What To Know Before Buying The IKEA TROFAST Storage Solution (Including Some Alternatives)

If you are a lover of decorating or organization shows, you've probably seen a few stressed-out parents in need of toy storage. The once formal dining room/living room/entire house has been taken over by bright plastic toys and children's paraphernalia. If this issue feels all-too familiar, there are great storage solutions available that will shield toys from view and organize them in the process.

A popular way to organize toys is with the IKEA TROFAST System, a combination of a storage frame and removable boxes. Its popularity is due to its affordability and customization options. You can purchase the different frames and boxes as a set, or purchase separately to mix and match size and color combinations. Before purchasing, however, you should know that the TROFAST frames only go with TROFAST boxes. Additionally, the popularity of the IKEA TROFAST system means it is often unavailable, which may have you looking for other solutions.

Clocking in at $79.99, the TROFAST Storage combination with boxes is a horizontal unit with a row of three small storage boxes on top and three large on bottom. The boxes come in a range of colors, and the three rows of grooves allow for different sized boxes. If purchasing separately, boxes range in price from $1.50 to $5 for plastic, or $6 to $12 for mesh. The boxes are easy to label, and the low height and smooth grooves make it easy for kids to reach (and more importantly, put away) their own toys. If you're interested in this type of organization unit but find that the TROFAST is out of stock, there are other alternatives that will do the trick.

Once the TROFAST products are out of stock, it can take a while for them to return. Some items are also available only in the store and not for shipping, which is an issue if you don't have an IKEA in your area. Fortunately, there are similarly-priced storage solutions, such as the Humble Crew Supersized Toy Storage Organizer. It has 16 removable plastic bins in tons of color options. 

A cube storage organizer is another great alternative and often comes with decorative fabric or woven bins — a more elegant option for toy storage in main living spaces. And unlike the IKEA TROFAST stsyem, you can mix and match different brands of toy storage bins and frames. With cube storage, you also have the option to leave some sections bin-less to use as a display shelf. NELYE Organizer Bookcase has four-cube ($52.99), six-cube ($72.99), and eight-cube ($92.99) options in white or oak frames and can be used either vertically or horizontally. You can pair this system with Amazon Basics Cube Organizer Storage Bins ($22.20 for six), available in eight colors.