Congrats on your new bundle of joy! I'm sure all of the little outfits, shoes, bottles, toys, diapers and blankets have taken over your life and that baby isn't even here yet, right? Or maybe the baby is here and you're over the mess? Well, let's get organized. There are my different systems of organization but what works for me may not work for you and vise versa. So let's try something universal: Accessibility. However that works for you, make it happen. Here are five easy ways I organized my baby's belongings that work for me (I have two under two!), and that are easily accessible/maintainable by my family. I encourage you to use these concepts and make them work for you.
One: Stations.
These "stations" can refer to many things: changing station, breastfeeding/bottle feeding station or diaper/wipes storage areas. Whichever it may be, the number one rule is to make sure everything has a permanent home. In the boy's room, my changing table doubles as a dresser and has open shelving for storage. The left side is dedicated to our youngest, Vicenzo, and the right to our eldest, Alonzo. The left has a basket for diapers and another basket for beanies and bibs. Fun fact: I do NOT fold the bibs or beanies! It's purely a grab-n-go system and it works perfectly for us! Alonzo's side just has his pull-ups and some spare skincare products that we use on a daily basis. We have taught Alonzo where his and his brother's diapers are so he can grab them when asked. I keep things so simple that even my toddler can yelp - bonus points for mom!
In our bedroom, I have a diaper-caddy on my nightstand along with my baby monitor plugged in at all times to keep an eye on the kids during nap-time and bedtime. Lastly, I have my breast-pump station in our living room along with another diaper-caddy. My pump is always plugged in ready for use.
Two: Diapers, Wipes and Supply Stockpile.
I highly recommend doing a diaper raffle at your baby shower. It's an incentive for you and your family. We had so many diapers leftover from our first baby that we were able to use the ones he grew out of for baby #2! Also due to having the diaper raffle, I am able to still use my Honest Diaper Bundle subscription for BOTH of my boys! If you didn't know, you could swap sizes in your bundle for larger/smaller sizes - no need to sign up for double the subscription! Once you have your stockpile going, use labels to identify sizes, especially if you have more than one baby in diapers and/or pull-ups.
I like to use baskets for easy grab and go when a "station" or the diaper bag needs a refill on diapers. Below I re-purposed storage bins for surplus baby supplies. Again labeled for easy access and storage. Underneath the diaper stockpile I have a set of clear bins for back-stock of any surplus supplies such as baby shampoo, extra nursing supplies, etc..
Three: Clothes Storage.
If you're like me, you probably have zero self control when it comes to buying baby clothes. Or you may have some awesome hand-me-downs that your baby doesn't quite fit into yet. I was using the Ziploc vacuum bags for storage, which are great in terms of saving space, but not so practical when I have two young kids that are growing out of clothes quick. I needed something more accessible. I was tired of constantly refolding, finding the vacuum and messing up the clothes in the bag when I was taking items in and out. So, I decided to re-purpose these storage bins that I already had, and stacked them to maximize space.
I labeled them according to the sizes the boys are growing into. Vicenzo is going into 9 - 12 months and Alonzo is going into 3T - 4T but is still able to wear some of his 18-24 months clothing. On the bottom I have “crib shoes” as well as shoes that Alonzo will fit in the future. Now I love that I can see everything, and it's all in one place! No more searching for the vacuum or losing the cap that keeps the bag sealed. I still use those Ziploc vacuum bags but now only for clothes that I know they both won't wear anymore!
Inside the dresser, the top drawer is for Vicenzo and the bottom is for Alonzo. They both have a bin for socks and since the baby's clothes are smaller, his are folded into bins. Alonzo's clothes are much larger so I do not have them in bins. I know these drawers look small, but trust me they are deep and hold a lot of clothes.
Four: Kitchen Organization.
I love getting rid of food packaging and putting food items in clear bins. Using clear bins helps keep your pantry organized, clutter free and you can see what you're running low on. If you also have a child with food allergies like I do, it helps to identify which ingredients are safe for them to eat and avoid cross-contamination. If you're worried about expiration dates, I like to write it on the bottom of the containers and wipe away when I'm ready to re-fill. I never refill the containers with newer product until it is completely empty.
Our dedicated snack drawer is one of my favorite places in our kitchen. I love the easy access and there's no question as what we have to eat. Alonzo is also aware of where his snacks are which makes communication between him and us easy! Whatever it takes to avoid a toddler meltdown, right?
Five: Filing Important Documents.
Being a mom means we [have to] know where everything is. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!
Keep your family's important documents organized with hanging file folders. Love these white marble ones from Target. I label everything either by person or content then file away what we need. Especially important papers for the kids such as birth certificates and their vaccination cards. An organized life is a stress-free life! Put your files in alphabetical order for easy-finding and stowing. Trust me this is a life safer. Especially during tax season. Then at the end of the year or even monthly, you can easy go through what you still need and don't.
Happy organizing mama! You got this.
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