6 Storage Hacks for Organizing Baby Essentials
When we found out we were expecting our first baby we were living in a 700 square foot, one bedroom, condo in the heart of downtown Atlanta. Knowing that would never do, we had to scramble to find new digs to house 2 adults, 1 baby and 2 dogs. I was six months pregnant when we finally closed on our current house, which, thank goodness, is more than double the amount of living space. With the baby and our two dogs it was perfect. Then, SURPRISE! We got pregnant with baby number 2 and things began to feel a bit tighter again.
After lots of consideration, we decided the girls would share a room so that we didn’t have to sacrifice having a room for guests and for the girls to play. This means they also share a closet. I often joke that I should work in a boutique because I feel like all I do is wash, sort, and fold or hang clothes…and then re-fold clothes after the 2 year old gets a hold of them! After years of living in close quarters, I’ve become a master at maximizing space. Here are my top storage hacks for organizing baby essentials.
- Use the space under the crib/bed. My girls having matching DaVinci Kalani 4-in-1 Convertible Cribs. Unfortunately, while this style is really pretty, it doesn’t have the built in storage underneath that would really help us out now that we have two little ones sharing a room. I really love the look of these Serena & Lily rolling storage crates, but my inner DIY diva is itching to see if I can do this myself and save a few bucks in the process. So, this week, the hubby and I will be DIY-ing this under the crib storage found here LINK IN EMAIL. It’s basically a shallow wooden box on casters. How hard can it be? Oh, Pinterest gods, don’t fail me now! I plan to store my girls’ outrageous shoe collection, but the possibilities are endless. For the faint of heart and those short on time, you can always buy this Cosco Willow Storage Drawer on Amazon.
- Make storage pretty with apothecary jars. I have about a million of these left over from our wedding that I have repurposed in all sorts of ways. I have a small set like this Global Amici 3-piece apothecary jar set from Kohl’s that I use to store all of their bows, headbands and hair ties. I also have two of these larger Crate and Barrel Heritage Hill Apothecary Jars that I use for extra large big bows and headbands. Luckily, I found mine on an online yard sale group for a fraction of the cost!
- Continuing the decorative storage theme, find bins that match the room décor. My daughters’ closet is open, so it is important that storage is both efficient and cute. I use these pink chevron Circo Storage bins to keep bulk items like extra diapers, wipes and diaper genie refills.
- Put dual function storage to work! I just love it when storage has more than one use like this Kidkraft Step N Store step stool. I snagged one of these from an online yard sale for only $5 bucks and I have already seen a return on my investment. I use the little cubby to store bath toys (after they’ve been dried). It is the perfect solution, so that the toys are out of sight, yet quickly accessible for bath time.
- Don’t discount cheap storage options. The dollar spot at Target has always been good to me. I found a caddy very similar to this Kidkraft pink toy caddy for only $3. At first, I used it for toys and then later for dolls. Finally, I realized it was the perfect size to hold all of the girls’ hair styling aids, lotion, etc. Bonus – it fits nicely under the cabinet in their bathroom.
- Store on the go. During yet another Target trip, I found this Curver Flexi Basket that I use to organize my car. It’s waterproof and the shape is perfect for the space between the captain’s seats in the second row. I store everything from a change of clothes for each child to bottle water and snacks, and my diaper clutches. I place my infant carriers on top for easy access when I’m unloading the girls. This bin has saved me several times after I rushed out of the house thinking I had everything together only to realize I’d missed the ball completely. It also keeps me from having to pack and lug around a heavy diaper bag. The best part is that it has little handles on the top that make it easy to carry into the house to clean, sort and restock all the items I keep inside.
These are just a few of the storage hacks I use around the house and in the car to help keep things organized. As our needs change so do our storage solutions, so I’m always on the lookout for good tips. What are some of your favorite storage tricks that you use to organize baby essentials and maximize the space in your home and car?
