How do you organize your dc's closet/drawers?

[sweetpea]

I need to organize my dd's clothing somehow and I don't even know where to start... right now entire outfits aren't being worn before she outgrows them because they get stuffed at the back of a drawer. Is it better to hang everything so it can be seen?

I have way, way, way too many clothes for my dd but that could be a whole seperate topic. I know this is such a silly question but I'm sure some of you have been there ;)
TIA for any ideas!

[katiesmommy]

The way we do it is, everything that is nice, or part of a set/outfit, goes into the closet. Everything else goes into drawers. I got a large dresser just so I could do it this way, but we have one drawer for socks and underthings, one for onesies, one for pajamas, one for tops, one for bottoms, and ond for everything else. The closet is organized by season, then it goes, dresses in the front, outfits in the middle, and one pieces in the back. I suppose if I was going to put everything in the closet I'd get one of those things that hangs so I could put bottoms on the bottom and tops on the top, then one pieces, sets, and dresses on one side of that thing.

[smkinc]

I've found hanging everything to be the way to go, that way you can easily see what you have. When my DS was a baby I had everything lined up in terms of actual size (as sizing varied so much some 0-3 outfits were as big as small 6-9). Then I had a bin at the bottom of the closet. Once he outgrew the outfit, it would get tossed in the bin. About every 3 months I'd go through and pull additional items that didn't fit, and replenish the closet with buy-ahead items. Now that he wears clothes multiple seasons, I line up everything by item (eg long sleeve shirts, pants, ss shirts, etc). That way I can see how much of everything he has--it's a good way to determine if you need anything (eg SS shirts as the weather's getting warmer).

HTH,

Mary
Mom to J. Feb. '03
Homestudy Complete for #2, now just waiting...

[cmorgen]

>I've found hanging everything to be the way to go, that way
>you can easily see what you have. When my DS was a baby I
>had everything lined up in terms of actual size (as sizing
>varied so much some 0-3 outfits were as big as small 6-9).
>Then I had a bin at the bottom of the closet. Once he outgrew
>the outfit, it would get tossed in the bin. About every 3
>months I'd go through and pull additional items that didn't
>fit, and replenish the closet with buy-ahead items. Now that
>he wears clothes multiple seasons, I line up everything by
>item (eg long sleeve shirts, pants, ss shirts, etc). That way
>I can see how much of everything he has--it's a good way to
>determine if you need anything (eg SS shirts as the weather's
>getting warmer).
>
>HTH,
>
>Mary
>Mom to J. Feb. '03
>Homestudy Complete for #2, now just waiting...



This is exactly what I have done as well.
I also have a section on her closet for next season's clothing and clothes in the next size that I have bought ahead.

[gatorsmom]

We hang up everything except his socks and hats. I have a Prince Lionheart Closet Cubby Plus for both my sons' closets. It gives you extra hanging space in their closet. This has really helped me alot:

http://www.greatbeginningsonline.com/store/item.asp?DEPARTMENT_ID=99&ITEM_ID=17813

Also, this will help you sort the clothes into outfits she's almost outgrown into ones she'll soon fit into. At least, that's how I do it.

oh, btw, don't let the picture fool you. You can hang A LOT of clothes on that thing. It's pretty sturdy. HTH!

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005

[C99]

I only have 8 outfits per season for my DD, so it's a bit more manageable. My DD has a small walk-in closet. I keep her dresser on the right, with hanging storage above it, although most of her dresses, cardigans and jackets are hung on the bar on the left side of the closet. Her dresser has 2 small top drawers and 4 large drawers. The top large drawer holds onesies and PJs, the second to top drawer holds folded outfits, and the third drawer holds folded outfits for the upcoming season (currently spring/summer). The bottom drawer is currently storage. I also keep a couple of GLIS storage bins from IKEA on a shelf above the bar on the left side of the closet. One bins holds clothes for the following season (fall/winter) and the other holds outgrown clothes that need to be sorted and/or brought down to basement storage.

