A Boys Dress Up Trunk: Say Goodbye To That Mess On The Playroom Floor!

Is your playroom getting over-run with boys dress up clothes, accessories, hats, and the like? Perhaps it’s time to invest in a boys dress up trunk. Trunks are great for quick clean-ups, aren’t they? Just dump, toss, and stuff everything in, close the lid, and voila! Done. So easy that your little guy has no excuse to NOT be able to help dump everything in it, right? 😉

What kinds of dress up trunks are there out there that are “just” for boys though? This page is dedicated to showing you 3 different yet popular boys dress up trunk styles. I’ll talk a bit about each, and show you some different highly-reviewed ones in each category.

Big and Solid

The most important feature for a good dress up trunk, I think, is that it is BIG. Why? Because big chests simply can hold a LOT of stuff. Dress up gear tends to accumulate as your kids age. They add dress up hats for kids, swords, belts, capes, superhero costumes, boots, animal costumes, role-play gear… and very quickly a small box is filled to overflowing, and your play room is never quite completely clean.

Big dress up trunks are usually also SOLID. Solid enough for your little monkey to climb on. I think most kids are alike in that when they see something with a lid, they want to stand on it, jump off it, and generally, play on top of it… am I right? 😉

So, where can you get a good, solid trunk for your boy’s dress up gear? Well, it depends on your price, or what style you’re ideally looking for. Check out your local thrift stores, Craigslist, garage sales… you might find a solid wood piece that you can re-stain or paint as you desire. Or, check out furniture stores if your budget will allow it.

Here are 2 very different yet popular Big & Solid boys dress up trunks that are both available on Amazon.com.

(As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Full Disclosure.)

First is the KidKraft Austin Toy Box, in Blueberry (7 other colors available). It has a 4.2/5 star rating from 537 reviewers, which means that it is a well-built, well received item.

Cost: prices vary from between $60-90 depending on color, with shipping free.

This would be great addition to a bedroom or playroom, as it doubles as a bench for additional seating and would keep things nicely organized. It is large (30x18x19″), made from heavy-duty pressed wood, and has safety hinges on the lid to protect young fingers from being pinched.

The next one I want to feature is the Rhino Armor Dorm Trunk – size 35″ x 17″ x 17″, with wheels. It sells for $244.95, with free shipping from Amazon.com.

A Dorm Trunk is another Big and Solid boys dress up trunk. It’s often also called a footlocker or a storage trunk. There are many different sizes, colors, and styles available, they can come with locks or wheels, and can be made from metal, wood, or vinyl (or a combination of the three). The various features of each will determine the prices.

The Rhino Armor Dorm Trunk has nearly perfect reviews – the only “negative” review says it’s not great for travel as luggage as it’s really heavy duty. Which means great as a dress up storage solution and safe for wild play time, right? Rhino’s description says it can even be jumped on. Um… did they KNOW it’s what kids do or something? 🙂

Going with a dorm trunk is also rather practical, by the way… this style can grow with your boy, as it’s not childish or babyish. It’ll last your boy way beyond toddler-hood and boy-hood… it’ll be a chest that he can store stuff in for years to come, can use for going to camp, or to college even.

Click the link to check out several different examples of these heavy duty chests at Amazon.com: Dorm Trunks and Footlockers

Uniquely Styled Collapsible Toy Storage Box

The next type of boys dress up trunk we’ll take a look at here are collapsible toy storage boxes. Big “CON” here is that they often aren’t all that big… nor are they as sturdy as the wooden chests or dorm trunks, but they certainly have their appeal. And a big PRO is that they are significantly cheaper than something “heavy duty”.

Here are a few of my favorites.

One of the PROS about collapsible toy boxes that will appeal to many parents is that you can easily find a theme or character that your boy really loves. There are SO many different ones available! (My own little boy wouldn’t be so crazy about tractors, tigers, or Super-Hero yet, but man… he’s be SO excited to have a PAW Patrol or a Firetruck toy box!) I’d bet the little guy you’re thinking of has a few favorite themes, be they animals, vehicles, or TV cartoon characters. These kinds of toy boxes will definitely bring a smile to his face when he enters the playroom!

Dress Up Trunk with Accessories and/or Costumes Included

I’ve learned that often when people are searching for “Dress Up Trunk” on Google what they are actually looking for are trunks that come with dress up items INSIDE. Like, a nice box with a few outfits inside, or a set of hats or masks or the like. So, now we’ll look at these types of boys dress up trunks.

