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How to Organize Baby Clothes: 21 Clever Ideas

Medically Reviewed by Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BC
Updated
Don't let your baby's clothes take over your home.

If you’re a natural neat freak, sorting and organizing baby clothes might “spark joy” for you.

For the rest of us, staring at the jumbled piles of baby clothes can be downright overwhelming.

But we’ve got your back, mama. We’ve learned a lot about baby clothes organization through trial and error (and the trials and errors of many other parents), and we’ve found some sweet tips that have helped restore our sanity. We think you’ll like them too.

Check out these 21 simple hacks that will show you how to organize all your baby clothes with minimal time and effort.

Key Takeaways

  • Use ornament boxes, baskets, or dividers to organize baby clothes in dresser drawers.
  • Closet dividers, cube shelves, and door shelves can help keep baby clothes organized by size and type in the closet.
  • Wall storage options like shelves, shoe organizers, clothespins, and wire baskets provide additional space for baby clothes and accessories.
  • Floor storage solutions like rolling carts, bookshelves, toy bins, and under-the-crib containers can store baby clothes and transition to other uses as your child grows.

Dressers and Closets

These organization tips may be helpful if your nursery furniture includes a dresser. No matter the size of the nursery, you can “hack” it for storing baby clothes.

1. Ornament Boxes

Baby apparel often comes in sets, such as matching tops and bottoms. But it can be hard to get an outfit together when all the clothes are tossed in a large dresser drawer.

You can solve the problem of endless searching for a matching set by utilizing ornament boxes! These boxes already come with little squared-off sections. Do you know what fits perfectly in those boxes? You guessed it! A matching set of baby clothes.

2. Baskets

Babies require so many clothing items to make it through the day. They have socks, bibs, hats, and even mittens — not to mention all the blankets and towels.

A big drawer can swallow up all those tiny items. Keep them separated by organizing them into baskets. Since baskets come in all shapes and sizes, it isn’t difficult to find the perfect receptacle for each type of clothing item.

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3. Chalkboard Paint

You’ll never have to wonder what’s in those drawers with a dresser like this one. It’s a great way to make over a dresser that has seen better days. When your baby gets older, you can let them decorate it with colored chalk.

If you don’t want to write words on the drawers, you could draw symbols or pictures instead. You can find chalkboard paint on Amazon, at most home improvement stores, or in craft shops.

4. Dividers

If you can’t find baskets or boxes to fit in your dresser drawers, a DIY version may be better. These dividers were created with cardboard and contact paper. This is a simple craft, but it can make a huge difference in your clothing organization.

You can nab cardboard for the project from any box and find contact paper in just about any pattern you desire.

5. Freezer Bags

Organize out-of-season clothes or items that are still too big into freezer bags, then store these in plastic bins. You can purchase the bags and bins online or at a dollar store and use command hooks to hang the bins in your closet.

When your baby is small, you can fill the bags with socks, onesies, and sleepers. Then as your baby grows, you can use the bags to hold swimming suits, hair accessories, and even hats.

6. Closet Dividers

You’ll probably receive many little outfits during your pregnancy and after your baby is born. Savvy baby shoppers will buy various sizes to keep your baby looking cute at any age.

The problem comes when you shove all the outfits into the closet without organizing them.

These closet dividers will help keep hanging clothes organized by size. This makes life easy when it comes time to hang clothes after laundering and stay organized as your baby moves up to a new clothing size.

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7. Cube Shelves

If you don’t have a dresser you can sort outfits in, consider using the closet. Set up a couple of cube shelves to create ample storage space for all your baby’s clothing and accessories.

The shelf can hold little shoes or even baskets full of onesies and sleepers. Then the multiple hanging rods can handle the rest of the clothes.

8. Door Shelves

When you have a small house or a small room, you don’t let any available storage real estate go to waste. These track-mounted storage baskets are a great way to utilize the otherwise-empty closet door.

You can store your baby’s out-of-season clothes here or all those tiny shoes and bibs. They’re also great for stashing extra diapers. You could hang shower curtain hooks below the baskets to store baby linens such as receiving blankets and burp cloths.

