Choosing super cute baby clothes or receiving them as gifts is pure joy. Organising baby clothes, however, is not so great! It can be hard to work out the best way to organise baby clothes so that they stay in great condition and you can find them quickly when you need them.
Busy parents haven't got the time for complicated organisational systems! So, to keep things simple, we've distilled the best baby clothes organisation ideas into 14 top tips.
These genius ideas will help you keep your baby's nursery neat and organised. Not only will it look so much better, but it will also make your life a lot easier! We've compiled these tips with busy parents in mind, so there's nothing too complicated or time-consuming.
#1: Organise baby clothes into hanging and folding groups
There are two basic ways to store clothes in your baby's nursery: folded in dresser drawers and storage boxes or hanging up in a wardrobe or closet. Assess how much hanging space you have and how much room there is in the drawers. Then, divide all the clothes into two piles so that you know that they will fit into each space.
In general, you would hang up cute outfits that you save for special occasions, matching outfits, warm coats, dresses and jackets on a rail. Whereas bodysuits, socks, pants, pyjamas and t-shirts would be folded in drawers.
#2: Organise baby clothes by category
If you store clothing for your baby in groups of the same type of item, it will be much easier to see exactly what you have. For example, store all the leggings together. Also, it will be quicker for you to locate and grab them when you are in a hurry. Older babies love to crawl away when you are trying to get them dressed, so you have no time to hunt through several drawers!
So, look at your two piles of clothes and put all the long-sleeve onesies together, all the hats together, all the socks together, and so on.
#3: Organise baby clothes by size
Babies grow at an amazing rate, so at any given time, you will have a range of sizes of clothes. On one end of the scale are the outfits that they are about to grow out of, but you are trying to squeeze a few more wears out of them! On the other end are outfits that are still a bit too big but will be a perfect fit in a matter of weeks.
This is why it's a beneficial idea to organise according to clothing sizes so that you can easily access all the outfits that are just right for that day.
#4: Allocate drawers and hanging space
If you organise baby clothes so that all the same types of clothes are together, your closet or dresser drawers will look much neater. You will also be able to grab onesies, socks, party outfits, or shoes quickly and without having to sort through a lot of other clothes.
Some items will take up one drawer; for example, your newborn baby will have a lot of onesies, so you'll need a whole drawer for these. Other clothes will have to share a drawer. Try to use the top drawer for things you use the most, as it is usually the easiest to access. Hang matching outfits in size or colour order on your hanging rail. Alternatively, organise the outfits into those that you'll need in warm or cool weather.
#5: Use drawer dividers
Baby clothing is quite small! So it tends to take up very little space and therefore moves around inside drawers. Drawer dividers are worth their weight in gold to stop everything from getting into a big muddle. You can even make your own dividers to organise baby clothes using plain cardboard or old cardboard boxes.
Baby socks, baby tights, and tiny shoes will be so much easier to find if drawers are organised with dividers.
#6: Label the storage spaces
Tired parents will always forget where things are in their baby's dresser, so don't be afraid to label things, especially in those crazy early days. You could make colourful labels and stick them to the closet door or on the front of drawers.
A top tip is to upcycle an older set of drawers by painting them with chalkboard paint and simply writing what is inside with white or brightly coloured chalk. The more artistic you are, the better! It's so easy to wipe this off and change it around when you need to organise baby clothes differently as they grow.
#7: Store clothes you don't need right now somewhere else
Hand-me-downs are a fantastic way to recycle clothes to protect the environment and save you a lot of money. You may have been given a lot of new clothes at your baby shower, but soon after that, your friends and family will be arriving with clothes that their own children have grown out of but that have hardly been worn!
The logistical problem is that you end up with a collection of baby clothes in a range of sizes and for a variety of seasons. Some of them may not be suitable for your little one for six months or even more! These need to be sorted into sizes and stored in labelled containers, such as plastic bins that can be stored under a bed or cot.
#8: Add more rails
The great thing about baby clothes is that they are not very long. This means that you can add an additional rail below a regular clothes rail in a closet or wardrobe and get double the storage space.
Closet rails, and everything you need to fix them, are available in a variety of lengths and are not that hard to fit with a few basic tools.
