Prepping for a baby can be one of the most exciting times of your life. Figuring out what room you’ll turn into the nursery, deciding on color schemes, shopping for those tiny little outfits, and so much more.

However, figuring out how to organize your baby’s closet in the nursery may not be quite as exciting.

How in the heck am I going to fit all of this stuff in there?

We were wondering the same thing, so we turned to a few pros who are well-versed in the areas of organizing, and got their input on how to create the ultimate baby nursery closet in ways that won’t drive you completely crazy.

1. Your closet doesn’t have to be an official closet

This one sounds a bit confusing, but Lauren Williams, Certified Professional Organizer® and owner of Casual Uncluttering, clarifies it with this: “Throw out the definition of ‘closet.’ You can of course use a closet if you have a closet. But you can use an armoire, a dresser or anything else which provides storage as long as it fits the space.”

Interior designer, lifestyle expert, philanthropist and motivational speaker Kymberlyn Lacy of International Flair Designs agrees, and suggests choosing “a stylish tufted ottoman with a hidden storage compartment that functions as an ottoman as well as storage.”

One tough part of all this is that you may have to part with some of your things in order to make space for your “closet,” wherever or whatever that may be.

As Williams put it, “What’s more important, the new baby or the high school wrestling trophies and your old college textbooks?”

For items you want to put away and bring back to the house someday, use a valet storage company such as Closetbox. Closetbox will pick up your belongings, store them and bring them back on demand.

2. Bins and baskets will be lifesavers

You are likely already using bins and baskets in other areas of your home to help with storage, and to make the best use of space.

But have you ever thought about using them for your baby nursery closet?

Max Robinson of PreciousLittleOne.com, brings up a good point: When your baby is born, friends and family will be showering you with gifts for the little one, many of which are clothes that won’t fit yet, or toys that they are too young to play with.

“This can be frustrating,” Robinson says, “and you may end up throwing most of the clothes to the back of the closet and forgetting about them.”

He suggests, instead, that you “split them up into ‘age baskets,’ which are essentially baskets with ages printed on them full of clothes that will fit your child at that age.”

Baskets are also a great idea for storing other baby items such as diapers, wipes, and lotion.

3. Utilize the space behind doors

If your place is like many others that lacks major (or any, for that matter) storage space, then you’re probably going to need to get creative.

We’ve got a creative solution for your lack of storage space problem – the space behind doors.

Lacy suggests that you “hang shoe dividers inside closets.”

The options of what you can use that shoe divider space for are almost unlimited. Bibs, blankets, changing table supplies, and so much more will work great in this space.

4. Organize the closet

If you do indeed have an actual closet to use for your baby’s nursery, then be sure that you are organizing that space in the best way possible.

Marty Basher, Home Organization Expert for Modular Closets, offers a tip to “use closet dividers to see months and sizes at a glance. It makes it so much easier to pick our your baby’s clothes!”

The little bit of extra time you’ll spend putting all the clothes in their right size/age space will be worth it in the long run — trust us.

5. Curtains to the rescue

If you do not have the space to allow for a separate closet, then curtains will become your best friend.

“One easy way to get the storage benefits while still maintaining a serene feel is to hang full-length nursery-themed curtains from the ceiling in from of the shelving — just slide them closed, and all of your storage will disappear,” says Basher.

The addition of curtains gives you another fun opportunity to decorate your baby’s nursery, too!

Speaking of curtains, you may have other curtains in your nursery to cover the windows.

And these curtains provide another great opportunity for storing your baby’s items.

Lacy offers the tip to “sew on 4-6” pockets to the back of drapery panels to store stuffed animals or other soft animals.”

“It’s like playing a game of peek-a-boo,” she says.

How fun!

6. If creativity is not your strong suit

You may not be feeling like you can get to Pinterest-level creativity with your baby’s nursery closet, and that’s okay.

That’s exactly why already-made closets exist.

“Check out pre-designed closets or closet sections available for a custom design. You can quickly and easily put together a system that will work in your baby’s new closet,” suggests Basher.