DIY Nursery Storage Ideas: Experienced Mom’s Guide to Creating A Flow

Discover creative DIY nursery storage ideas that transform your baby’s room into a clutter-free, well-organized haven with a perfect flow.

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, it means there’s a new baby on the way—a true blessing! As you prepare for your little one, you might notice that the list of baby essentials just keeps growing. From clothes to toys, it can feel like you’re constantly adding more to your space. But here’s the secret: it’s not about achieving perfect organization; it’s about creating a flow that works for your life. We’re here to help new parents and experienced moms alike turn that chaos into a clutter-free space and a smoothly running nursery with smart, practical storage space. So, lets dive into these DIY nursery storage ideas!

This post is all about DIY nursery storage ideas! 

Importance of an Organized Nursery

Life is about to change—for the better! Those first few weeks will be filled with constant adjustments, pivoting, and routine shifts. To ease the transition into parenting, having an organized space is the best way to set yourselves up for success. It’s not about spending a fortune on fancy drawer dividers and organizers or achieving perfect neatness; it’s about creating systems that simplify your daily nursery routines. Whether it’s diaper changes, outfit rotations, or laundry systems, every bit of storage space counts.

Think of it this way: you can’t leave your baby on the changing pad every time you discover the diaper caddy is empty. Instead, you need to establish a flow that makes everything within easy reach. In this post, we are sharing our nursery organization philosophy. Even if your setup ends up looking different, I believe it’s always helpful to hear how other mamas handle these challenges.

We’ll dive into how we manage the influx of laundry, rotate baby clothes, burp cloths, and changing pad setups, just to name a few. Plus, we’ll share our closet organization ideas and the system we use for both of our kids. Remember, it’s not about perfection—it’s about creating a flow. No matter the size of your nursery, you can transform it into a well-organized space that works for you. 

Remember, your organization system doesn’t have to be set in stone. It’s perfectly okay to change things as you go—organizing is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. Embrace the evolution of your space as your baby grows and your needs shift, and know that a system that works today might need tweaking tomorrow. Flexibility is key to creating a truly functional nursery that adapts to your family’s journey.

A Dresser can be used as a Changing Station & Storage 

Instead of splurging on two new pieces of nursery furniture, we opted for a horizontal dresser we discovered on FB Marketplace for just $50. A regular sized dresser ended up being the perfect size for our nursery! We transformed it using a simple refinishing process—check out the tutorial and the paint kit we used (NO SANDING INVOLVED!). Traditional nursery furniture can be too small and limited in functionality, so repurposing a horizontal dresser allowed us to create a dual-purpose changing table without investing in separate pieces that might only serve us for a short period. It’s truly the perfect solution for a small space! Although our nursery furniture colors ended up being a bit mismatched, they brought a cozy vibe to the room and still looked remarkably cohesive.

How to Organize a Nursery Dresser: Drawer by Drawer

When we picked up this dresser, the owner shared that it originally belonged to her husband’s childhood bedroom—a testament to its sturdy construction, unlike many pieces available today. It offers significantly more storage, which is crucial given how much baby stuff there is! An older dresser fits far more, making it the ideal storage solution for all your baby essentials. Instead of using traditional drawer dividers or drawer organizers, we repurpose shallow baskets to separate and further organize our drawers—perfect for storing little items like baby socks. Below is a detailed walkthrough of how we organize our nursery dresser, drawer by drawer.

Left Side Dresser Drawers:

• Top Drawer (#1):This drawer is dedicated to everyday baby essentials like burp cloths, socks, washcloths, and bibs. Keeping these items in the top drawer ensures they’re always within easy access.
• Middle Drawer (#2):Although we keep a diaper caddy on top of the dresser, you can never have too many extra diapers. This drawer stores an extra pack of diapers, wipes, and diaper cream for quick changes.
• Bottom Drawer (#3):We use this drawer to store all of our swaddling blankets and changing pad covers. While this space might be repurposed after the first few months, it’s indispensable when we are constantly going through them. 

Right Side Dresser Drawers:

• Top Drawer (#4): This drawer holds all of the current-size sleepers for the baby. Since our little ones almost exclusively wear zipper sleepies during the first year—and rarely switch to outfits—having these items readily available is key.
• Middle Drawer (#5): Here, we store baby pants in the current size, along with a few extra pairs in the next size up. While we hang shirts in the closet, keeping baby pants in the drawer avoids the hassle of using specialized hangers. Often, there’s extra space for a few next-size sleepers too.
• Bottom Drawer (#6): This final drawer is used for sleep sacks, crib sheets, swaddles, and nursing covers, ensuring all bedding and cover items are neatly stored and easily accessible.

