Tips for Organizing Your Kids’ Clothing

Are you struggling to find a solution for the piles of your baby's clothes you have lying around the house? Here are some easy tips and tricks to get your baby’s closet organized, providing easy access to all the tiny clothes and clothing items you need. With a little bit of drawer space, some handy drawer dividers, and a system for managing small items, you can simplify the process of dressing your new baby.

The Best Baby Clothes Organization Ideas for New Moms and Dads

With how quickly your little one grows, clothing collections can get out of hand faster than you might think. Learn how to keep baby clothes organized, providing easy access to different sizes of clothing items as your baby grows.

When was the last time you took a moment to go through your kiddo’s clothes? First things first, like most parents, you probably have a massive collection of outfits you bought yourself, pieces you got as gifts during your baby shower, tons of hand-me-downs and tiny items, and more. It doesn’t take long for that adorable wardrobe to take over your nursery and home! The last thing you’re thinking about is staying organized when struggling to clothe a fussy baby or find the right size, but a few simple tips can make dressing your new baby considerably less hectic.

With this blog, we’re going in-depth to teach you how to turn a chaotic mess of baby clothes into an organized wonder. These essential organization tips will help you manage much space that can be overrun by a lot of clothing from your children.

1. Sort by Size

One of the easiest ways to organize your nursery closet and dresser drawers is to sort by size. Take one look through your collection of baby clothes, and you’re bound to find garments ranging from newborn sizes that don’t fit up to sizes your tiny tot can’t wear yet. It’s so disappointing to find a cute outfit only to discover it’s not the correct size. Now, imagine finding pairs of baby shoes that your baby has outgrown or not grown into yet. That's why you should also keep track of shoe sizes.

Avoid that headache by separating everything into size groups. You can keep all clothes labeled 0–3 months in one drawer, outfits for 3–6 months in another, and so on. You can use closet dividers for a more organized system. The beauty of organizing by size is that you can quickly move things around as your baby transitions from one size group to the next. For example, you can keep whatever size your little tyke is on now in the top drawer, where it’s easily accessible. When they’re ready to move up a size, swap everything out and move the old clothes into storage (more on that soon).

Trust us: This tip will make your life much easier! It might take some time if you have heaps of baby clothes, so set aside a few hours to get the job done. Go through every piece and create piles of clothes sorted by size before putting them where they need to go.

2. Keep Similar Garments Together

Your baby likely wears multiple outfits a day. They have pieces for sleeping, like pajamas and rompers, clothes to wear when you’re out and about, and ensembles for playing at home. Jackets, sweaters, and hats for different seasons can also be grouped together. Of course, you also have backups for those inevitable messes.

Make things a bit easier to find by keeping similar pieces together. For example, you can keep all your shirts in one drawer, all your onesies in another, etc. You can keep sizes separate, too, providing a one-two punch of organization!

Designating clothing types to one drawer or section of your nursery closet makes it much easier to find when you need it most. This does away with the constant shuffling through messy drawers, streamlining the dressing process to get your baby comfortable in mere minutes!

3. Store in Bins or Vacuum-Sealed Bags

Earlier, we mentioned that you could keep all the current sizes in easy-to-access drawers while putting the old stuff away in storage. What is the best way to do that? Baskets, storage bins and totes, storage bags, and vacuum-sealed bags!

It’s tempting to stick all your baby’s closet in a spare drawer, but there are a couple of issues with that technique.

First, it takes away valuable storage space you’ll inevitably need. You know you’ll get more clothes as your baby grows, and keeping everything in the nursery will only add to the chaos. Minimalism is your best friend here. Plus, you have more ways to store bins and bags. Pop them under the crib, put them in your attic, or keep them in a spare closet in another part of the home.

Second, keeping old clothes your baby won’t wear will expose the fabric to damage. Whether you keep those garments for sentimental value or donate them, it’s much better to store them in safe plastic bins and bags. Not only do they keep bugs away, but they keep those clothes dust-free and smelling fresh.

Plastic bins and vacuum-sealed bags are affordable and easy to find. Containers are great for stacking and staying organized, even in storage. Meanwhile, vacuum-sealed bags can save tons of space. Here’s a pro tip: Vaccum-pack the clothes and store the flattened bags in bins to take up as little room as possible.

4. Buy or DIY Drawer Organizers

One of the best methods to maximize every inch of space in individual drawers is to use organizers. They compartmentalize an otherwise open drawer, allowing you to create an arrangement that works for you. Because baby clothes are so tiny, organizers let you fit a surprising number of pieces in one dresser. You can even get a shoe organizer for your baby's growing collection of adorable footwear.

