The Best Folding Methods & Storage Solutions to Organise Baby Clothes

Having a newborn baby in the house is a special time that goes by really quickly! Like any other parent, you want to savour the time spent with your child at this very tender age because you will never get it back. Well, as much as you get to have these special moments, caring for a newborn entails a lot of different things that require time, work, and planning. If you aren’t a first-time parent, you already know that things can get out of hand and become overwhelming if you don’t stay organised.

Now, even if this is your first child, you will definitely be aware of the fact that babies require many different things in order to be properly cared for. These include nappies/diapers, baby bottles, baby wipes, spit-up cloths, bed linen, clothes, and so on. This means having all of these things in your home, and organising them efficiently.

So, today, we are turning our attention to baby clothes in particular because, even before the baby is born, most parents begin purchasing various outfits and clothing items as the due date approaches. And without even realising it, these items can suddenly pile up before you learn the best way to organise baby clothes!

Well, that’s what we are here to help you with. From folding your baby’s clothes, to efficient, space-saving organisation, MaidForYou home cleaning has got all the secrets you need right here! Let’s begin.

How to Fold & Organise Baby Clothes

As tiny as they may be, when stored together, baby clothes can take up quite a bit of space and look rather untidy if folded haphazardly. More importantly, you want to fold and store the clothing in a manner that allows you to easily access certain outfits/items, and have everything in plain sight so that you don’t miss out on dressing your baby in some new clothes before they are outgrown! This means avoiding piles or stacks of clothing that leave some items hidden away (unless they are intended for later use).

Now, there are different types of baby clothes that vary in shape, size and length; therefore, the folding technique differs from one item to another. The goal here is to create uniformity among the folded clothes while also making them compact for space-saving storage.

REMEMBER: How and where you plan to store your baby’s clothes will dictate the best folding methods. For example, rolling is better for vertical storage in a drawer while square-shaped stacks are better-suited for closet shelves or storage bins.

Below you will find some of the most common forms of baby clothing, and the best ways to fold and store them.

Baby Socks

Depending on the size/length, you can either roll baby socks, or simply lay them flat. If you are rolling them, make sure that the socks are in a pair, properly aligned, and then rolled. Store them vertically with the rolled edges facing upward.

For smaller/thicker baby socks that can’t be rolled, smoothen them out while on a flat surface, and lay them in pairs, one on top of the other. Ensure that both socks are facing the same direction - i.e. heels to one side, and toes to the other. When laid flat, multiple pairs of socks can be placed one on top of the other - not too many, though, you don’t want to create the leaning tower of Pisa with your baby’s socks!

Baby Bodysuits

1. With the front of the bodysuit facing up, lay it on a flat surface and smoothen out the fabric. If there is a design on the front that you want to have facing upwards, simply flip the bodysuit so that the back faces up.
2. Start by folding one arm and a small part of the side towards the middle; do the same on the opposite side so that both sides meet in the middle but do not overlap.
3. Now that the baby bodysuit is in the shape of a vertical rectangle, make small 1x1 folds from the bottom to the top to form a neat square.

Pyjama Sets (Pant & Shirt)

1. Place the shirt face down on a flat surface.
2. Fold one leg over the other so that they are neatly aligned.
3. While still folded, place the pant in the middle of the shirt by aligning the waistband with the collar.
4. Fold one sleeve (along with the side) inward so that the fold is either aligned with the edge of the pant, or the collar. Repeat on the other side.
5. Now, if the length of the pant is longer than the shirt, take the bottom half of the pant and fold it in so that it lies flat over the folded sleeves. By now the pyjama set should be in a rectangular shape.
6. From the bottom, fold the rectangle 1-2 times to create a small, compact horizontal shape.

Rompers/Onesies

1. Place the item face down, and smooth out the material.
2. Fold the sleeves inward (but not the sides). For long sleeves, they should overlap to create an ‘X’.
3. Bring both legs up so that the toe-ends are aligned with the top of the romper/onesie.
4. Fold this into half (top to bottom), and you will be left with a wide rectangle with the collar facing up.

Baby Dresses

1. Fold the dress in half vertically, and flatten out the material with your hand.
2. Fold half of the skirt inward so that the dress forms a vertical rectangle.
3. Fold this in half, or three quarters if the material is not too thick.

How to Organise Baby Clothes

Knowing how to fold baby clothes is just one half of the job; the other half, of course, is organising all your little one’s clothing neatly and efficiently. The good news is that once the clothes have been folded into neat, compact shapes, they are a lot easier to store and organise.

So, let’s get right to our top tips for organising baby clothes.

#1 Sort by Age/Size

It’s not uncommon to buy or be gifted baby clothes that are intended for a later age. So, first things first, categorise sizes in the following order:

• 0-3 months
• 3-6 months
• 6-9 months
• 9-12 months

You can do this up to 24 months if you have clothes for that age as well.

Seasonal wear can also be put away for a time when it will actually be required or worn. If you don’t have a lot of storage space in your nursery, consider storing age-appropriate baby clothes in the room while the rest can be tucked away elsewhere.

#2 Organise With Drawer Dividers

Since baby clothes are small, they can easily unfold or unroll in a drawer if given enough space. This is one way in which a drawer divider can help by simply ensuring that the items are stored and organised in a compact manner. Additionally, you can use them to separate different types of baby clothes for neater and more efficient storage.

#3 Categorise As Per the Type of Clothing

One of the first rules of organising a closet, drawer, or clothes in general, is to keep similar items together. This makes it convenient to find what you are looking for, as well as to put washed clothes back. With baby clothes that are folded using the methods mentioned earlier, you should have no trouble with neatly organising clothing items as per their type or style.

#4 Use Clear Storage Containers

Transparent storage containers are one of the best organising aids you can have in your home. They are often used in kitchen and pantry organisation but they are certainly not limited to that. Clear storage bins are very handy when it comes to organising baby clothes because, like drawer dividers, they keep the folded/rolled clothes compact. If you have ever tried to fold and store baby clothing in a closet with shelves, you will understand the struggle of keeping things neat, and finding a particular item without messing up the whole shelf! With clear storage containers, on the other hand, you can easily pull the bin out, and have an aerial view of the clothes stored inside for easy access.

#5 Use Labels

Labeling the storage containers takes organising baby clothes to another level! Whether you are using separate clear bins for different types of clothing such as baby rompers, bodysuits, pyjamas, etc, or have categorised some containers by age/size, labeling them really helps to keep things organised. You are more motivated to put things back where they belong while finding what you need is also made easier with a simple label.

#6 Set Up Zones

Set up zones for storage such as closet space, containers, drawers, etc. Pick zones for different items depending on how many pieces you have of a particular type of clothing, and the size of the clothes. For example, if you have a lot of rompers or onesies that you would like to store together, perhaps it would be a better idea to organise them in a large storage container. On the other hand, smaller baby clothes like socks and baby bodysuits can be neatly organised in drawers.

Ultimately, how you fold and organise baby clothes will depend on the type and amount of storage you have at your disposal. With that said, learning how to fold baby clothes to make them neater and more compact plays a huge role in efficient organisation of your baby’s clothing. Fortunately, you made it to the end of this article and now know exactly how to accomplish both of those things!