While nesting, you filled your little ones closet to the max with adorable onesies, itsy-bitsy shoes and 321 mini outfits that screamed photo moment! Now, your baby is a very busy one-year-old and their closest is bursting at the seams. It’s time to get to spring cleaning and get your toddlers closest under control. Here are four steps to organize those outgrown baby clothes.
1. Start by emptying the entire closet
It’s time to purge! Throw away items that are in poor condition and set aside clothing that you want to donate to friends or agencies in the community. Don’t forget the shoes, socks, hair bows and jackets/snowsuits. Make sure to also sort any family heirlooms and set aside for your siblings or items to be passed down to your children. You wouldn’t want to accidentally discard them.
2. Sort by size
Now you’re ready to sort by size, which requires close attention because infant and toddler clothing is not standardized. One brand labeled 3-6 month might be another’s 6-9 month.
3. Sort each size by the type or seasons
Separate specialty clothing such as swimwear, holiday outfits or costumes.
To make the next size up easily accessible, hang these items in the closet, separated from the current wardrobe by clothing dividers. Dividers are useful for organizing the current clothing, too. You can buy blank dividers and write on them or buy specialty labels. Check online and in children’s specialty shops for various options.
4. Place in plastic bins
Put the remaining clothing into clear plastic bins with large labels on the front and side, not on the top, so you can still identify the contents when the bins are stacked. Use vacuum storage bags for larger sizes or when storage space is limited. Slide plastic containers under a bed or where you have the best storage space.
Babies and toddlers grow quickly, but once you have a system in place, you’ll be able to keep up with their expanding wardrobes and keeps their outgrown baby clothes organized.