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Kids Room Throwdown: Trofast vs Kallax/Expedit

Alison Gerber
Alison Gerber
From Sydney, Australia, now freezing to death in New England, Alison Gerber is a writer, Mom and master's student. When she's not blogging, she's usually found eating popcorn in bed, watching a BBC mystery series.
updated Jul 17, 2020
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One of the most challenging decisions a parent faces in decorating a kids’ room is storage. Where on earth does one store all their stuff? Two popular options among Apartment Therapy readers are IKEA’s Kallax (originally the Expedit) and Trofast storage systems. But which will work best for your needs? Read on to find out who wins out in the Trofast/Kallax kids room throwdown!

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As a bench? Winner: Trofast. Sure, the Expedit looks lovely beneath sun-filled windows. But its composite material is not strong enough to hold grown people. After a while, it feels…squishy. On my own, I’ve started to see small cracks forming on its surface. The pine-made Trofast, on the other hand, feels firm and solid to sit on.

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(Image credit: reader Stephanie)

As a bookshelf? Winner: Expedit/Kallax. It is possible to replace Trofast tubs with shelves, but the unit still ends up looking like a set of drawers turned into shelves. The Expedit? A natural bookshelf.

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For the playroom? Winner: Trofast. While the Expedit looks lovely with large nursery toys displayed one-per-shelf, if what you have is a ton of little “bits” (think: LEGO, Playmobil, or hot wheels cars), then the Trofast works its magic by sorting those bits into its individual sliding and removable tubs. The Trofast is also the best option for the arts and craft space for the same reason.

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For ease of cleaning up? Winner: Trofast. The Trofast makes tidying up with little kids easy. Simply take each bucket out to play with, one at a time, and have them fill it back up when done. And “styling” isn’t necessary to make the Trofast look good – everything is tucked away out of sight.

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For re-use in adult spaces? Winner: Expedit/Kallax. If you’re looking for something that can last long term, the Kallax is your best bet. The Trofast was designed with kids’ storage in mind, so in a grown up space it does look a little too “kiddish”. Since it has wipeable bins, it could be used in a mudroom or kitchen, but it’s the Expedit/Kallax that looks at home in just about any adult space.

And which one takes the title for Best Overall? Well, which do you think works best in kids’ rooms: the Trofast or the Kallax? Cast your vote below!

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