor pouf serves as both storage and a comfy spot for human seating. Arrange massive plushies on and around it as decor.

Use a plushie hammock hung from a stand or corner to hold a pile of your biggest stuffed friends. Plushie clothesline poles with clothespins can hang a row of large plushies.

Clean and Protect Plushies

To keep plushies looking their best when stored long term, give them a gentle wash first. Check labels and use a delicate wash cycle, mild detergent, and air dry.

Use fabric protector spray on cleaned plushies to prevent dust mites and bugs. Store plushies loosely to prevent creases. Refill with polyfil stuffing if any plushies get flattened or lumpy.

Place acid-free tissue paper between stacked plushies to absorb oils and prevent color transfer. Store plushies in breathable cotton bags or acid free boxes if needed.

Avoid attics, basements, garages, and anywhere pests could enter. Inspect regularly for bugs and thoroughly clean any signs. Use cedar blocks and sachets as a deterrent.

Plushie Storage Furniture and Solutions

Specialized plushie storage furniture, organizers, and displays provide handy storage solutions:

– Plushie hammocks, nets, and wall grids
– Hanging canvas cubbies and bags
– Corner shelves with plushie pockets
– Clear stacking drawers for easy visibility
– Multi-level plushie display cabinets and shelves
– Under the bed roll out plushie organizers
– Storage ottomans and benches filled with plushies inside
– Custom closets with plushie racks, shelves and bins

Having designated plushie storage furniture helps create defined spaces just for your collection. The right organizational solutions make accessing and enjoying your plushies easy while keeping them orderly.

Rotate Plushies for Fresh Displays

When you accumulate a large plushie collection, you likely won’t have room to display them all at once. Rotating plushies in and out of storage allows you to showcase more of your collection over time.

Set reminders on your calendar to swap out plushies seasonally, monthly, or whenever you want a fresh look. Store the rotated plushies neatly in bins or bags so they stay clean.

Having an inventory list of all your plushies helps prompt you rotate specific types you haven’t displayed in awhile. Slowly curating and changing your displayed plushies keeps your collection feeling new.

Let Kids Help Organize Plushies

For kids’ plushie collections, getting them involved in the organizing process helps teach important skills. Sorting plushies into piles by attribute improves categorization and reasoning. Using bins and baskets boosts coordination and dexterity.

Set aside part of a closet or shelving unit just for your child’s plushies. Let them arrange plushies themselves onto the shelves in ways that make sense to them. Provide labels they can attach to bins for reading practice.

Rotating toys and plushies keeps the collection novel and interesting to kids. Guide them through the process of picking which ones to put away and bring out next.

Donate or Sell Plushies If Overwhelmed

If your plushie collection becomes overwhelmingly large, consider downsizing. Donating gently used plushies to charities, children’s hospitals, foster care centers, or shelters spreads joy to others.

Selling plushies through local ads, consignment shops, or online marketplaces like eBay lets you profit from plushies you no longer want. Discover which plushies collectors seek and price accordingly.

Trading plushies with other collectors helps you downsize while getting new-to-you plushies. Join online groups to connect with trading partners locally or by mail.

Only keep the plushies that bring you happiness or have significant sentimental meaning. Pare down your collection to a more manageable size if needed.

Conclusion

With some planning and organization, you can properly store even the largest plushie collection. Assess your current collection and choose suitable storage furniture and accessories. Use bins, baskets, shelves, and hanging solutions to neatly contain plushies while keeping them clean and cared for. Display shelves, beds, and creative DIY solutions both store and showcase beloved plushies. Rotating plushies in storage allows you to appreciate your whole collection over time. Most importantly, make sure storage solutions are safe, clean, and accessible so you can fully enjoy your plushie collection for years to come.