*This post contains affiliate links. There is no additional cost to you and I only endorse things I truly believe in.
It was Virgo season, and suddenly I was in the mood to organize EVERYTHING. The garage, the bathroom cupboards, the arts & craft cupboard. Yes, everything that was a mess in my home I suddenly had a very strong desire to organize it PRONTO.
My baby daughter's closet was also a hot mess. Check the "before" photos below. (Or don't, because honestly it's a little embarrassing.)
Yikes. I hadn't done anything to make it neat or tidy since she was born (she's 10 months now!) and I was given a heck of a lot of clothes and hand-me-downs from friends (such a blessing) so that led to this chaos.
Storage
The first step was to go through, organize, and find a good home for the excess clothing that she outgrown, and also had yet to grow into.
The bins her clothes were in currently didn't have lids so that prevented me from putting them in the garage. So I got this set of 6 32qt storage bins for her excess clothes and were able to move them out of her room and into the garage.
I also went through the clothes and only kept the ones I really liked and donated the rest. I was able to clear up a lot of the space just doing this step.
The Toddler Wardrobe
I love applying Montessori philosophy in all areas of my daughter's life because I really align with the principals; to allow the child freedom and access to practical life.
The Toddler Wardrobe is something I researched while I was pregnant and knew that was something I wanted to do when the time came.
For now, L is still actually a little bit young for her wardrobe, but I knew she would grow into it very soon so I wanted to prepare the closet for her.
What is a Toddler Wardrobe?
It's a child sized wardrobe to allow access to their own clothes. Some of the benefits of having an accessible wardrobe include:
Having a sense of independence
Feeling trusted to pick their own clothes
Fostering their own confidence to be able to do things on their own
Allowing self-expression & freedom to be who they are
My Toddler Wardrobe was repurposed from the baby gym I used to hang her Montessori mobiles when she was a newborn. (Check out the Reel above)
The exact one I bought is from Etsy. But you can find wardrobes specifically designed for children like this one, and many use IKEA products for their child's wardrobe. Use what works best for your family!
I also plan on allowing baby L access to the bottom 2 drawers of her dresser to include other things. The thing about Montessori is you are always adapting the environment to the child!
Putting Storage Higher Up
So with the clothes hanging at the bottom, that left any storage to go up at the top of the closet for me to have access to.
I found this great hanging storage on Amazon that's great for storing things like her blankets, sheets, and towels.
I also got this cute set of fabric bins that were great for storing excess toys & books on the top shelf. These are so great, I actually plan on buying a few more sets for the other closets in the house & some cabinets!
The Dresser
I bought this Babyletto dresser while I was still pregnant, and I LOVE it. It's so sturdy, beautiful, and durable, I think it's going to last my baby's whole childhood and more.
On top of the dresser, I added some decor, and a basket for her shoes. I put any bigger sized shoes in the garage storage with her other clothes that she'll grow into.
How much it cost me
The only things I needed to buy for this little closet makeover were the plastic storage containers, the hanging fabric storage, and the fabric bins.
Plastic storage containers set of 6 (32qt) = $65
Hanging fabric storage = $24
Set of 3 fabric bins, size Large = $27
Total cost = $116!
Your Turn
A little over $100 and this closet feels SOO good to look at when I open up those doors. And that feeling, my friends, is priceless!
I hope this inspired you to get into a little organizing for yourself - whether virgo season or not! Because trust me, you will feel SO good when you look at that organized closet instead of a chaotic mess.
Let me know if you're feeling inspired by leaving a comment below. I'd love to see which storage solution you might try!