If you are looking to expand your little guy’s dress up collection quickly, especially if he doesn’t have much and you’re wanting to encourage creative play, this type of purchase is a smart one.

There are brands that are known for quality kids costumes and accessories – Melissa & Doug is one of them. Their kids dress up clothes, like their general toy line, are fantastic! Quality items, ones that will last even with heavy usage. And yes, they do have a few dress up trunks with a collection of items for sale.

Melissa & Doug Top This! Role Play Hats comes with a solid cardboard decorated storage trunk. Not huge, but any toy that comes with its own box for clean up is great. 😉 Selling for under $25 on Amazon.com with free shipping… not a bad deal at just over $4 per hat! And with an average review of 4.7/5 stars from the over 75 reviewers, you’ll know your little guy will be happy with them – and so will you.

So many boys right now are fascinated with the Avengers – the most powerful Super-Hero team ever! They would simply love receiving this collection of 4 hero costumes from Marvel’s Avengers Assemble: The Hulk, Iron Man, the Black Panther, and Captain America.

Each dress up kit includes 4 masks and 4 costume tops and gloves, and fits sizes 4-6X, and begins at just over $50 for the whole kit, including the cool looking trunk. Check it out here!

And there we have it! A look at some different types of boys dress up trunk and some appealing options! For more on this subject, read Dress Up Storage Ideas. Or, check out my review of the Guidecraft Dress Up Storage Center – it’s available not just in pink. 😉

If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you! Send me an email, or drop me a comment below!

Cheers,

Marlaine

20 thoughts on “A Boys Dress Up Trunk: Say Goodbye To That Mess On The Playroom Floor!”

Samantha September 27, 2016 at 4:57 am

I had no idea that there were so many options for dress up trunks! Or that dress up trunks are so prevalent. I thought I would just have to get used to the piles and piles of dress-up clothes. Haha.
Are there any girl-themed trunks as well that you would recommend? Actually, I do like the “big and solid” ones that you talk about.
- Marlaine September 27, 2016 at 4:40 pm
  
  Hi Samantha, Yes, there are so many great dress up trunks out there once you start looking! I know what you mean about the piles of clothes everywhere… 🙂 I’ve actually made use of large Rubbermaid bins in a pinch to clear the clutter, but I certainly do prefer a great looking trunk in the room to a plastic Rubbermaid.
  
  You asked about girl-themed trunks… check out my page “Little Girls Dress Up Clothes Trunks” here for some ideas! Thanks for connecting with Kidslovedressup.com! Have a good day.
Liz October 1, 2016 at 11:04 am

That first ‘big and solid’ one you recommended would be my pick! Not only is it strong, but it could make a nice furniture piece for the room.

To be honest I didn’t even know that dress up trunks were a thing, but I can see how valuable they would be. My two year old has just discovered the joy of dressing up, yet we just stuff everything in her already overflowing toy box. Perhaps a dress up trunk is just what we need!
- Marlaine October 1, 2016 at 4:37 pm
  
  Hi Liz,
  
  Yeah, they are pretty handy, that’s for sure. Our play room looks so much tidier with one! And personally I agree with you that a trunk that doubles as a furniture piece would be a good choice.
  
  If you’re looking for something for your daughter, maybe you might be interested in my post on Little Girls Dress Up Trunks! Thanks for stopping by!
Jeremy October 15, 2016 at 9:26 am

Trunks do seem like a great idea for keeping your kids room clean especially because like you said, it provides a quick and easy clean up. My son is about to be 4 and is really into super heroes right now, I think he would love the one that comes with the Avenger costumes! I will definitely be considering that for his birthday coming up.
- Marlaine October 15, 2016 at 7:37 pm
  
  Hi Jeremy,
  Thanks for dropping by! I too am all about the quick and easy clean up LOL. And yes, trunks are great for that. Happy Birthday to your son! 🙂
  Marlaine
jschicanha November 1, 2016 at 9:14 am

i have once bought my son a dress up trunk but afterward i have just found yesterday that he has now put aside his chair and use the dress up as his chair and a toy to jump on , i now don’t want to disturb him i will just buy him a new one and see hoe he will use it

thanks for the information

cheers

Jose
- Marlaine November 1, 2016 at 11:28 pm
  
  Hi Jose, thanks for commenting! Yes, boys definitely like to jump on everything, don’t they?? That’s why I think I’d recommend a very sturdy wooden dress up box! 🙂
Paula December 9, 2016 at 9:43 pm

