Skip to main content

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Declutter your nursery: Our top tips

The key to a decluttered nursery is carefully choosing what should be in the nursery, then arranging and storing those items effectively. We have some excellent nursery storage ideas that will help you keep your baby’s room tidy and feeling airy.

A chair and dresser In a nursery
virtua73 / Shutterstock

Organizing your nursery

First, start out with the bare basics and think hard about what you really need. Are there other closets in the house where you can keep their winter clothes in the summer? Can those toys and books go in the living room? Can extra boxes of diapers not yet opened go in the basement? And even beyond those items, look at the furniture choices. Do you need a floor lamp, or can you use a nightlight? Can the top of the dresser be used as the changing table?

Once you know what you want to keep in the nursery, it’s time to declutter by having the perfect storage place for each thing.

Nursery wall storage

Look for solutions that don’t take up floor space, like wall storage. Keeping the floor clean, clear, and open will make the space feel bigger, and having storage options off the floor will make it easier to keep the area picked up because you’ll have somewhere to put everything.

Door organizers: One spot you may not have thought of as functional is the back of the door. Look how much you can fit there with this 3 Sprouts Hanging Wall Organizer.

You could designate an over-the-door organizer for just toys so that if the baby pulls things out of it once they’re mobile, it won’t be dangerous like diaper cream or frustrating like finding they’ve thrown clean diapers everywhere. Don’t just use the door to the rest of the house — also hang organizers on the outside of the closet door. This would be the perfect place for shoes, booties, socks, hats, bows, tights, bandanas, bibs, and headbands that could easily turn into piles of clutter.

Toy hammocks: Toy hammocks are perfect solutions for toy storage. While most of your baby’s toys should be kept out of the nursery to designate it as a sleeping area, you likely have some stuffed animals you’d like them to have nearby. These storage hammocks can be placed in any unused corner either close to the floor, so your baby can access it on their own once they are crawling and walking, or high up near the ceiling where only the parents can choose to bring them down one at a time without creating a mess.

Shelving: The final piece of wall storage we recommend is shelving. These are popular for books but can also be used for toys, a night-light, a white noise machine, or other items. It’s best to only keep a few bedtime books in the nursery and stick the rest of the books on a larger bookshelf in the living room.

Off-wall nursery storage

Closet organizer: Besides using wall space, you can also take advantage of closet space with a caddy that hangs from a closet rod inside. This could be a good option for bedding, sleep sacks, swaddles, receiving blankets, and burp cloths.

Hamper: One of the only items you need in a nursery that will take up floor space besides essential furniture is a hamper. Look for one that is tall and narrow instead of wide, so it will take up less floor area. Also choose one with a lid to keep the mess out of sight.

Under the crib: One of the easiest places to find extra storage space is under the crib. If you don’t have anywhere else to store clothing they are too little for yet or are out of season (like puffy coats only for cold weather or swimsuits only for beach weather), this is an out-of-the-way area for things you don’t need to access as often.

Keep things fresh

Babies outgrow clothes and accessories quickly, so to keep clutter at a minimum, keep the rotation of what they need right now in circulation. Once they transition into swaddles, put them into storage for your next child or sell or donate them right away. Keeping items you don’t need anymore in the nursery is one of the easiest ways for clutter to build up. Onesies in a 0-3 size, pacifiers, unused size 1 diapers, and so on can all move out the door as soon as they’re not needed.

Whether it’s once a month or every three months, have a regularly scheduled “spring cleaning” year-round to reexamine what’s needed in the nursery.

With these storage hacks, you’ll be on your way to a decluttered nursery in no time. Enjoy all the moments along the way with your newfound floor space to play on.

Sarah Prager
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
How to give your child an oatmeal bath – you’ll be surprised what this homemade method can do
DIY an oatmeal bath and soothe your kiddo's skin issues
A parent giving a baby a bath

From rashes to bumps to whatever that thing is that itches — if your child has something going on with their skin, you want a way to calm the ailment down that doesn't require heavy medications. A tried-and-trusted method for easing upset skin conditions is an oatmeal bath.

Parents have been soaking their kids in oaty bathwater to treat the symptoms of certain skin issues for a reason — because it works. But before you open up your cabinet to shake some Quaker Oats into the tub, there are details about how to give your child an oatmeal bath you'll need to know first, and we're here to help.

Read more
Is your baby not eating solid foods? Here’s what could be going on
Should you worry if the little one isn't eating solid foods? Find out here
Baby in a highchair at the table eating.

When babies are first introduced to solid foods, they tend to already prefer what they like. Some little ones like vegetables, while others prefer the sweet taste of fruits. Babies usually take to eating solid foods quite quickly and enjoy experiencing the new flavors. Let's face it, once a baby starts on solid food, all they want to do is eat everything you put in front of them. But what happens when your baby's not eating solids?

It can be confusing for a parent when their munchkin, who seems to enjoy food so much, suddenly refuses to eat solids. Or, when their little one begins eating solids, but then stops eating them entirely. This commonly happens with kids and isn't something to be too concerned about or cause panic. Let's go over why your hungry hippo is rejecting solid foods and if there's anything you should do about it.

Read more
Your baby fell off the bed! Do these things immediately to ensure proper care for your child
Have a little roly poly? Here's what to do if baby rolls off the bed
A mother changing a baby on a bed.

Parents are only human and sometimes things happen in the blink of an eye. If you've ever put your baby down on a bed and turned your back for even a quick second only to have your baby fall off the bed, you know this is true. In fact, babies falling off beds is the leading cause of injuries for children. You happen to have your baby lying there — away from the edge, no less. You turn around for just a few seconds and then you hear that telltale cry.

What do you do? First, you’ll need to keep from panicking. Taking a deep breath and making some initial observations is a vital step to ensure your baby gets the right help. Once you've calmed down imagining your little one going over the edge, we have advice for you to follow in case this unfortunate accident happens to your child.

Read more