As you may recall, our nursery closet needed a serious makeover. This tiny nook couldn’t be enlarged because of ductwork on one side and the back of the living room fireplace on the other, so we focused on making the most of the space without spending much. Our goal was to transform it from cramped and cluttered into a sweet, organized spot for baby—ideally for under thirty dollars. Yes, we admit we’re thrifty.
My husband, who surprised me with his design instincts, suggested painting the closet the same soft aqua as the nursery ceiling to give it a cheerful pop. We also removed the closet door since it kept bumping into the nursery’s main door, which instantly made the space feel more open. Then we reinstalled the original clothing bar and shelf and painted them a crisp semi-gloss white for a clean, fresh look. To soften the opening and add charm, we hung a small homemade curtain.
After that, we added practical storage solutions and a second hanging bar, and the closet finally felt usable. We even hung every piece of baby clothing we had—most of which will later live folded in our refinished dresser—just to test the new organization. Filling the closet helped us see how well the systems worked and revealed how much room we still have to grow into.
One quick and clever addition was repurposing two shoe organizers into hanging cubbies along the top clothing bar. A friend was decluttering and gave us the organizers, which we trimmed down so they would fit under the added second bar. Once shortened, they work perfectly for small items like bibs, socks, onesies, and burp cloths. These cubbies offer a convenient place for frequently used items while the dresser handles bulkier folded clothes.
We installed one organizer on each side of the top hanging bar to double the small-item storage. One of them is still empty, but we expect it to fill up quickly—babies do come with a surprising number of accessories and gear. On the left side of the top shelf we placed a striped fabric storage box we already owned, which can contain toys, books, extra linens or blankets. On the right side of that same shelf we neatly folded a few of the blankets we’ve received so they’re easy to reach when needed.
The bottom of the closet houses the second hanging bar, which provides extra room for hanging garments as the baby grows. Below that, a tiered shoe rack holds rolled crib sheets, changing pad covers, and additional blankets. We can also reuse the rack for baby shoes down the line. The small footprint of that rack leaves a little open space beneath where we can tuck more bins, baskets, or small boxes for seasonal items or overflow storage.
We also used two blue fabric boxes we’ve had for years. They once held sewing supplies and cables, but they now coordinate with the nursery colors and are reserved for toys, crayons or other small items as the child grows. Empty boxes are a blessing—they create flexible storage for whatever comes next. In addition, there’s still a spot under the shoe rack for more storage when needed.
All together, this closet overhaul was intentionally budget-friendly. Here’s the cost breakdown:
- White tiered shoe rack on the floor (from a retailer): $12.99
- Second hanging bar (hardware store): $5.37
- Blue fabric boxes: already owned
- Two hanging shoe organizers: free from a friend
- Baby clothes, blankets and bibs: gifts from friends and family
- GRAND TOTAL: $18.36
Not bad for such an improvement. Even if we had bought both shoe organizers new at retail price, the total would still have been reasonable. This estimate doesn’t include the curtain or paint: the curtain cost was accounted for separately, and the paint was leftover from the ceiling. With the closet optimized and a large double dresser and other storage solutions already planned for the nursery, we feel confident there will be plenty of room for our baby girl’s things.
We enjoyed adapting simple pieces to fit this compact closet—cutting storage to size and repurposing boxes and racks made a big difference. If you’ve used anything creative to organize a small closet—hat boxes, baskets, repurposed containers, or trimmed organizers—we’d love to hear how you made it work.
Note: Along the way we documented related nursery projects like painting, curtain-making, and refinishing a dresser; those posts provide more detail about the room’s overall transformation.