Ideas for an Organized Nursery

Some readers have asked to see my nursery & organization, so here you go!

After the registering was complete and I had a vision of how I wanted the nursery to look, then came the fun part of putting it all together. I bought a few items here and there, and our parents helped buy the nursery furniture. I found a crib quilt that I fell in love with (Pottery Barn Kids: "Brooklyn"), so I took it to our local paint store and picked-up some free paint cards that matched the quilt colors. Then I kept those paint cards in my purse so I could match crib sheets, throw pillows, paint for a mural, etc. (This was much easier than carrying the quilt everywhere) But as we began filling our little nursery, I realized some planning was necessary to maintain organization and best utilize space. Also- I realized my husband knew very little about baby items, so I needed to create some organization so I could more easily direct him to find items when I needed him to 'fetch' them.

Here’s some things that worked for us:

*An organizing 'over the door' hanger- This is perfect for ALL kinds of little things. I chose this clear one so I could see items in each pouch, but there are fabric ones if you prefer to hide your items.  For now it holds: scissors, a laundry sharpie, tights, shoes, hair bows, extra lotions, Clorox wipes, label maker, extra zip-lock bags, brush/comb/nail clippers, extra paci, paci clips, etc. Eventually it will hold items that a toddler should be able to access for herself (socks, toys, shoes, hats, etc.) 

*An 'under the bed' container- I picked a soft sided container because it fit under our crib better, but there are some great hard plastic ones too. I like the clear lids so I can see in and take inventory at a glance. I use ours for wipes mostly. I buy a lot of items when they are on sale and so this lets me stockpile and keep the surplus out of sight, but still easily accessible. Plus is just makes sense to use the extra space under the crib!  

*Basket next to changing table- This is a MUST! I picked up this purple basket at Big Lots in their “Back to School” section. Most stores have colorful and cheep items when the kids start back to school/college, so it’s a great time to find organizing items like this one. I keep: wipes, diaper creams, baby powder, bags for dirty diapers, hand sanitizer, nasal suction, saline spray, and a toy in ours. This basket keeps everything together even when she’s kicking around, things don’t get knocked onto the floor.  

Also, there have been occasions that I have changed a diaper in another room and suddenly needed something from the basket, so I can just direct my husband (or whoever happens there with me) to "get the purple basket- next to her changing pad please". That is so much easier than saying- “get the blue tube of diaper cream with the white lid, the short one, not the one with the red letters…..”.  There have also been occasions that we decide to hang out in the basement for an extended movie night, and I’ll just grab the basket and a couple diapers and then there’s no reason to go up and down the stairs all night.  

*Bin of bathroom supplies- I keep a basket with the wash clothes, towels, and extra bath supplies. We don’t have a closet or extra drawer to keep these items in the actual bathroom, so for me, it’s easier to have these items in a mobile basket instead of a bedroom drawer. Sometimes we pack the whole basket to the bathroom for bath time so we have everything we need at our finger tips. 

  

*Bin of “keepsakes or mementos”- This is a MUST for those sentimental Mommy’s. I keep a medium plastic bin in the bottom of her closet, labeled “Keepsakes”. I’ve filled it with the cards from showers, balloons that were on the mailbox, church bulletin with her birth announcement, hat from the hospital, etc. I try to put a lot of stuff in her baby book, but the large items and overflow goes here for safe keeping. 

*Bin for “too small” clothing items- I keep a cloth cube in the bottom of the closet and as soon as something is too tight, short, or misshapen, it goes into the bin. When the bin gets full, or the closet gets empty- I know it’s time to switch her clothing to the next size up. Then I put the ‘too small’ items into a tub in our storage room and they are ready to share with friends/family members who need that size. (FYI- I started this bin after my husband brought our seven month old to visit me at work on his day off. She was squeezed into the cutest shirt with tiny blue jeans and her little muffin top was hanging over. I asked him… “don’t you think the jeans are too small for her?...” He replied “yea, but I thought they were like those skinny jeans that everyone is wearing now...”  Hum…promptly washed and thrown into the 'too small' bin!!!)

*Tub for “next size up”- As I rotate clothing (or receive another outfit that grandma couldn't pass up), I try to keep the clothes that are the next size bigger in a tub in her closet. There are occasions where I’m looking for something a little bigger but I've not had time to switch all the clothing yet. This is especially helpful when the seasons change and a cool morning catches you needing a heavier jacket- now it’s ready to go in the tub in the closet, instead of being shoved in the basement. 

*A good dresser - One of our furniture purchases that I love, is her dresser. It matches the crib in color and style (but they are different brands and came from different stores!). It's multi-functional as a  changing table and dresser and linen closet. Plus- most people discard their changing table after about a year, so I couldn't justify spending alot of money on a piece of furniture that we'd use for a year and then put in the basement. This dresser will hopefully last her to college!

This dresser keeps everything at your finger tips. 


The top left drawer holds PJ's, the next one down holds pants/shorts, and the bottom is swaddles and sleep blankets. 

The top right drawer is reserved for diapers (I was never a fan of those hanging diaper holders), which keeps the diapers easily accessible and out of sight.

 The next drawer holds socks on the left, a basket of hats in the middle and bibs on the right (see photo below). The bottom drawer holds crib sheets, pack-n-play sheets, bassinet sheets and waterproof pads. 

Our nursery is always changing and evolving as she grows and our needs change. (I'll try to take some updated pictures to show some of the recent changes and post them soon) 
Keep that in mind when you buy  organizational tools and  furniture- ask yourself 'how can we sill use this in a year and five years from now?" 


Have a GraceFull Day, and Please share your favorite nursery organization tools and tips!