Small Nursery Storage Tips from a Real Mom
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Our house is the perfect starter size for a growing family—cozy, functional, and just enough room for hosting our out-of-town guests. But like many other homes, it has one major drawback: minimal storage space, especially outside of our primary bedroom. So, over the past few years, I’ve had to get creative with organization—especially in our boys' rooms.
We currently have two designated kids' rooms: the nursery and our oldest son’s “big boy room,” which he proudly moved into when he turned three. Giving them their own spaces at this stage has been so nice, but their rooms (and especially their closets) came with a set of challenges: tight layouts, awkward closets, and very little built-in storage. Let’s just say I’ve learned a lot about maximizing vertical space, curbing clutter, and organizing around real family life.
Why Vertical Storage is a Game-Changer
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in organizing small spaces—especially for kids—is the power of vertical storage. Not only does it free up valuable floor space (a must when you want room for playing), but it also helps keep little hands out of places they don’t need to be. Whether it’s for safety (like medicine or hygiene products) or for sanity (hello, games and stuffed animals), going up instead of out just makes sense.
In our nursery, the closet also doubles as storage for baby gear—both things we’ve just outgrown and what we’ll be using again soon. This rotating system helps us avoid stashing random bins all over the house.
Keeping Furniture Minimal
We keep the main furniture simple: a bed, a chair, and a dresser. Once your child is big enough it is easy to swap out the larger chair for a kid-size one. I found us not using the larger one once he switched to a “big kid” bed, as we usually read on that instead. Keeping the furniture minimal has helped their rooms feel more open and kid-friendly.
In the nursery, we do have one cozy chair—the blue chair. It's actually a sweet family heirloom that originally belonged to my grandparents. They bought it in the '70s in a bold gold color, then had it reupholstered in blue. My husband and I used it when we were first married and couldn’t afford purchasing furniture, and now it’s back in action for baby cuddles, storytime, or a quiet place for me to sit while baby plays. It’s currently covered in a green cover thanks to a few years of cat claws, but I fully plan to reupholster it eventually and continue its lifespan. This chair has earned its place in our family.
We also used a recliner/glider in our master bedroom for those early newborn months—it was a lifesaver for contact naps and late-night feedings. Even though it’s used less now, it’s still my favorite spot for reading or winding down. This is the one we got, not an affiliate link, just something that I loved.
The Dresser: Our Everyday Workhorse
Both of our boys have matching six-drawer dressers (these here, not affiliate, just adore them so much), and they do some serious heavy lifting. I intentionally avoid keeping too many clothes on hand—it just adds to laundry and storage chaos. The drawers are divided in a way that’s easy to maintain and access, especially in the baby phase when you’re constantly switching sizes. I utilize these organizers to keep everything arranged within the dressers.
What’s Inside:
Top Left Drawer: Current-size PJs, sleep sacks, and swimwear
Top Right: Diapers waiting to be refilled into the caddy, extra pacifiers, and hygiene supplies (lotion, nasal aspirator, diaper cream, etc.)
Middle Left: Current and next-size-up pants and shorts
Middle Right: Burp cloths, small blankets, and muslin swaddles
Bottom Left: Toys—baby puzzles, sensory balls, and stacking rings
Bottom Right: Accessories—socks, bibs, shoes/booties for cooler days
On top, we use a changing pad (yes, I still love having one!), a wipe dispenser, sound machine, and a diaper caddy. So many moms and influencers are ditching changing pads, but I used one with both of my boys well over their first year of life. The caddy holds daily essentials like Aquaphor, stain spray, and night diapers. I love using the dresser instead of the closet for everyday items—it's just more accessible and better suited to our space.
Organizing the Awkward Closet
Let’s talk about these closets—they’re wide with a single door, which makes it hard to access the far ends. Plus, they came with just a single high shelf and rod. Eventually, I’d love to fully customize them, but for now, we’re working with budget-friendly solutions.
