How to Organize a Nursery

Whether you’re an expecting mother, new mother or seasoned mom, setting up a nursery is no easy task! At Horderly, we LOVE setting up nurseries. We’re experts at making sure your baby’s space is cozy, comfortable and functional.

Even though not all Horderly employees are moms, each and every Horderly professional organizer is well-trained in setting up beautiful, functional nurseries for you and your baby. In fact, nurseries are a lot of our employees’ favorite projects to work on! Here are Horderly’s best tips and tricks to setting up a nursery.

Changing Table

Make sure your changing table has lots of storage that you can quickly grab all of the essentials like; diapers, wipes, lotions, creams etc.

Keep in mind, a changing table doesn’t have to be a “proper” changing table – a dresser with a set of drawers can get the job done, too! Horderly recommends having a changing table or dresser big enough to leave space on top of the table for a changing pad and an “essentials station” of items grabbed daily.

Consider the height of the table as well when making a decision. You want to make sure the dresser is tall enough so you can easily change your baby without inducing back pain from hunching over! Comfort and functionality are key.

Dresser

Top Drawers

Top drawers can be used for the most-used clothing items, gadgets or backup supplies.

Socks and accessories like hats or headbands, bibs and burp cloths and gadgets like pacifiers, teething tools and hygiene supplies are all perfect for top-drawer setup. These items tend to be used more often, and are smaller in size – so placing them toward the top makes grab-and-go that much easier, while paying attention to baby on the changing table!

Middle Drawers

Middle drawers should be for clothes sized newborn to three months, minimum. If you have room to store larger sizes as your baby grows, that’s fine too!

Sort and fold clothing in rows by category (front to back). Categories can be differentiated by sleep and play. If you have closet space, items like hoodies, button-down shirts, dresses, skirts or jackets can all be hung.

Bottom Drawers

Bottom drawers should be used for bulkier items like swaddles, sleep sacks and baby blankets. If space allows, you can also keep crib linens in bottom drawers.

For more information on how to fold clothes properly, check out our “How to Fold The ‘Horderly Way’” blog post!

Other Tips & Storage Options

Over the door shoe rack is also great to store gadgets or backup supplies.

Depending on space, we recommend putting bulk diapers and wipes in the closet. However, if closet space is limited or doesn’t exist, these items could go under the crib. This Hyacinth Under Bed Bin is the perfectly functional but cute solution to store backup products. Crib skirts are also great for hiding backup bulk items!

Closet

Baby’s closet can be for a multitude of items.

First and foremost, hang any clothing items that can or should be hung up. We love these Kids Slim Velvet Hangers for hanging baby clothes.

If you have a door on the closet, this Over The Door Shoe Rack is great (but not limited to) shoe storage, or storage for smaller items like socks, accessories or even backup supplies.

Depending on your closet setup, items like blankets, linens, and swaddles can also be folded on shelves or folded into bins on shelves. Any bulk items that you’re not reaching for daily can be stored in the closet as backup.

Remember to keep a category for mom somewhere in the nursery! The closet is a great place to store pump supplies or any mom-related products that you may use with your baby.

Baby travel products can also go in the closet. Anything you only use for trips should be stored up high (unless you are a frequent traveler and need these items for baby weekly). Car seat and stroller accessories can also go here, although we suggest putting these in a front closet if space allows. If not, baby’s closet is a great second option!

Last but not least, remember to keep a space or keepsake box for mementos. This category will definitely grow as your baby does, so it’s important to have enough space to keep all the items and memories your baby will cherish later in life.

Too Big & Too Small Clothes

Clothes that are too big (that aren’t currently living in any drawers) can be placed in bins in the closet with labels, so when it’s time to swap sizes as baby grows, the new clothes are easily identifiable!

When setting up your baby’s closet, also be sure to create a home for “clothes too small” that is easily accessible. Babies are constantly growing out of clothing items. Having a drop zone where you can keep the clothes that are too small will make future storage that much easier.

Once your baby has completely grown out of a size, empty the “too small” bin and either donate or store away for future babies. If you’re storing away, make sure to label the bin with whatever size clothing is inside. Your future self will thank you as you set up a nursery for “future baby”!

Once you get through one size cycle with your baby, use the same system for the next size up.

Getting Organized

Once you’ve strategized placement and figured out where everything needs to go, it’s important to solidify each product’s place in the nursery – so your hard work doesn’t come undone!

After clothes are folded and placed in proper drawers, use Drawer Dividers to separate each section in each drawer, as needed.

Label, label, label! Once folded and placed, make sure to label inside drawers or on bin labels to make sure anyone taking care of your baby can easily find what he or she needs.

Baby Bathroom & Kitchen Products

Baby bath products like towels and washcloths should live in the bathroom if there’s space. If not, these items can go in bottom dresser drawers or in the closet.

Try to keep shampoo, conditioner and body wash, oils, toys and any products that would be used in the bathroom, in the bathroom so they’re easily accessible during bath time. We recommend keeping medicines for babies in the bathroom as well, either in a medicine cabinet or a baby-specific bin.

Anything that will be used for baby in the kitchen should live in the kitchen! Items like bottles, drying racks, baby dish soap, placemats and bibs should have a proper space in your kitchen routine.

We totally understand that preparing for a baby can be overwhelming and stressful, but Horderly is here to help!

Horderly professional organizers are trained to create beautiful, functional spaces tailored to your lifestyle and needs. To learn more about Horderly – including lots of great tips, tricks and other #HorderlyHabits – check out our blog or reach out for a free virtual consultation!

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