Babies need so much clothing! They need sleepers, onesies, cute outfits, etc. and these small outfits are challenging to fold. Plus you need enough clothing to keep several changes in your diaper bag because babies will spit up on their outfits or explode their diapers, requiring a change of outfits.
If that’s not enough, babies outgrow their clothing quickly. It doesn’t take much of a growth spurt for babies to move into the next size of clothing. So if you have a baby, you need to know how to organize baby clothes so you can always find what you need.
Key Takeaways
- Organize baby clothes by size and use closet dividers to label each section for easy access.
- Fold baby clothes using the KonMari method to make them visible and easy to grab in drawers.
- Use additional closet rails, hanger clips, and hanging baskets to maximize closet space for baby clothes.
- Utilize drawer dividers, chalkboard dresser labels, and small baskets to keep baby clothes and accessories organized in dressers.
Organizing Baby Clothes by Size
Baby clothing comes in several different sizes starting from newborn and going up to 18 months and then 2T. The issue with organizing baby clothes by age is that babies come in all different sizes.
A large newborn baby may not fit into newborn clothing at birth and will require going straight into size 0-3 months. Another baby may be tiny and wear newborn clothing for a couple of months.
In addition, baby sizes also change by brand. So one size 3 month is not the same size as a size 3 month in a different brand.
Here’s a chart for easy reference. It’s organized by the typical age, weight, and length of babies at each size.
| Size | Age | Weight | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premie (P) | Premies | Up to 6 lbs | Up to 18″ |
| Newborn (NB) | Newborn | 5-9 lbs | 17″-21.5″ |
| 3 months | 0-3 months | 8-12.5 lbs | 21″-24″ |
| 6 months | 3-6 months | 12-17 lbs | 24″-26″ |
| 9 months | 6-9 months | 16-21 lbs | 26″-28.5″ |
| 12 months | 9-12 months | 20-25 lbs | 28″-30.5″ |
| 18 months | 12-18 months | 24-28 lbs | 30.5″-32.5″ |
| 24 months | 18 – 24 months | 28-32 lbs | 32″-34″ |
How Do You Fold Baby Clothes?
The easiest way to fold baby clothing is the KonMari Folding method. It allows you to fold the clothing in such a way that you can see the clothing in the drawer. This makes it easy to grab the exact item you want.
To fold a onesie, first, you fold the clothing in half lengthwise. If there are sleeves, fold the sleeves back so they’re on top. Now fold the onesie into thirds. Some people prefer to fold baby clothing into fourths. Experiment to find out if thirds or quarters work best for you.
Folding a sleeper begins the same way as the onesie. First, you fold the sleeper in half lengthwise. Now fold the sleeves back on top of the clothing. Next, fold the legs so they’re on top. The final step is to fold the sleeper into thirds. Alternatively, quarters may work best. Some people even roll the sleeper rather than fold it. Again, experiment to figure out which method works best for you.
To fold baby pants, again you begin by folding the clothing in half lengthwise so that the legs are against each other. Now fold the pants in half or thirds. Again you can also roll the clothing. Use the method that works best for you.
To fold baby shirts, you also fold the clothing in half. Now fold the sleeves on top of the clothing. Then fold the shirt into either thirds or quarters. If you prefer, you can roll the clothing.
Closet Organization Tips
Additional Closet Rail
Baby clothing doesn’t hang down very far when hanging on coat hangers. So add space by adding an additional closet rail.
The additional closet rail hangs below the original rail allowing you to double the amount of hanging space in your baby’s closet.
Closet Dividers
Use dividers in your closet to label what type of clothing goes where. For instance, you can have a divider for each size of clothing in the closet. This will allow you to quickly and easily find the size of clothing you need.
When your child outgrows their current size, you’ll have the needed size hanging right at your fingertips.
Coat Hanger Clips / Clothespins
Coat hanger clips can be used to keep outfits together. This way you can keep baby shirts grouped with the baby pants for that specific outfit. If you’d prefer to use something less expensive than coat hanger clips, try old-fashioned clothespins. They work very well for hanging baby clothes.
Hanging Baskets
Add hanging baskets to the top of your baby’s closet. The trick is to use cup hangers on the top. Then hook the baskets to the cup hangers.
Now you have the perfect place to store extra baby blankets, burping covers, and shoes.
Put a Pegboard on the Back of the Closet Door
Put a pegboard on the door of your closet. Then you can use hooks to hang baskets, buckets, and small containers. These containers are perfect for keeping socks, shoes, bibs, diaper pins, and hair accessories organized.
As your child grows, you can change out the containers to fit your child’s changing needs.
Shoe Organizers
Another idea is to hang shoe organizers on your baby’s closet door. Shoe organizers are the perfect size to organize your child’s clothing. You can put one outfit into each shoe holder or put types of clothing together.
A shoe organizer will help you keep your child’s clothing organized.
Baby Shoes on Rail
Put curtain rings on the rod in your baby’s closet or hang an additional suspension rod in the closet and put the curtain rings on the suspension rod.
Then you can hook your baby’s shoes on the curtain rings so they’re always right there at your fingertips when you need them.
Dresser Organization Tips
Chalkboard Dresser Labels
Paint your baby’s dresser with chalkboard paint. You don’t need to paint the entire dresser, although that can be easy and fun, but do paint the front of the drawers. Then you can use chalk to label what each dresser drawer contains such as bibs, socks, or onesies.