#9: Use storage baskets
Storage baskets are one of the most attractive ways to organise baby clothes. As well as being used to organise baby clothes, they can also be used for storing nappies, hair accessories, and toys.
These adorable storage baskets from 3 Sprouts are available in a cute owl, rhino, or elephant design that would fit into any nursery decor and will never go out of style.
#10 Organise the changing station
It will soon become obvious that you need a lot more at the changing station than a changing mat and nappies. Changing table storage needs to include both a laundry basket for dirty clothes and a supply of clean clothes. Most babies go through a stage where it feels like every nappy change involves a complete change of outfit!
So, by storing a few spare clothes at the changing station, you will save yourself a lot of time and effort!
#11: Use cup hooks for bibs
Bibs can be tricky to store and often end up getting thrown into kitchen drawers, where they get creased and smelly. They also get slung over the backs of high chairs, which looks untidy. There is no reason why organising baby clothes needs to be confined to the nursery. Clothing organisation can also be a kitchen activity.
Cup hooks are a perfect accessory in a family kitchen, and you only need one hook to store several bibs. They will be easy to find, and because the air circulates around them, they are much less likely to develop mould stains.
#12: Re-purpose a shoe organiser
You may already have a shoe organiser in your home. Perhaps you used it when you were able to dress up to go out? These can be repurposed to make storage space for baby clothes that will hang on the back of a door and take up very little space.
Many small items of baby clothes will fold up and fit neatly into the shoe organiser, as well as baby shoes, hair accessories, pants, and hats.
#13: Use some mobile storage
If you have limited space or need to be flexible about where you store your baby's clothes, a rolling cart could be the ideal storage method for you. They can come in a huge range of designs and shapes.
You can wheel it around to where you change your baby, and everything you need will always be close by.
#14: Prepare for the week ahead
Planning ahead is essential if your baby attends a creche or nursery or if you simply know that you have a hectic week ahead. Our top tip is to put together complete outfits for each day of the week. Perhaps hang them in a designated part of the closet in date order.
FAQs
What is the Marie Kondo method for organising baby clothes?
Marie Kondo is a Japanese organisation guru with a New York Times best-selling book, a hit Netflix show, and a huge following of dedicated fans. She is an enthusiastic supporter of removing clutter and living in a minimalist way. She has a series of detailed videos on how to fold clothes so that they take up little space and are simple to find. You can check out her methods on how to fold and organise a baby's clothes here [1].
How many outfits does a baby need?
Of course, it is entirely up to you if you want to buy loads of baby clothes but don't actually need to. Think about how quickly you can get them washed, dried, and ready to wear again. Also, factor in that babies can need up to four or five outfit changes a day. That should give you a rough idea of the number of outfits that you need.
Try to make sure that the first clothes that you buy for your baby have plenty of growth room because newborns grow very quickly. You may find that your baby's first set of outfits only lasts a few weeks!
Should you organise baby clothes by size?
This is a great way to organise your baby's clothes so that you can grab something that will fit them. However, don't rely on labels alone, because different brands have different fits. Use your own judgement instead. Ultimately, there are many ways to organise baby clothes, and it is up to you to choose the one that suits your family best.
How often should you purge your baby's clothes?
Your little baby's clothes need a good sorting every three months. You will notice that baby clothes are sold in standard sizes that span three months, and these are: newborn, 0–3 months, 3-6 months, 6–9 months, 9–12 months, and so on until they reach around two years of age. So, it makes sense to have a good sort out as you transition from one size to another. If you organise baby clothes in line with the above tips, this will be a quick and easy job.
Pack away any clothes that are too small for your baby if they may be needed for a future younger sibling. If this is not the case, offer them to friends, family, or neighbours. If you would rather donate them to a good cause, there will certainly be a local charity or baby bank [2] that will be very grateful to receive them.
References:
[1] Mother & Baby. (2020). How to neatly fold baby clothes like Marie Kondo | The KonMari way! [online] Available at: https://www.motherandbaby.com/baby/baby-care/how-to-fold-baby-clothes/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2024].
[2] Waters, D. (2021). Baby banks: Where to find your local baby bank and how you can donate. [online] GoodtoKnow. Available at: https://www.goodto.com/family/where-to-find-your-local-baby-bank-458436.