Create a system that meets your particular needs. Returning to our example of keeping everyday garments in the most accessible spots, organizers let you store multiple items within reach. Use one organizer cubby for nighttime onesies, another for burp cloths, etc. Work from one drawer, and you have everything you need right in front of you.

Alternatively, these accessories could help you separate by size. Have a dedicated drawer for tops or bottoms, and use the organizers to separate size groups. The possibilities are endless, and it’s up to you how you want to stay organized.

Like bins and bags, organizers are easy to find. You can pick them up for a few bucks and reap the benefits in no time. If you want to save some money, you can also DIY them with spare cardboard, old shallow bins, or even shoe boxes.

5. Donate Old or Out-of-Season Outfits

If you want to free up even more space, consider donating the clothes your baby can’t use. Many families out there could use those clothes, and you’ll likely have no shortage of things to give away. We here at UpChoose are firm believers in the concept of recycling and reusing preloved clothing. Making donations is a great way to help others and do your part to fight the growing problem of textile waste. Consider donating to a dollar store or a local charity.

Go through your baby’s clothes and find outfits that no longer serve your family. These pieces will likely fall into one of two categories.

The first is clothing that’s too small. It’s OK to keep pieces that are too big. Your baby will grow into them. But those garments that are way too tiny? You’ll never use them again, so why keep them? Donate that lot, and it’ll create memories for another family.

The second category is out-of-season apparel. Every parent will end up with some pieces that sit unused because the timing isn’t right. For example, you might get a super-adorable fleece-lined onesie in a 6–9 month size. But when your kiddo is in the short window when the piece would fit, it’s the middle of a scorching summer! Instead of letting that unused garment hang in your nursery closet, donate it to a family that can actually use it.

You might come across some stained clothes as you go through the donation pile. Feel free to try to salvage them. Sometimes a deep cleaning is all you need. But overly stained apparel should be tossed or recycled into rags.

So, what about the items that have sentimental value? Parting ways with clothes that are loaded with memories can be challenging. If something means a lot to you, keep it! You can look back on those items in the future. However, try to limit yourself to a few important outfits.

6. Label Each Drawer

Labels are small details that create a massive impact. Sure, you could attempt to memorize where everything is. But that doesn’t help your partner or someone who’s babysitting. Label every drawer to make things easy to find. You can also label bins and areas in your nursery for toys, laundry, towels, and other essential items. A row of labeled small bins can be a great option for keeping track of all these items.

A high-quality label maker is an excellent investment that can help you organize your entire home. However, you can also get creative. Take a look around social media, and you’ll see many parents going the extra mile with handmade labels that match the nursery decor. It’s another opportunity to make your baby’s room whimsical and special.

Of course, duct tape and a marker work well too. It’s up to you!

Make a quick label that designates clothing type and size. You can do the same thing in your closet. Attach a tag to a hanger, and you’ll have makeshift separators that do wonders to help you find pieces at a glance.

7. Add More Rails and Shelving

Here’s a tip that can transform your closet. Most wardrobes only have a single rail and a supporting shelf on top. They’re the perfect size for adult clothes to hang wrinkle-free, but the size of your baby’s clothes is a fraction of your own. Just take a look at the garments hanging in your nursery right now. Notice all that emptiness below? You can take advantage of that by installing additional rails.

Even a single rail and shelf at waist height will make a significant difference. However, there’s likely ample room to add two or possibly three rails. You can also try installing stand-alone shelves to make little cubbies that are the perfect size for clothing bins.

Once again, the only limits here are your creativity. Empty the nursery closet and create a design that works for the space. Combine shelves, rails, and cubbies to create a perfectly organized wardrobe. How you approach this project is up to you and your budget. If you want to go all out, you can get a custom closet with matching finishes and a slew of storage extras. Or you can keep it simple with an affordable closet rod from your local home improvement store.

Get creative and make it your own. Consider your storage needs, and you can put every inch of closet space to good use.

8. Get Started With UpChoose Today

There you have it! Give these tips a shot — they can add tons of functionality to your nursery while making it look sleek and well organized.

If you want to say goodbye to the hassle of dealing with old clothes for good, get started with UpChoose. We offer a baby clothing subscription box that evolves with your child. Take our style quiz and choose a package that fits your needs. Get preloved or new sustainable organic clothes from brands you know and love. As your bundle of joy grows, exchange garments for the next size. We make it easy to save money and keep your nursery clutter-free. Sign up today to start dressing your little one more sustainably.