Why you need a Diaper Caddy on Top of the Dresser

As mentioned earlier, we keep a dedicated diaper caddy on top of our dresser—right next to the changing pad—for quick access to extra diapers, wipes, booger sucker, lotions, and diaper cream. This storage solution is not only perfect for ensuring that baby essentials are within easy access in your baby’s nursery, but it’s also a great way to save space in a small space if you don’t have extra room in your baby’s dresser. I love that this diaper caddy is big and neutral, making it a versatile piece of functional nursery storage. Once we graduate out of diapers, I plan to repurpose it as a car organizer—a great idea for keeping things tidy on the go! Click here to see the one we use!

Utilizing Cube Storage and Storage Bins to Create a Functional Nursery Closet

We repurposed one of our cube storage shelves to further organize our nursery closet space—a great idea for anyone renting or simply not ready to invest in an official closet system. The cube storage bins offer an effective storage solution for organizing extras like baby hats, baby shoes, and baby toys. Once baby graduates from these smaller items, the shelves can easily transition to store larger toddler toys and books. I also love that the cube storage creates extra shelf space in the closet to hold essentials like the diaper bag, a tote of clothes for the next size up, and even a bin for storing outgrown baby clothes. This setup not only maximizes limited closet space but also provides a functional nursery closet that adapts as your baby grows.

Need more closet organization tips? Check out How to Organize a Small Closet with a Lot of Stuff

Organizing and Rotating Clothing Storage Bins

I used to dread sorting through our baby clothes, but after having two boys, I’ve finally mastered the art of rotating through baby clothes. It’s incredible how quickly little ones outgrow their outfits, and keeping up with their ever-changing sizes in those early years is a challenge. To tackle this, I use labeled plastic bins to divide the clothes into groups: newborn, up to 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, and so on. I store most of these plastic bins in our basement, keeping only two in the nursery closet for easy access—a bin for the next size up and an empty bin for clothes that are either outgrown or out of season. Once the outgrown bin fills up, I rotate all the totes, ensuring a streamlined system for new parents managing a constantly evolving collection of baby clothes.

Side Table Storage Next to the Rocking Chair

No nursery is complete without a cozy rocking chair or recliner—and a small side table with built-in storage is a great way to enhance your nursery organization. This table serves as the perfect spot to set your baby’s bottle, your phone, and your drink. If you can find one with integrated storage baskets, that’s a bonus. These baskets offer a smart storage solution for emergency baby essentials like extra burp cloths, a binky, or a few small toys. When shopping for a side table, be sure to choose one with built-in storage to keep everything you need right at your fingertips while rocking your little one.

Use Open Shelves to Organize and Decorate in Your Baby’s Nursery

We opted to use our open shelves in the nursery primarily for decoration, but they also serve as a practical and beautiful way to organize additional baby essentials. You can store smaller items in decorative jars and baskets, creating a stylish storage solution that enhances both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your baby’s room. Click here to get these shelves.

Rolling Cart Storage

We use a rolling cart in our nursery to store books and other small treasures, making it easy to keep story time essentials within reach. Not only does it add extra storage space, but it also doubles as a mobile diaper caddy, perfect for those moments when you need to quickly grab extra diapers, wipes, or a change of clothes on the go. This versatile storage solution is ideal for new parents looking to maximize functionality while keeping everything organized and accessible.

Utilize the Space Under the Crib for More Storage

If your baby’s dresser and closet are already at max capacity, don’t worry—we’ve got more creative storage ideas up our sleeves. Check if your baby’s crib has open space underneath; if it does, measure the area and consider sourcing a flat container or a few decorative storage baskets. This storage solution maximizes floor space and is a clever way to add extra storage in your baby’s room, helping to create a clutter-free space even when you’re short on room.

Use a Oversized Basket or Blanket Ladder to store all of your Baby’s Blankets

If you’re fortunate enough to receive a baby shower or two, chances are you’ll end up with a mountain of baby blankets—both homemade and store-bought. Rather than crowding up your closet space or dresser drawers, consider using a blanket basket or blanket ladder. We repurposed a decorative and oversized laundry basket to neatly store our boys’ blankets, and it not only works great but also adds a cute touch to our nursery. I’ve also seen moms display their baby’s beautiful handmade blankets on a stylish blanket ladder—a practical and decorative storage solution that enhances your baby’s room.

Share your DIY Nursery Storage Ideas

As always, thank you for following along with me in my creative journey. Be sure to tag me and use #meagannicholedotcom when sharing your DIY nursery storage ideas! Thanks for stopping by MeaganNichole.com

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