You can also use the chalk to label what size of clothing you’re putting in each drawer since babies grow out of clothing so fast.
Another idea is to store the next size up in the bottom drawers and keep the current size in the top drawers. Then when your child outgrows the current size, you don’t need to search for clothing that fits. Just open up the bottom drawer and grab a larger outfit.
Drawer Dividers
Use drawer dividers to divide up the clothing in the drawers. For instance, if you have all the onesies in the top drawer, use a drawer divider to organize the onesies by size. Put the newborn clothing together, followed by 3-month outfits, followed by 6 month outfits.
Babies grow fast and before you know it you will need a bigger size!
Use Baskets in Drawers
Put small baskets in the top drawer to help you organize small objects for your baby such as socks, hair accessories, pacifiers, and pins. This way you’ll be able to quickly grab what you need when you’re dealing with a wiggly baby.
Small Container for Socks
If you think your socks get lost quickly, just wait until you’re trying to keep track of baby socks! The trick is to keep a small container for socks. Just dump all the socks into the container.
Another idea is to keep all your baby socks the same color so you don’t even have to match pairs. Just grab two socks and go.
Organization Tips for Small Spaces
Trolley on Wheels
Use a trolley on wheels to organize baby items so you can roll them around where you need them. This is great for onesies, socks, and other baby clothes. You can keep the trolley near your baby’s dresser and then roll it to the diaper changing table as needed.
Wall Mounted Baskets
Use wall-mounted baskets for organizing baby clothes as well. You can neatly fold outfits into the various baskets so you have everything you need at your fingertips.
Storage Boxes
Storage boxes can be another great ideal. Cover the storage boxes with fabric that suits the theme and color of your nursery. Use the storage boxes to store outfits by type or by size.
You can keep pants or shirts together. Or you can store newborn shirts in one storage box and 3 months shirts in another box.
This way you’ll keep your baby clothes organized and be ready to adapt to your growing child in an instant.
Hair bow & Accessory Organizer
Baby girls have a lot of accessories so you will need a hair bow and accessory organizer for your child. You can put chicken wire in a frame. This gives you a spot to hook all the accessories so they don’t get lost.
Plastic Toy Bin Shelves
Plastic toy bin shelves have more uses than just storing toys. These bins are perfect for organizing baby clothes as well. Put shoes in one bin, socks in another, and onesies in a third.
You’ll be able to set up the shelves in convenient spots so you have the clothing you need at a moment’s notice.
Use Pegboard
Put a pegboard on your baby’s wall. The pegboard is perfect for attaching hooks without damaging your wall. This way you can hang baskets, buckets, and other storage containers as needed.
These storage containers are great for bibs, socks, hair accessories, and pacifiers. As your child grows, you can also change the containers and begin storing toys in the containers.
Baby Clothes Storage Ideas
Keep Bin of Outgrown Clothing
Keep a bin specifically for outgrown clothing in your baby’s closet. This way when your child outgrows an outfit, you can drop the outfit into the bin and move up to the next size.
When the bin is full, it’s time to organize the clothing and decide what you’d like to keep and what you would like to give away.
Vacuum Storage Bags
Put the clothing you’d like to keep into vacuum storage bags. This will prevent the clothing from being damaged by heat, mold, or moths. It also allows the clothing to be packed more tightly so you don’t need as much room to store it.
Once you’ve packed the clothing into vacuum storage bags, put it into plastic bins.
Plastic Bins with Lids
Plastic bins with lids will allow you to store your child’s clothing in the attic, a basement, or under a bed easily. They look nice and are easy to stack on top of each other.
Diaper Boxes
Another idea is to reuse diaper boxes to store your baby’s outgrown clothing. You can use a permanent ink marker to label the boxes before you put them in your storage area.
Another option is to use some DIY diaper box decorating ideas before you put them into storage. It’s much nicer to see pretty boxes instead of ugly ones.
Label Everything
When you’re putting baby clothing away, be certain to label everything. You need to be able to read what’s in each box without having to open it up, search, or look at the different pieces.
It can be a big cause of frustration when you need newborn clothing for your new baby and all you can find at the moment is 12 month outfits.
FAQs
How Do You Set Up a Room For a Newborn?
The best way to set up a room for a newborn is to choose the right furniture. Pick a chair, a crib, a dresser, and a baby changing facility. Keep the floor free from clutter, and have plenty of storage.
How Many Outfits Should You Have For a Newborn?
You might be surprised how many outfits you should have for a newborn. You will need 5 to 7 sleeper suits, 2 to 3 swaddles, 7 pant, and shirt sets, and 7 pairs of socks.
Do You Cut Labels Off Baby Clothes?
You do not need to cut labels off baby clothes. They contain valuable laundry care instructions, which help to preserve the fabric.
How Do You Organize Baby Clothes Without a Closet?
The best way to organize baby clothes without a closet is to use clever storage like trolleys on wheels, wall hanging storage, and stackable storage boxes.
In Conclusion
My best tip for baby closet organization is to stay on top of your organization. Be creative. Use shoe organizers, pegboards, and baskets.
This way you can keep your baby clothes neat and organized. So use the baby clothes organization ideas that work the best for you. You’ll find it easier to locate the items you need, you’ll be ready for a growth spurt, and your nursery will look amazing.
