Best Organization Hacks for Your Nursery
Getting overwhelmed by diapers and toys? Here are some tips to help you put all the clutter away.
By Amylia Ryan
For being such small people, babies really tend to collect a lot of stuff. From diapers and clothes to ALL the toys, it can start to get a little overwhelming—and maybe more than a little messy. But stress over mess no longer, because we’ve got some helpful hacks for getting the most out of your nursery space and organizing it into the clutter-free, totally zen space you need for your little one.
Sort stuff into fabric boxes
This is probably what most parents think of when they hear “nursery storage.” Fabric boxes and baskets are all the rage right now, and we totally see why. Not only are they really handy for items both bulky (like blankets) and small (looking at you, Lego), they also add a nice touch of personality to whatever room they’re in. With your choice of virtually any size, color or theme, there’s fabric boxes out there to fit any nursery and any style. They can be placed on shelves, in bookcases, in closets or even just on the floor. Wherever you put them, they’ll keep your stuff tidy…or at least out of sight.
Use that under-crib storage space
Some cribs come with storage drawers, but most don’t. If your crib has space between the bottom and the floor (most have five or so inches of clearance), it doesn’t have to be left empty. It’s the perfect spot for extra blankets, crib sheets, too-big clothes and any other extra supplies. Shallow plastic tubs work fine for putting stuff in, especially if the clearance under the crib is low, but if you’ve got a little more space to work with, a few fabric boxes can add a more decor-like touch to an otherwise empty space.
Label your bins!
If you’re using boxes or bins to organize baby’s things, it might be difficult to determine what’s in each bin from the outside, especially if you’ve got a coordinated set that all look the same! To help you quickly and easily remember what’s inside your bins, attach some basic labels to the outside. You can attach a small label to a string and loop it through a handle on the bin, or just tape a label to the front.
Don’t care for the label look? Go for bin sets that come in different colors, prints or animals—we’re huge fans of these animal-themed boxes from 3 Sprouts—so you can distinguish them from each other. (You’ll just have to memorize which color or print is associated with which contents. Blue for blankets and dots for diapers? Whatever works for you!)
Keep your changing station tidy
The diaper changing station is like the headquarters of a nursery. It’s where all the most-used stuff tends to gather, like diapers, wipes, ointments, lotions, clothes…anything your baby might need during changes (which happen, like, a dozen times a day). You’ll want a way to organize all those loose items so you can grab them quickly while in the midst of, say, a middle-of-the-night blowout. Diaper caddies like this one from Skip Hop or this one from OXO Tot feature pockets for keeping diapers together and pacifiers and butt creams separate. Need more space? Lots of parents love open-shelf rolling carts like this one from Ikea or this one from The Container Store for their multiple shelves (and their portability!).
Invest in a universal changing table
Speaking of diaper changes, let’s talk about where you do them. Traditional changing tables often don’t provide enough storage options since they’re usually smaller and have fewer drawers than a regular dresser. So why not just use a full-size dresser and utilize all those drawers? If you have a universal removable changing tray, you can use any dresser, especially one that can grow with your child (huge bonus), and fit your changing pad snuggly and securely while taking advantage of all that storage space a full-size dresser offers.
Use empty diaper and wipe boxes to store outgrown items
Fact: babies grow out of clothes faster than the speed of light. And if you’re planning on having more children, it can be hard to throw out all those clothes that seem like they only got worn a handful of times. Same with toys that your little one only plays with for about a month and then outgrows; if they’re not broken, why not save them for the next kid? But nicer-looking bins can get expensive, and if these items are just going into storage for a few years, there’s no need to spend money to contain them. If you’re using disposable diapers and wipes, you can repurpose the boxes they come in (which you’ll generate quickly thanks to the amount of diapers the average baby goes through) to store all the things baby is outgrowing but that you still want to save for the future.
See what’s inside with clear storage drawers
We think fabric boxes and stylish bins are great, but there’s a definite downside to them: you can’t immediately see what’s inside. If you’d rather have an immediate view of what’s stored away, go for clear boxes so you can see the contents. Basic plastic drawer sets are super budget-friendly, come in lots of sizes and, while they’re not the most aesthetically pleasing, definitely get the job done.
Separate the small stuff with drawer organizers
Sure you can put nursery clutter away into drawers, but what if the drawers themselves are then a disorganized mess? That’s where drawer dividers come in handy. Separating drawers into two to three sections can really help contain loose items, especially if they’re small and tend to slide around when drawers get opened or closed. Things like tiny socks, pacifiers and teethers, medicines and burp cloths can all be stored in the same drawer without getting mixed up, saving you space (and stress) overall.
Organize by size
This hack isn’t a must-have, but if you ended up with baby clothes in lots of different sizes, closet dividers seriously come in handy. Matching the clothing sizes you find on tags, these dividers make it easy-peasy to organize clothing by size so it’s ready to go as kiddo grows (and you don’t have to keep checking the tags to see what fits). They also help if you have two kids close in age who share a closet.
Over-the-door organizers aren’t just for shoes
Over-the-door pocket shoe holders are great for getting shoes off the ground and for saving closet space, but you can use them for so much more than just shoes. If you don’t have a lot of space for drawers, cabinets or storage boxes, the pockets of a shoe organizer can hold burp cloths, diaper supplies, hair bows, really anything you can fit.
No floor space? Put your walls to good use!
Boxes and drawers and the Kallax shelf (the MVP of storage) are all top players in the nursery organization game, but honestly, walls don’t get enough credit for their storage potential. Shelves, wall-mounted spice racks, picture ledges or even hanging baskets—they all get baby’s things off the ground and in order. Picture ledges for books? Yes please (just make sure the ledge has a lip on it so the books don’t topple over). We love using spice racks for elevated diaper change stations, since they can contain items like lotions and diaper creams without risk of bottles falling. And if you want in on the storage basket trend but don’t have room for them, with a little DIY-ing you can turn wicker baskets into shelves for items like blankets, clothes or even knickknacks. This hack is especially beneficial for smaller spaces, or if plain walls just aren’t your thing.