How to organize TONS of baby clothes?

[mjs64]

I'm trying to fit clothes for my soon to be born DS into a 3-drawer dresser that is probably too small (it was given as a gift, and, since I don't really have anything else), I'm using it. I've been given lots and lots of baby clothes in various sizes, new, and hand-me-downs, and I've purchased some on my own. I just did 5 loads of laundry. That's how many I have.

And now they seem impossible to sort. Sizing, clearly, varies by brand. 6-9 mo. looks the same as 3-6 months in other brands. I can't tell the difference between "NB" and "0-3 mo.," or, for that matter, "0-3 mo." and simply "3 mo." Even one brand--like Carter's--comes in 3 varieties (Just One Year, regular Carter's, and another), and sizing varies there. Plus, there are a variety of types of clothing (rompers, onesies, long-sleeved onesies, footies) and then whole matching layette outfits with various parts. Do I keep matching 5 piece outfits together? All socks together? Sort drawers according to labeled size? To apparent size?

Also...some of the clothes (some gifts and hand-me-downs), IMO, are ugly. But I feel terrible getting rid of them, especially since I don't know how big DS will be and how quickly he'll grow.

Someone, please, give me permission to get rid of some of them. Or, even better, propose a solution for sorting. I have plastic bins from Target I'd intended to use for bigger sizes, but now I can't tell what size is what.

I know this perhaps belongs in the bitching post...or perhaps I'm overthinking. But this baby has more clothes than I do, and he's still in utero. Stuff--literally, amounts of things--overwhelms me. Help!

[DebbieJ]

If they are ugly and you know you won't be putting them on your child, then get rid of them! There is no shame in doing that. I get pass me downs from various folks and I get rid of stuff I know my kids won't wear. I usually donate it to Goodwill.

[DebbieJ]

Oh and 0-3 and 3mth are the same size.

[mjs64]

DebbieJ:

Thanks for the permission (and the size info). You wrote me really thoughtfully the other day, too, when I was talking about my DH and cleaning. I really appreciate the support, more than you know.

[tmahanes]

I just had boxes of each size and put the sizes we were not using away.

I organized by the type of item. Like all ss onsies together etc.

I can't help with the ugly... I was in the same boat but was too guilty to not have B wear it at least once.

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[AshleyAnn]

I didn't take tags off any gifts until after DD arrived. I had so many hand me downs I didn't need the gifts becuase they were all the early tiny size. If possible I exchanged them for larger size items I did need but I would wait to do that until you know what you need. Any hand me downs you dislike can be passed on to someone else or donated. You don't have to dress your baby in clothes you dislike.

Sizes are easy - consider them more along the lines of guildlines because some babies go thru sizes super fast and some just don't. Items that say 0-3 months and 3 months are the same size but some makers do run small/large. Carter's runs pretty true to size IMO so thats what I use as my baseline. Gap and Gerber run slightly smaller. Other brands differ but those are the ones I know. Just sort the items into piles by size - anything that is obviously bigger or smaller than the other items of that size go with whatever size they better match.

Once you have them sorted by size I would put all the 3-6 month and bigger clothing into the bins. Doesn't matter how you organize it within them really since you'll probably want to rewash it all when it comes out. I keep each size in its own bin so I can easily pull out things I need.

I put each 'type' of clothing into its own drawer. One drawer for onsies, one for sleepers, one for outfits, ect. DD's dresser was bigger than yours but you can always split drawers between items. I suggest labeling the drawers with masking tape so it was easy for everyone to find things in the beginning. I organize my PJs in a pile by warmth, thin on top - thicker on the bottom. I think I'm going to put all the newborn stuff together in one drawer for the next baby since we struggled with finding clothing small enough for DD in her wardrobe when she was a newborn but she was super tiny.

Its just as overwhelming on the other size and you're trying to decide what outgrown items keep/sell/giveaway/toss and how to store it all.

[Melanie]

If you have plenty that you like, get rid of the ugly. Else you can keep it in a special section for clothing to wear during meals or if your baby spits a lot (I hope not!).

I hung Dc's clothing for the first 6 months or so, in size order. And you are totally right, some things vary by brand. There are a couple of outfits my first missed wearing b/c it was labeled "9 months" but really meant "6-9" and not "9-12." I would say take your best guess at it. I always hung everything that was new and not washed yet so that saved dresser room. You could get some plastic drawers from Target or Big Lots to put in the bottom of the closet to put folded clothing in that doesn't fit yet (and extra blankets, washcloths, etc.).