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Wall Storage

Closets and dressers aren’t the only places you can store your baby’s clothes. These organizational hacks think outside the box!

1. Shelves

Create a little extra hanging space with a pretty shelf or two. By adding a wall shelf with a bar for hanging clothes, you can create a mini closet anywhere you have space.

You can easily paint the shelf to match your nursery decor.

2. Shoe Organizer

This one is on the door instead of the wall, but we think it still counts. A hanging shoe organizer is an excellent way to store clothing items while occupying a minimal amount of space.

You could easily coordinate these outfits by days of the week or month. Have fun with it, and create a color pattern, then your clothing storage can double as decor!

3. Clothespins

If your baby girl’s headbands are tangled together in a bin in your bathroom like mine were, check out this simple storage idea.

I found this handy clothespin hack that has helped me turn my mess of baby headbands into a decorative display. You could hang this in your nursery or bathroom, and add as many clothespins as necessary. Make it even more fun by painting the clothespins a bright color or decorating them with washi tape.

4. Wire Baskets

Using baskets as organization tools is a no-brainer, but mounting them on the wall is a novel idea. These wire baskets add a touch of whimsy and a vintage feel to the nursery.

These baskets are a great place to store pajamas or diapers. The added pop of color from the clothing can double as decor.

On the Floor

Cribs don’t take up much floor space, which is a good thing! It leaves more room for clothing storage units.

1. Rolling Cart

Metal rolling carts serve many purposes. You can use one as a bar cart or a place to store your crafts. Keep one in the nursery, and you can store all your little one’s shoes, baby blankets, and onesies.

This cart is handy, as you can move it from room to room or find a static place to store it in your baby’s room. However, you’ll probably want to keep an eye on it once your baby starts toddling. Any item with wheels can become a tipping hazard, and little ones love to push these carts around.

2. Bookshelf

If you don’t have a closet to store your baby’s clothes, you can make one. Hacking a bookshelf into a closet is a genius solution.

It should be easy to find a suitable bookshelf. Head to your nearest used furniture store, order one online, or do a little weekend yard sale shopping. They’re easy to paint to match your nursery color scheme, too.

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3. Toy Bins

These plastic toy bins are a good place to organize baby clothes. They are easy to label, and they can hold many items. When your child gets a little bigger, you can switch the clothing for toys.

The shelves include 12 bins in two sizes, creating lots of space for diapers, accessories, and more.

4. Under the Crib

Many cribs have enough space under them to fit a drawer or other underbed storage containers. These flat bins can hold a full supply of baby clothes and are great for storing out-of-season or still-too-big apparel.

When your child gets a little older and transitions to a big-kid bed, look for one the bins will still fit under. Or choose a bed with drawers for built-in clothing storage.

FAQs

How Do You Organize Baby Socks?

Organize baby socks by pairing them and storing them in a designated drawer or bin. Using drawer organizers can help keep pairs together. Some parents find rolling socks into balls helps keep pairs organized and easy to find.

Is It Best to Hang or Fold Baby Clothes?

Whether to hang or fold baby clothes depends on the type of clothing and available space. Hang items like dresses, jackets, and dress shirts. Then, fold more casual items like onesies, pants, and T-shirts to save space.

How Do You Store Baby Clothes With Minimal Space?

To store baby clothes with minimal space, use space-saving solutions like under-the-crib storage, over-the-door organizers, and drawer dividers. Vacuum-sealed bags can be useful for out-of-season or outgrown clothes.

What is the Most Effective Way to Fold Baby Clothes?

The most effective way to fold baby clothes is by using a method that maximizes space and visibility. The KonMari folding method, where clothes are folded into small rectangles that can stand upright, is popular for its efficiency.

Is It Better to Store Clothes In Plastic or Cardboard Boxes?

It’s generally better to store baby clothes in plastic boxes as they offer better protection from moisture and pests. Cardboard boxes can absorb moisture and attract bugs.


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Medically Reviewed by

Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BC

Katelyn Holt RN, BSN, BC is a cardiology nurse and freelance medical writer. Katelyn has 8 years of nursing experience inpatient and outpatient, primarily medical-surgical and cardiac. After having two children she has a passion for Women’s Health and Lactation teaching and support.