Ideas for organizing kids’ clothes

Even before I became a parent myself, working as a professional organizer opened my eyes to how much stuff kids come with. I saw how the new and soon-to-be parents I worked with felt overwhelmed by the influx of clothes, toys, feeding and nursing supplies, strollers, bouncers, swaddles, and so much more. Not only were they adapting to being parents, they also needed to find a way to manage all of the new objects coming into their homes. 

I’ve been overwhelmed with my own kiddo’s stuff, too. The worst was right after my daughter was born. From the gifts pouring into the house to the things my husband and I were frantically buying off Amazon hoping to make our lives a little easier, stuff was everywhere. And living in a cluttered space just added to the stress of caring for a newborn. 

Now that my daughter’s a little older, I feel like I’m starting to get a better handle on managing the “kid stuff.” Trust me, my house isn’t perfect, and I feel like there’s an adjustment period with every new phase we go through. But I’ve learned a few things that are helping me to feel like I have the “stuff” under control so I can focus on what’s important — raising my daughter! 

Today I wanted to share some ideas for organizing kids’ clothes, since this is one of the kid items parents tend to have a lot of, especially since younger kids outgrow clothing so quickly. However, many of the ideas are applicable to other categories of kid things — toys, books, baby gear, etc. So feel free to apply what’s useful to any area of kid stuff you’re struggling with. 

Focus on what works today

I recommend separating any clothes that are too small, too big, or off-season from the things your kid is currently wearing. Designate your easiest-to-access spaces (which are probably your kid’s dresser and closet) just for current clothes. This will make dressing time easier, because you won’t have to sort through wrong-size or wrong-season clothes to find the outfit you want now. 

Be strategic about outgrowns

When it comes to outgrown clothing, you have a few choices to make. You may want to keep them for hand-me-downs if you have younger children (or are planning to have more kids). If that’s the case, immediately discard anything you know you won’t use again because it’s too stained or ripped, or you didn’t like how many snaps were involved. Then sort outgrown clothes by size, so the next time you’re looking for newborn clothes, you don’t have to sort through everything. You can store outgrowns in a less accessible spot, since you won’t be accessing them constantly. This could be at the top of your kid’s closet, or even in a different part of the house. 

I store my daughter’s outgrown clothes in clear plastic bins with lids, because they’re easy to stack and I can see what’s inside. However, any kind of storage container will work — just make sure to label it. 

If you don’t think your family will ever use the clothes again, I would recommend letting them go as soon as you can. You’ll free up space for the clothes your kids are wearing now, and you’ll save yourself the trouble of having to deal with lots of old clothes at a later time. (And trust me, there will be a later time.) 

However, as a parent, I know it can be hard to let go of the adorable baby clothes you feel sentimental about. Here are a few ideas to make it easier: 

• Choose a few special items that are meaningful to you and store them in a beautiful memory box 

• Offer your favorites to other family members or friends who can use them (just make sure they want/need them first) 

• Offer anything in good condition to another parent who needs them through your local Buy Nothing or local parents group on Facebook

Prepare clothes you aren’t using yet

If you have clothes that are too big but you expect your child to wear in the future, you’ll want to store those in an effective way, too. Do the same thing you did with outgrown clothes you’re saving — separate them by size, place them in bins or containers, and clearly label them. Like outgrowns, these also don’t need to be in a highly accessible place because you’re not using them yet. However, don’t keep them in a spot that’s so remote you forget you have them. 

When your kid is ready for a bigger size, make a habit of checking the bin/container with their new size before you buy anything. You’ll want to make sure what you have is seasonally appropriate and something your child will actually wear based on their needs/preferences. If anything doesn’t make the cut (and won’t get used again), repeat the process of letting it go. 

Decide how to seasonal items and accessories

I like to store seasonal items like snowsuits, gloves and mittens, and swimsuits separately. In my mind, those things are a separate category from everyday tops and bottoms, and they are often bulkier and harder to store with smaller clothes. Whenever I need a seasonal item, I look in my “winter” or “summer” container. The same principle applies to accessories like bows and headbands. However, if it’s easier for you to remember these items if you store them by size, do that. Just pick a system that works for you and stick with it. 

Make decisions as soon as you can

With my daughter, I found it was easiest if I made these changes as soon as she changed to a new size. (For example, if she was ready for 9-month size clothes, I would immediately sort and put away any 6-month old clothes I was keeping.) I learned that if I started introducing new clothes without dealing with the size she had just outgrown, her dresser started to get overwhelming, and I would put off dealing with her clothes. And then the problem would snowball. If you can get in the habit of immediately processing the kid stuff you already have when you reach a new size or stage, managing your house will be much easier.