Classy Media storage- Such a thing???

14 years ago

I'm looking for some help on how to store my movies. wii games, etc. we have these two built-ins that were made specifically to hold our media devices and movies- devices are in the right cabinet, movies and other components in the left cabinet.

HOWEVER.. the cabinet is almost too deep to store the movies. I have tried with baskets holders etc. in the cabinet but the way it was built (we didn't have much experience and just kind of let the carpenter do what he wanted) it just doesn't work. I want everything to be concealed since when the kids get to it, it becomes a mess, but my dh wants to get a holder just to put in this corner to the left of the french door. ( I am thinking of switching the french doors to open into the playroom rather than into the FR)

I really would rather not as it is just not my taste to have it in the open and the girls will create a disaster with it. I don't want to spend the money to have another built-in made. Do you think I should go someplace like Homegoods and look for a small cabinet of some sort? Once we switch the doors to open the other direction, I would also like to add two chairs and a small table in between. We are also planning on buying a larger sofa when the time is right (ie when we feel the girls will not destroy a brand new one!)

We plan on making the built-ins window seats and once we figure out window treatments(open to suggestions again for that - have asked in the past and still contemplating what to do) we will be adding those as well. The wall in between the two windows above the sofa will be a picture wall once I get my frames delivered from PB.

This is more pic. of the room just to give you an idea...

(geesh I should have at least straightened out the couch).

{{gwi:1542859}}

(my daughter jumped in while I was taking the photos- that is the play room behind her)

Thanks in advance for any insight (and any other decorating advice you want to provide is more than welcome)

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Comments (8)

User
14 years ago
How about adding pull-out drawers to the existing cabinets and a basket on top to hold the controllers?
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camlan
14 years ago
To be truthful, unless your family is pretty disciplined, having a holder that is all the way across the room may well be a recipe for even more mess at the fireplace/TV end of the room. If the storage you have that is *right next to the TV* gets messy, do you think that people will walk across the room to put things away? In my family, that wouldn't happen and disks and cases would pile up on top of the built-ins. Only you can know your family well enough to know if they will put things away neatly on the other side of the room.

So my suggestion, if you get a separate piece to hold the movies and games, would be to put it more or less where the dog bed is now, in the hopes that it would get used.

Another idea would be to gut the storage cabinet and install a system that would work. I'm thinking along the lines of sliding shelves, say from a kitchen cabinet, that would take advantage of the depth of the cabinet, but also allow easy access to the movies and games. I'd also put a shallow basket on top of the cabinet to hold the cases for the disks that are currently being used. Which might encourage people to put the disks back in the cases when they are done. Even if the cases are then left in the basket, 1) the disks are protected from scratches and 2) it's pretty quick and easy for someone to put them all back where they belong, which can be done once a day or whenever the room gets tidied up. And the basket hides the mess from view.

My last question, since you mention that you have a Wii, is if you also have wireless internet? If you do, it might useful to investigate getting a Netflix subscription and use the streaming video to watch movies. They don't have their entire collection available for instant watching yet, but they do have a ton of kids' TV shows and movies. You could weed out the DVDs of things that are available instantly, which would give you less to store and less to put away.
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graywings123
14 years ago
I agree with lazygardens, pullout drawers for the movies. Although, ask yourself, how often do you view movies you own? Are they really watched so often that you need them stored close to the TV? Maybe they could just as easily be stored in another room in an open bookcase - a cheap one from Ikea.

I would give up one of the cabinet tops to a large, low basket and use it to store the controllers. Or the same basket on the future coffee table in front of the sofa. You know your family better than we do - what are the chances they will be putting them back in a cabinet after using them?
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gillylily
Original Author
14 years ago
hmm. pull out drawers? That's a great idea. I'm not sure I would want the controllers on top of the cabinet (although they always seem to end up there anyway) but I am trying to teach my girls to put things away when done with them and take care of their/our stuff and they will just throw them (as will my DH) in the basket. But I really do like the pull out drawer idea.

Thanks for the suggestion. Definitely something to think about!!
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amysrq
14 years ago
I would get these....

Here is a link that might be useful: from the Container Store
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hoosiergirl
14 years ago
We have our movies stored in the drawers of our coffee table, so that's probably not much help for you.

As for your remote controls, we bought a universal remote last year, and it has been such a clutter remover! All those remotes are now in a drawer of a side table and we only have the one remote out now. LOVE it! There are many different price points on them, but this is a relatively inexpensive one that is well rated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Logitech Harmony Universal Remote
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gillylily
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the ideas. We actually have the logitech remote- its all the wii stuff and remotes for the gaming devices (my husband has all of his "toys" too.. I did find some drawers for the cartridges and dvds and blu rays. THanks for all the help!
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misenplace
14 years ago
We've used the chrome Rev-a-Shelf pull outs to retrofit existing cabinetry & have been very happy with the quality. Lowe's carries some, and you can order online as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rev-a-Shelf
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Classy Media storage- Such a thing???

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camlan

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Classy Media storage- Such a thing???

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camlan

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