How We Make It Work:
Cube Organizer in the bottom center for travel gear, linens, and on-the-go baby items (i.e. baby carrier and portable sound machine)
Left Floor Side: Diaper and wipe boxes
Right Floor Side: Larger baby gear waiting for the next stage or travel (pack’n’play, baby bath, etc.)
Hanging Rod: Clothes organized by current and future sizes (I love using the hanging organizers such as these)
Top Shelf: Bins with outgrown clothes, shoes to grow into, baby keepsakes, stroller accessories, and a binder with manuals (I keep binders organized with manuals in most of our rooms for our boys, baby gear, kitchen gear, and house appliances)
Over-the-Door Organizer: Extra diapers, wipes, and easy-to-grab essentials (I’m currently using this one here)
I highly recommend pocket organizers for small items—especially if your closet doesn’t get used daily. Choose one based off your storage needs. This one is great for small clothing items, while this one is great for more structure to hold things such as medicine/hygiene products or arts and crafts supplies.
Thoughtful Storage Around the Room
We sprinkle in a few other smart storage pieces to make the space both functional and special.
Some of My Favorites:
Wall-Mounted Bookshelves: Great for board books now and picture books later (here and here, are a couple of ideas)
Display Shelves: These were made by my grandpa for my brothers' room and now hold keepsakes, gifts, and a few sentimental decorations (something like this)
Over-the-Door Stuffed Animal Storage: Keeps less-used stuffed animals off the floor while favorites stay close by (linked here)
Rolling Cart: Filled with board books, teething toys, and sensory play items. I repurposed this rolling cart after utilizing it as a newborn cart. You can read all about that experience [here].
Plastic Bins: Used for rotating in bigger toys—we’re currently hunting for a more permanent storage solution here (something along the lines of this)
A Final Note on Real-Life Storage
This system isn’t perfect or Pinterest-pretty all the time—but it works for us. The key has been staying flexible and letting each space evolve with our kids. I’m always editing and rethinking how we store things as they grow, which honestly has made their rooms feel more peaceful and easier to manage.
Whether you’re working with a tiny closet, a shared room, or hand-me-down furniture, know that it’s totally possible to create a space that’s both functional and full of heart.
My Favorite Non-Storage Nursery Details
While storage and function are essential in a small nursery, it’s the little personal touches that really bring the room to life. These are the pieces that add warmth, meaning, and a sense of belonging—and they’ve made this space feel extra special for both of our boys.
A Nursery Mobile (Above the Changing Pad!)
One of my favorite design elements is the nursery mobile—but not above the crib! I hang ours above the changing pad. This not only avoids any safe-sleep issues but also keeps baby happily distracted during diaper changes. It was a total game-changer with my second once he started getting wiggly. I’d tap the mobile, and he’d stay focused and content while I finished the diaper change. You can find beautiful options for any nursery theme (especially on Etsy), and it’s such an easy way to add style without taking up space.
A Growing Book Collection
As an avid reader, books are a big part of our home—and the nursery is no exception. We read to our boys every day, and it’s been so sweet watching our oldest "read" on his own, either flipping through picture books or using his Me Reader. Having books easily accessible makes reading a natural part of their day and helps build that love of stories early on.
Personal Touches with Meaning
Even though we’ve used the same nursery and décor for both boys, I’ve added personal touches to make the space feel uniquely theirs. Above each crib is a wooden name sign, and on the shelves, we display a welded metal Mickey Mouse silhouette that my dad made—each one with their name inside. These are such sweet reminders of the people who love them.
Sentimental Shelf Décor
Speaking of shelves—these are special all on their own. My grandpa made them decades ago for my brothers’ childhood room, and now they live on in our nursery. I try to reserve these shelves for items with meaning, like the wooden trains that belonged to their dad as a child, gifted stuffed animals, our youngest's personalized Mickey Mouse ears, a classic copy of Winnie the Pooh, and beautiful wooden prayer cards from a neighbor. We even use small hooks on the shelf to display a few hats that big brother has outgrown.