As a mom of teenagers and a soon to be mother of a baby, I know that the trunk style would probably be the most useful for years to come! Of course, the less expensive option would be nice, but as a DIYer, pressed wood doesn’t re-paint very many times.
- Marlaine December 12, 2016 at 7:05 pm
  
  The dress up years unfortunately pass by quickly – so I agree… long term use is definitely worth the money! If you’re a DIYer, you might be interested in some cool DIY dress up storage ideas!
Kenny December 10, 2016 at 8:29 pm

Neat article! I think it is cool how you narrowed a Dress Up Trunk down to just boys. I know when I was younger I had my cool trunk, I had all my things in. It is important to make sure it is still a “boys” trunk. I will have to see if my nephews would be interested in one of these. I really like the “Big and Solid” trunk you show. What is your favorite pick?
- Marlaine December 12, 2016 at 11:46 pm
  
  Hey Kenny,
  
  I like the big footlockers best myself. I find kids stuff just multiplies! The bigger the trunk, the better! And, it can transition to other uses later – which I think will come in handy!
  
  Cheers!
Christian January 6, 2017 at 3:26 am

My mom had one of these when I was growing up, and there weer all types of cool things within it! I never thought of getting one to help with storing my son’s costumes and action figures, as this would help to keep his room neat tremendously!

I like the idea of a trunk with included costumes. My son loves the Avengers as you stated, but I wonder do they have any other super hero themed trunks?
- Marlaine January 6, 2017 at 6:13 pm
  
  Hi Christian,
  
  Thanks for commenting. I bet you have a lot of fun watching your son playing Superheroes!
  
  To answer your question, in my “dress up research” I have not yet come across a quality/heavy duty dress up trunk that has outfits IN it – I have definitely been looking. Seems like there’s a hole in the market for those… I haven’t found any for girls either that are more than plastic covered cardboard that lasts just a short while. I’d advise getting sets of costumes like this superhero set that is really popular, and a quality toy box to serve as the dress up box. It’ll get tons of usage!
  
  Cheers!
  
  Marlaine
MattyB February 1, 2017 at 11:11 pm

Wow, these trunks are super nice! thanks for sharing all of this great information with me. Your Post is very detailed and plenty of specs on each trunk.

I see that some trunks are less expensive than others, but overall I just need to look around for one at craigs list or wherever.
Would you say that its better to buy used? Or, are there some good trunks to be found new online? Do prices and quality vary a lot whether used or new?
Lastly, in your opinion do older trunks dating way back seem to be better quality overall than others. Kind of like the saying :”they dont make them like they use to”.
Thanks for the this help. Matt B.
- Marlaine February 2, 2017 at 12:50 am
  
  Hi Matt,
  
  Thanks for commenting! To answer your questions, first off, I’m a big fan of getting a great deal by shopping second hand. If you can find one on Craig’s List, Kijiji, or other online thrift sites, or at a local thrift store, and it looks like it’s in great shape, if it were me, I’d grab it in a heartbeat and forget about new! Toy boxes and dress up trunks are meant to be played with and used, so “perfect condition” isn’t always super necessary either. Sturdy and clean/clean-able, is important though.
  
  There are some great quality dress up trunks available new – I’m not sure how true it is that older ones are better quality. Perhaps the saying “you get what you pay for” may be most applicable to this conversation!
  
  Hope this has helped! Let me know if I can be of further assistance, and happy trunk-hunting!
  
  Marlaine
David Adams February 1, 2017 at 6:55 pm

Hi Marlaine I love the way you describe each dress up in depth and uses I have a 5 year year old son who is crazy on marvel superheros or paw patrol so i know which one my son would choose lol. its great to see someone who is offering a great and useful solid product at a reasonable price. Here in the UK its hard to find good quality without being overpriced for so its refreshing to see something like these trunks.
- Marlaine February 1, 2017 at 8:07 pm
  
  Glad to help, David! These trunks ARE pretty great deals! Beware though that the site links you to the US Amazon site, so exchange rates will apply. Still, from what I know of the pound, you’re still likely better off shipping one over the pond! Have fun picking out just one favorite! Cheers!
shrey March 2, 2017 at 11:46 am

These trunk ideas are amazing and helpful. I think this post is really going to help me to make a better decision on which trunk is the most suitable one for my nephew who really needs to store all his Halloween and other school play costumes in them. I think you have some great recommendations and I would surely check them out!
- Marlaine March 2, 2017 at 5:54 pm
  
  Thanks Shrey, glad it was helpful. Which style do you think suits his needs best?