The Best 14 Tips to Organizing Kids’ Clothes

Inside: 14 simple tricks for organizing kids’ clothes and keeping their closets neat and tidy.

If you are a parent you know how messy kids can be and keeping their clothes organized and under control is no exception.

Kids’ clothing seems to accumulate so quickly.  They are constantly needing new things – rather it is due to changing sizes, seasonal outfits, sports uniforms, dance attire and of course the ongoing wear and tear of their daily wardrobe.  It is a lot to keep up with!

With all these changing needs, no wonder kids’ clothes become super cluttered and you are likely frustrated by the messy condition of their room, dresser and closet.

The good news is there are ways to keep your kids’ clothing organized and maintain a tidy and clutter-free space for their wardrobe needs. 

Benefits to Organizing Your Kids’ Clothing

First, let’s discuss the benefits to organizing kids’ clothes – because why bother in the first place? Below is a list of reasons why to organize their clothes for both you and them:

14 Tricks for Organizing Kids Clothes

We acknowledge it’s worthwhile to keep kids’ clothes organized and under control. There are lots of reasons to make this effort; so, now for the fun part…how to organize it all!

Below are simple, but effective ways to keep the clothing mess under control.

1. Clean out first

Before heading out and buying all kinds of storage containers or even tackling the steps below, clean out their wardrobes first. Pending your child’s personality, you may want to do it alone when they are not around or involve them to help (i.e., my daughter loves to help, my sons couldn’t care less).

the simplest way to declutter kids’ clothing:

• Remove all items
• Go through each piece one-by-one
• Either donate or resale what is gently used

Only keep what fits, is in good condition and is actually worn (no need to convince your daughter to wear leggings if she has zero interest).

2. Hang instead of fold

It is much easier to see what you have to wear when it is hanging vs. folded in drawers. Utilize closet space and hang your kids’ clothing to keep them well organized. Stuffing t-shirts and shorts into drawers is where things get messy; it is much easier to keep a closet tidy than a dresser.

3. Use a hanging shelf inside closet

In addition to hangers, use a hanging shelf in the closet. This is another way to visual see what clothing your children actually have.

two ways to use a hanging shelf:

• Use each shelf for a different category of clothes (i.e., shorts, pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts)
• Use each shelf for a different day/outfit of the week (i.e., Monday, Tuesday, etc.). This is an excellent system for helping children get dressed in the mornings, especially for busy school days…their outfits are already picked out!

4. Use baskets for easy-to-fold items

If you are low on space in a bedroom and a traditional dresser won’t fit or your child can’t reach/use dresser drawers, use woven baskets in the floor of the closet. Baskets are great for items that don’t need to be wrinkle-free, such as pajamas, socks and underwear. This is how my boys have kept their clothes organized for years!

5. Use a 3-drawer bin

Again, if you have limited space in a child’s bedroom, use a heavy-duty plastic 3-drawer bin (this is my personal fave and the one we use) for organizing kids’ clothes. This storage pieces fits well in closets or small spaces, plus clear drawers makes it easy to see what’s inside.

6. Keep like items together

One of the simplest ways to organize kids’ clothing is to keep like items together. No matter if you are hanging clothes or folding them, always have shirts go with shirts, bottoms go with bottoms, and so on. Mixing items causes confusion and forgetfulness about what you even own. Don’t worry about color coding — just category match!

7. Hang uniform sets together

If you child plays sports or does any extracurricular activity that requires a uniform, hang sets together (i.e., jersey with shorts and socks or leotard with skirt and tights). Use one clip-on hanger for all items — clip bottoms on the hanger, hang shirt on the top and use the clips as well for socks or fold them over the top.

8. Use only one kind of hanger

This one simple trick can greatly improve the appearance of any closet — only use one type and color of hanger. No matter if you prefer white plastic or black velvet or something more colorful, use the same type of hanger for everything. This gives the closet a uniform look and is much more visually appealing.

9. Use small fabric bins inside dressers

If you must or prefer to use a traditional dresser, place small to medium fabric bins inside the drawers to keep items organized. I love these hard-sided ones and use them to categorize small items like socks, underwear or even hair accessories.

10. Fold vertically

Keep folded clothes well organized and visible by rolling vertically and have them “standing up.” This is a classic Marie Kondo move and it works! It is much easier to see what’s inside a drawer by looking at it this way instead of everything stacked on top of each other.

11. Use an over-the-door organizer

I love over-the-door organizers. These can be used for so many things (my daughter uses this one for her stuffed animals). Hang one of these over the back of the bedroom door to keep smaller items organized such as socks, underwear, pajama sets, and accessories such as winter hats and mittens.

12. Store certain items completely separate

A key strategy to organizing kids’ clothes is to separate what they don’t use or need daily. This separate category of clothing can be on it’s own and not mixed in with everyday clothes.

Items of clothing to organize separately from others:

• Hand-me-downs. Anything you are keeping for a younger child should be put away in labeled storage basket or even just a paper bag. Doing a regular clothing declutter will keep these “too-small” pieces under control.
• Off-season items. Keep Halloween costumes, bulky winter coats, swimsuits, etc. in another area since they are not needed year-round. Even just a bin in the bottom of the closet will work.
• Sentimental items. Special jerseys, t-shirts, onesies, etc. anything that is no longer worn but you want to keep for sentimental reasons should be stored in a box away from everyday clothes. A plastic bin with lid works well for this. Be sure to label it with child’s name!
• Clothes to donate. As you do laundry, put away clothes or do a regular declutter, anything worth donating that your child can no longer wear should be placed directly in an ongoing donation bin.

13. Assign laundry hampers

Keep a laundry hamper handy in every bedroom so your child can keep their clothes organized by tossing dirty clothes where they belong — and not on the floor, LOL. This simple tip helps their bedrooms stay tidy.

14. Don’t overbuy

And finally, organizing kids’ clothes starts with not bringing too many into the house. Don’t overbuy and be honest about what they truly need. Kids’ wardrobes should be fairly simple and easy to mix-and-match. Manage the clutter and save money by not buying more than necessary.

Organizing Kids’ Clothes Storage Solutions

Below is a recommended list of what is useful in organizing kids’ clothes (after you’ve decluttered!).

Despite how messy kids stuff can be, organizing their clothes can be done. With a few simple, consistent tactics you can keep it all under control and not feel like you/them are drowning in clothing! By taking some time to get systems and organization in place, you’ll lower the frustration and enjoy all the benefits as discussed above.