I also had each drawer for a certain type, just like my clothing. :)

As they were out grown I put them into a big rubbermaid-type tub, with the size labeled on the exterior, and put it way up in the top of the closet. As baby grew there were also items, "gear," toys, of the smaller variety so I had a box of those type of things, too. Probably several. When we ran out of room in the closet they went into the garage. I think I must have had a dozen of those by the time #2 came along! LOL. Occasionally I would go through them and hand some down to other people who had a need. Also, don't bother keeping the things you don't like for your next child...you still won't like them. ;)

ETA: I've seen drawer separaters at places like Bed, Bath and Beyond or Ikea. That would be good to split your drawers if you wanted to put something like socks on one side and tops on the other. You could also get decorative lined baskets for things like bibs, burb cloths, etc. and put them on top of the dresser, or hang a simple shelf and put them on the shelf over the dresser. Anything that goes on the floor will eventually become "baby bait" and end up all over the place once your little one is mobile. I remember Dd's hobby was to throw the contents of her neatly organized cloth diaper stash all over the place!

[DebbieJ]

Oh and I usually put an uglier outfit in the diaper bag as a spare. Then I don't miss it while it sits in the diaper bag for weeks or months.

[srhs]

My thoughts.
If you have too much and you know you can still take some of it back (but you said you washed it so maybe not), take it back.

Sizes in order of small to big

Preemie
Newborn
0-3 or 3
3-6 or 6

Definitely put away everything after 0-3 for now unless it is a swaddler or sleepsack. Just store it by size so you can easily pull out 3-6 when you need it.

You have so much...if you miss using something because it was missized or the brand runs too small, ah well, you still have plently, IMO. If you are going to reuse it for next child, take a fabric pen/sharpie to the tag and resize it to your opinion. Same if you are going to hand it down. I wouldn't do that if you are going to resell though.

Drawers--You'll have to come up with your own style. I liked these categories:

Nicest (for photos, church, holidays, extra extra cute)
Nice (sets, cute, etc...basically not in the other 3 categories)
Basics (onesies, cotton pants)
Sleepers

Breaking up sets into their own categories was way easier for me, but if it had specific matching accessories (like booties and hat), I just stacked those right with the outfit.

[DebbieJ]

DebbieJ:

Thanks for the permission (and the size info). You wrote me really thoughtfully the other day, too, when I was talking about my DH and cleaning. I really appreciate the support, more than you know.

Awww, I'm so glad I was able to help! I hope you are feeling better about it. Feel free to vent and ask for advice anytime.

[zag95]

I think our dresser was 4 drawers here is what I did:

Hang all baby clothes by size, as PP have suggested. With current size (newborn, 0-3 etc.) I keep those sizes in the dresser- I stack up the onsies and put pants with them (if they are like pants that may coordinate)
I put sleepers (or sleep n plays) and gowns, if any together.
I put 2 pc outfits (coordinated top and bottoms) together.
I put all of the socks, hats, bibs together.

As my DD grew out of the size, I kept a large clear plastic bin in the bottom of the closet. I would put clothes that I liked in there to keep, once washed. If there was anything I didn't like- I donated those to GW, or passed them on to other people.

If it was a formal dress, I would hang it. I would move out the size that didn't fit into the bins and move the next size in. And so on...... it helped me not miss things.

[mjs64]

Thanks all for your helpful replies! It's seriously a revelation to know that 0-3 mo = 3 mo. I think drawer dividers will be a good idea for us too, and maybe hangers. Off to sort!

[MamaMolly]

If you feel guilty about getting rid of fugly stuff because of who gave it to you (and have already washed it), put it on him for all of 5 minutes while you snap a photo of it. Email it to the giver, and put it in the donate pile. Rinse and repeat. I shop consignment and thrift stores, and am always annoyed when I find dirty, stained, ripped or otherwise useless items there. So it isn't your taste? That's ok. Finding clean clothes in good condition might make some other mama's day. Donate it, honey. And don't look back!

Your little dude will go through so many outfits. Don't waste energy on the horrible ones. Enjoy all that cute stuff you have piling up!

Handy tip: keep a bin or plastic bag in the closet and toss stuff to donate in it. When it is full, take it IMMEDIATELY to Goodwill or Salvation Army or wherever. Don't even peep into the bag (big mistake, I've done that and ended up sitting on the floor in a pile of clothes getting all weepy and sentimental). ;)

[MamaMolly]

Thanks all for your helpful replies! It's seriously a revelation to know that 0-3 mo = 3 mo. I think drawer dividers will be a good idea for us too, and maybe hangers. Off to sort!

Do you have an Ikea near you? I bought 2 packs of their folding box-like drawer dividers for Dolly. They work come in 3 different sizes in each pack. Very handy, and I think less than $10 a pack.

[elephantmeg]

go ahead and get bins for the clothes and organize them by size. Put the NB, 0-3, and 3 month stuff in the drawers. I seperated by sleepers, outfits, and then piles of mix and match (onesies and neutral pants). If anything had an accessory (hat etc) I put it with it. Donate anything you don't love. You'll be doing laundry a lot anyways so you don't need a huge ton of stuff. And I too put ugly clothes in the diaper bag but do try to have another dress outfit in there if you are going to a wedding or something... ask me why :)