How to Store Baby Clothes: Organise, Preserve & Pass Them On
For new parents navigating those early weeks, baby clothes arrive in waves. From the moment you announce a pregnancy, beautiful little onesies and tiny socks start multiplying around you. And then the baby grows astonishingly fast, and suddenly you're drowning in sizes they've already outgrown. Getting on top of baby clothes storage preserves pieces you love, keeps the next size ready when you need it, and can save thousands when baby number two comes along.
Before You Store: The Preparation Steps
Wash Everything First
Never store baby clothes dirty or even lightly worn. Body oils, spit-up residue, and formula stains that are invisible now will yellow and set during storage. Wash everything before putting it away, using a gentle, fragrance-free baby detergent.
Treat Stains Properly
Check every item carefully. For bamboo viscose baby clothes like Boody's Baby range, a cold water rinse and gentle stain treatment works well. Avoid hot water, which sets stains, and bleach, which damages fibres and can cause yellowing.
Sort by Size and Season
Sort clothes before storing by both size and season: Newborn, 0–3M, 3–6M, 6–12M and beyond. Organising this way makes retrieval infinitely easier later on.
Short-Term Organisation: The Active Wardrobe
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Drawer dividers help separate onesies, pants, tops, and sleepwear at a glance
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Hang special pieces like dresses, rompers, or embellished outfits if you have wardrobe space.
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Keep one drawer dedicated to the 'next size up', so when the growth spurts hits at 2am, you're ready
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Label clearly. A simple label maker or masking tape and marker is all you need.
Long-Term Storage: Keeping Clothes for the Next Baby
Choose the Right Containers
Breathable storage is essential for baby clothes. Avoid fully airtight plastic tubs for long-term storage because trapped moisture can lead to mould and mildew. Cotton zip-up storage bags, breathable fabric boxes, or well-ventilated cardboard boxes lined with acid-free tissue paper are ideal.
Label Everything Clearly
Labeling each container with the size range AND season, '6-12M Winter' is much more useful than just '6-12M' when you're pregnant again and rummaging through storage
Store in the Right Conditions
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Avoid damp areas: basements and garages can be humid, mould is a real risk
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Avoid direct sunlight: UV light fades and degrades fabric over time
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Cool, dry, dark storage is ideal: a spare wardrobe or under-bed storage in a climate-controlled room
Why Quality Baby Clothes Are Worth Storing
Boody's Baby range is designed to last beyond one baby. Made from 95% bamboo viscose and 5% elastane, the fabric actually becomes softer with each wash. OEKO-TEX certified, safe against newborn skin, and built with the quality that makes hand-me-downs feel like a gift rather than second-best. Baby pieces worth storing: Romper, Long Sleeve Bodysuit, Long Sleeve Romper, Pants, Jersey Wrap, and Knotted Beanie.
When to Donate Instead of Store
Be selective. Items that are stained beyond recovery, stretched beyond wear, or simply loved into retirement should be donated (if clean and serviceable). Your future self will thank you for not storing 47 onesies.
SHOP ALL BABYWEAR
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you store baby clothes for the next baby?
To store for the next baby, wash first, sort by size and season, use breathable containers, label clearly, store in cool and dry conditions away from light and moisture.
How long can you keep stored baby clothes?
With proper preparation and storage conditions, quality baby clothes can last many years. The key is washing before storage and keeping them dry and dark.
Should baby clothes be washed before storing?
Yes, always wash baby clothes before storing. Invisible residues will yellow and stain during storage if left unwashed.
What containers are best for storing baby clothes?
Breathable fabric storage boxes or cotton zip bags are ideal for storing baby clothes. Avoid fully airtight plastic for long-term storage: trapped moisture causes damage.
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How to repurpose your old baby clothes
We all know how fast babies grow. With all their tiny ensembles, we can find ourselves with an excessive amount of like-new clothing that has barely even been worn. It can feel like our children grow up overnight and getting rid of the clothes they’ve outgrown can feel incredibly wasteful. Consider these options for repurposing and upcycling baby clothes and breathe new life into their tiny wardrobe. Baby’s blanket Consider sewing your little one’s cutest tops and onesies into a small quilt. With this, they have another soft blanket or you can place on the floor for an attractive mat and to keep your baby from rolling around on a dirty floor. Consider lining the back with some cute fleece fabric for a cohesive look and to hide any excess stitching for the cutest baby blanket you’ve ever seen. You can find other uses for their adorable wardrobe and highlight some of your favourite designs in the process. Small decorative pillows While it will not be practical or safe to have pillows around your newborn, as they grow, you can adorn their room with tiny pillows of their past. Choose some of the softness fabrics from their baby clothes to create a small mound of pillows. They can use these to create a cosy feel in a pillow fort or an indoor reading tent. Hair accessories You may not have been aware that old baby clothes can make some of the most fashionable hair accessories for little ones. Consider repurposing cute patterns and designs to create hair ribbons, headbands and clips with small flowers. These adorable designs will be certain to wow and catch the eye of onlookers. People will be asking you where you got your cute accessories and little did they know, you made sustainable choices in the process. Hats Similar to hair accessories, you can also make tiny hats out of old clothes from your little one. Whether your baby needs a covering to protect their small scalp from the sun’s rays, they need some extra warmth or you are just looking for the cutest head covering, consider making a tiny hat for them. In cooler months, opt for fleece clothing that you can repurpose for a hat to offer them extra warmth and protection. Pet toys If you have some leftover clothing, you can create toys for your pet. Whether you stitch together clothing to create sock creatures filled with fluff or ropes of tattered leftovers, your baby’s clothing can be a great option for your favourite furry family member. You need to be mindful of the strings that may result from this, as this can be harmful. If the clothing gets terribly torn, make sure to discard this immediately to avoid dangerous health issues for your pets. Home décor Creating home décor out of old baby clothes may be something that you would have never considered before; however, this can actually repurpose clothing into some of the cutest decorations. Opt for your favourite, intact onesie and cut out the design for your scrapbook or picture frame. This can be a beautiful way to commemorate the years of their life that will feel like they’ve flown by. Donate The most impactful and beneficial repurposing project is actually packing up your outgrown baby clothes to donate them to a reputable charity. There are plenty of families who could use your lightly worn clothing for their little ones. Particularly if you will not be using the items again, this is a great opportunity to pay it forward and give back. With little effort, you can feel fulfilled knowing that you contributed to their little one’s life. Babies seem to sprout up out of nowhere as they grow and just continue to get bigger and bigger. The adorable clothing that you purchased may only see a quarter of its shelf life and you may find yourself with a lightly worn, but fully intact wardrobe. There are so many options for how you can give those items a second life, so instead of letting them collect dust, consider repurposing them, and creating a green existence.
