As your little one grows, you are left with lots of childcare items that you no longer need. From rattles to diaper genies, these items can really pile up. If you're thinking of having another child, putting them into storage will free up some space in your home while also ensuring you have access to them when your family grows again. Follow these tips to help ensure your items emerge from storage in good shape.

Wash all clothes and cloth items before putting them into storage.

If there are any body oils (or even baby oil) on clothing items or bedding, they can develop a rancid scent after spending time in storage. Dust mites, too, can replicate in storage and lead to musty smells. Launder all of your soft baby items to remove these residues before packing them up for storage. Make sure they're entirely dry, too, before packing them away.

Most stuffed animals can be laundered at home on the delicate cycle. Put them inside of a pillowcase to protect their eyes, buttons and other features. Use a little gentle baby detergent, and air-dry them for several days before packing them up.

Leave compartments on appliances and equipment open to breathe.

Items like bottle storage containers, nipple sterilizers, and diaper buckets have compartments that you can open and close. Store these items with the compartments open, so they can breathe. Otherwise, if there is any moisture in the air that gets trapped inside when you close the item, mold may develop and render the item useless.

Don't pack things in newspaper.

Use plain, undyed packing paper or tissue paper to wrap up your items for storage. Newspaper ink may bleed onto items, not only discoloring them, but also making them irritating to your baby's skin. It's worth spending a little money on packing paper, since it ensure your items are able to be used in the future.

Organize items by stage of development.

Pack one tote with items for the baby's first month, another tote with items for 2–3 months, another with 3–6 month items, and so forth. This way, when you have another baby, you will not have to pull everything out of storage at the same time. You also won't have to disturb every tote if you need just an item or two—this helps ensure your items stay well-packed instead of getting accidentally strewn about and exposed to the elements.

With the tips above, you'll ensure your baby items stay in great shape until they're needed by another child. Happy packing!