Hello everyone! Today I want you to meet Isabella Madison (Izzy for short). Izzy is my daughter's American Girl Doll that she received from her grandparents a couple of years ago.
Izzy has managed to acquire quite a bit of furniture and accessories and was in need of a place to store them, as well as a proper home. Since I just ripped through the entire house with my New Year cleaning and organizing, I decided to tackle this problem by creating an easy to replicate Dollhouse/ storage solution.
Now you can certainly find ready made dollhouses that work for American Girl and other 18" dolls, but I wanted something more versatile. In other words, something that could be easily repurposed in a couple of years or so when Izzy is no longer being frequently played with. (I'm looking at you, Lalaloopsy dollhouse, I'm looking at you....😁)
So without further ado, here is how I managed to put together a bookshelf dollhouse:
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Disclosure- This post contains affiliate links. If a purchase is made through an affiliate link then (at no additional cost to you) I will receive a commision. Affiliate links are noted below.
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Empty Standard Bookcase
When beginning a project I always like to start with a blank slate and this time my 'slate' is a standard 5-shelf bookcase. I love these shelves because 1) they are affordable, 2) they come in a white finish that blends with the rest of my decor, 3) the laminate finish is easy to wipe clean and 4) the shelves are adjustable so I can switch things around as often as I want. There are also tons of ways to upgrade and decorate this type of shelving, but that would be an entire separate blog post (think crown molding, wallpaper backing, etc...)
Similar bookcases can be found on Amazon.
Click the following (affiliate) link to check out the many different finishes available:
South Shore 5-Shelf Storage Bookcase, Gray Oak
Note: Though I described this as a 5-shelf bookcase, you can see in the photo that only 4 shelves are in place. That's because the furniture made for 18" dolls is often on the taller side and some pieces need quite a bit of room. I find that by removing a shelf I'm able to get the space that I need quickly and easily.
Tip: Just because I left my shelving plain doesn't mean it has to stay that way. A bookcase like this could be completely customized with a little bit of scrapbook paper. Think wallpaper, brick, wood flooring...any pretty paper could be attached with adhesive to decorate the separate 'rooms'. Also, who says you need to stop at one shelf? Put two or more side by side to create a larger home with plenty of extra space 😉
Larger Pieces First
I think the easiest way to organize any space is to start with the largest items first. I grouped the furniture into rooms; bathroom, kitchen, office, garden...and began placing the rooms where they fit the best.
As I look at this photo I can imagine how much nicer Izzy's 'house' would look with a second bookshelf in place....think of how I could spread everything out a bit better.... I mean, those extra dining chairs would look way better combined with the dining set, right? 😎
Note: My kids are older and past the climbing stage, so I don't worry about shelving tipping over anymore. But if you have any concern at all I would not recommend putting heavy toys at the top of a bookcase. Even with the shelf anchored to the wall (follow the instructions that are included in the shelving package), it's still not worth the risk. I also suggest having a rule about how the toys are played with. The reason I call this a storage solution in addition to a dollhouse is because some of the furniture (like the bathroom) simply can't be played with in their current place. When it comes time to play, we move the shower, vanity and bathroom accessories to the floor to avoid any accidents.
Add Accessoires
Once the larger items were in place I got to play, I mean organize all of the smaller household items that Izzy has collected. Not even going to try and hide it, this was so much fun! 😉
Here are close-up pictures of each room:
Bathroom
Laundry Room
Kitchen
Office
