Do you need practical and cheap baby nursery ideas for how to help you stay organized? Whether you have a small space or extra space, it is a tough task to keep all of these baby essentials organized. Here are 12+ clever nursery organization ideas.
Being new parents can be hard. When you have a new baby, keeping all the stuff that comes along with them can be quite a task. So just ignore all those professionally organized baby nursery closets that you see on Instagram or on TV!
Yes, these baby nursery & baby closet ideas are not the most glamorous, but they will help keep you sane. You can check out this article if you are looking for celebrity nursery inspiration. Keep reading if you are looking for basic DIY nursery organization ideas!
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#1: Don’t Wait Until The Baby Is Here
We know it can be overwhelming to deal with all the stuff that comes along with having a baby. But organizing a little by little will help you feel more at ease.
A great time to start is before your baby shower. This will give you an idea of how much extra storage or closet space you have.
However, don’t stress if you don’t get it all done. You do not have a picture-perfect space.
#2: Use DIY Nursery Closet Dividers To Help Organize Baby Clothes By Size
These do not have to be fancy. They can be, but we are all about practical DIY organization ideas.
Simply use cardboard and cut a line with a circle. This allows you to hang it on a closet rod or hanger in the baby’s closet. Use a special marker (this is my favorite marker) to write the baby cloth sizing.
These are not the fanciest baby closet organizers, but they do the trick. If you are looking for neater ones, you could always paint them or order gender-neutral baby closet dividers.
Even though I know it is hard, just try to stay on top of keep things organized by size. You will be happy that you used nursery closet divides when you can’t remember which size outfit you need.
#3: Have a Too Small Box
One of the biggest pains about dressing your baby is that all the sizes are slightly different depending on the brand. So one 6-9 month sleeper in one brand might not be the same as a sleeper in another brand.
Sleepers and other items of clothing can easily get mixed up and it is hard to remember when your child is ready for the next size in all the brands. No one wants to try to jam a too small piece of clothing on a growing baby in the middle of the night.
The best way to stay is to immediately place a too small piece of clothing in this box.
Therefore, as soon as you know that your baby no longer fits in an article of clothing, throw it in your too-small box.
This box could be a simple cardboard box, repurposed box or fun container that you purchase.
When you see the box full, then you can really start to organize, sell or give away.
#4: Add DIY Shelving As Decoration and Storage
Consider building your own wall shelves to fit your style and give other storage solutions. Baby nursery shelves don’t have to be difficult or hard to make.
You can use wire baskets, pallet boxes or even IKEA spice racks. Below you can see how we spray-painted these small wooden shelves to fit our nursery theme.
Not only do they add to your nursery decor, but they are able to store those cute stuffed animals and books.
#5: Use Clear Storage Containers with Labels To Store Clothes Not In Use
You may be gifted larger outfits or have hand-me-down clothes that you need to save for future use. Placing these in clear containers with a label will help you see what you have. We don’t know how many times we have put baby items in solid bins to only forget that we already have those items.
In this picture, you can see my simple closet dividers (again, I know not the most glamorous), but they do the trick of keeping me organized. You can also see how I label my clear bins and stack them on the shelf when not in use.
Fill large clear bins and place a post-it backward on the front with the size and gender of the baby closet. Then stack these in the nursery closet until I needed them.
This simple baby nursery closet idea will help you, especially if you need to save clothes for future children.
#6: Have a Donate or Sell Bin of Baby Items
As hard as it is to part with baby gear, now that I am done having children I know I have to do it. Slowly I have been giving my favorite baby items to friends, selling them in Facebook groups and donating baby items to local charities.
Group Items in the Bin by Size
Now, I also have a sell box where I make “lots” of clothing that I post in groups to sell. Putting a ribbon around the group of clothes instead the clear bin makes it super easy to find when you need it. You can find my tips for using buy-sell-trade groups in this post.
You would be amazed at the awesome things you can find and how you also can easily get rid of things.
#7: Use a Hanging Shoe Rack to Store Baby Pants
Baby pants and bottoms are very hard to keep organized. I have found that using a cloth shoe organizer can help your nursery stay organized. I simply fold a few pairs and keep the ones that I know are the baby’s current size near the top.
Optional: Build Your Own Wooden Nursery Closet Organizer
We did not build DIY shelving in this closet but in the room next door to the nursery we did. Check out how to build your shelves to help you stay organized!
#8: Set Up A Calm Corner
Spend hours rocking babies in this corner with your comfortable gilder or chair.
#9: Set Up A Changing Station
This changing station will hold your changing pad and all the other important baby stuff. You can use a dresser, storebought changing table with a rolling cart or whatever works for you.
Items to Have Easy Access to When Diaper Changing
- Diapers (in the right sizes)
- Wipes (no we don’t recommend needing the wipe warmer)
- Extra burp cloths
- Extra waterproof pad
- Possibly paper towels or washcloth
- Diaper Cream or Bum Cream
- Thermometer
We like using a refinished dresser because we could also store extra diapers and supplies in the top drawer and other baby accessories.
#10: Use Storage Baskets To Store Diaper Supplies
Having your diaper cream, baby’s diapers and smaller items in arm’s reach to the changing pad will make diaper changes much easier. Remember you always want to have a hand on the baby when they are in your changing station and having a good diaper organization system will help.
#11: Roll Blankets and Burp Cloths
Rolling baby blankets is a great idea because you are able to see which one you may want to grab.
#12: Make A Keepsake Box
Consider starting a DIY memory keepsake box to place those ultrasound pictures and great pictures. By making this ahead of time you are able to just add to it as needed.
Decluttering always feels good, whether it is cheap DIY ideas or fancy organization systems you can buy!
#13: Store Seasonal Items Under Crib
You can get a cute crib duster for under your mattress and slide storage bins under the crib to provide extra storage. This is a good idea for small spaces that need additional storage.
Looking for nursery inspiration? Here are great gender-neutral ideas and one awesome girl nursery wall idea!
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Julie Plagens
Saturday 22nd of February 2020
I am generally pretty organized so I did all the things you suggest except the divider. I love the home made one. It may not be glamorous, but it does the job. When you have a little one or several, the last thing you want to spend money on is a divider. I'd rather use that money to get more clothes! Many blessings to you and your kidos.
Erin
Saturday 22nd of February 2020
Hi Julie! Yes, simple clothes dividers can do the trick. No need to spend money on something that goes in a nursery closet.
Lisa Alioto
Friday 21st of February 2020
Love the DIY part of this!!! Great ideas!
Erin
Saturday 22nd of February 2020
Thanks, Lisa. We are always looking for DIY ways to do things, even DIY ways to organize baby closets!