My DS' wardrobe is primarily separates, with a bunch of shirts and fewer pants, and he picks out his clothes and dresses himself. He has a very small room, and although his closet is long, it's only accessible from one door. I keep an ANTONIUS wire drawer unit in the doorway to the closet. He uses the bottom 4 drawers for underwear/socks/bathing suits; PJs; tops; and bottoms. I use the top 4 drawers for clothes for the upcoming seasons, spare sheets and even some storage of mom clothes. I keep anything that needs to be hung up on the bar on either side of the drawer unit.

HTH

[JacksMommy]

We keep the kids' clothes on shelves in the closet. The shelves are long and skinny and we then use shelf dividers to sort out pants, shorts, L/S shirts, etc. Unlike with drawers, we can see everything in the piles because they are open. And shelf dividers are inexpensive, which is a bonus, because it seems our organization needs change every year or so!

We put underwear, socks and other small items in baskets.

Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[clc053103]

Yes- exactly what Mary said! ;-)

[maestramommy]

Okay, for all of her dresses, regardless of size, they hang in the closet. She doesn't have that many so I don't lose track. Clothes that are current are in the top drawer, clothes that are soon to follow are in the 2nd drawer. Clothes she's outgrown are put in plastic tubs, grouped by type (onesies, jammies, bibs, etc) in plastic bags. In the beginning I was super organized and labeled the bags by size, but I've stopped doing that since she was about 9 months or so.

Clothes that will be too big for many months are in either the 3rd drawer, or in bags in the closet. Some are gifts, so they just stay in the gift bag. Some are hand-me-downs, and also stay in their respective bags.

The tough part for me is remembering to check the lower drawers. I was thinking I needed to buy more overalls for DD because she'd outgrown 3 pairs, then one day while rummaging in the 2nd drawer for something else I came across a 2ndhand pair MIL sent to me that I'd completely forgotten. They're a wee bit long, but otherwise are great.

[sweetpea]

You guys are right, hanging is the way to go. I spent amost of today buying hangers and an extra rod thing, then trying to get everything on the hangers with my 2yo dd's help.
I hung everything that's a dress or part of an outfit. Then all her hats and shoes sit on the racks above the rods. In her dresser I put pj's and onsies in one big drawer, play clothes / tees and pants in another big drawer, then socks, babylegs, tights in each of the small drawers.

Phew, what a tedious job that was. Her closet actually looks like a cute little boutique, however, now that I can actually see how much too much she has I am also even a bit appalled and will stop buying so much!

[sweetpea]

How do you do only 8 outfits per season? I would love to know how to pare down.

[hudsonam]

I don't hang any of his stuff, except things he never wears. ;) I have an 8 drawer dresser (4 large drawers and four small across the top), and right now I have all his pants in one drawer, separated into three piles - jeans, cords and chino/khaki styles. Then I have his long sleeve shirts in another drawer. I put the stuff he rarely wears/that I don't like in the back. :) In another of the large drawers I have some hand-made sweaters and larger sweaters and sweatshirts, as well as his baptism outfit in the plastic. In the last large drawer I have his summer clothes - shorts and t's. I will rotate when the seasons change, so that the summer stuff is not at the bottom of the dresser like it is now, and as he outgrows things I will put them away in bins.

In the top four drawers I have:
1. socks
2. light weight PJs
3. heavy PJs
4. sun hats and random stuff - belts, etc.

HTH! :)

[cellogirl]

I do something very similar to the others. All zip-up jacket/fleece are hung (they don't fold well), as are dresses and one pieces. We have a cabinet in the middle of the closet (organizer we got at Home Depot) and hanging space on either side. I put current size clothes on the right side and upcoming size on the left.

We then have a six-drawer dresser/changing table. Here are how I have the drawers organized: 1)Socks, tights, hats, etc.; 2)Diapers & wipes; 3)Onesies and shirts; 4)PJs; 5)Sweaters & Sweatshirts; and 6)Shorts/Pants.

I also have two tubs stacked on the floor in her closet. One is there to put in clothes as they get too small and the other is full of clothes for the upcoming size. We got a TON of hand-me-downs from my sister, so these tubs have been invaluable for keeping track. In one of our other closets I have tubs stacked and labeled for each size.

This has been working pretty well for me finally. I've been through lots of iterations. I've often thought that the Fields should add info in their 411 books on how to organize all this stuff. I didn't know where to start, and it's not intuitive!!

Good luck!
Laurie