Storing Clothes Guide – For Daily Use or Short-Term Storage
When storing clothes for daily use or the short term, it’s essential to designate a specific place for each item. Making sure everything has a home can help improve the organisation of your home and space.
By using a variety of storage options, you can prevent items from being misplaced, maintain a clutter-free environment and, most importantly, keep your clothes looking their best.
What is the best method for storing clothes?
When considering the best way to store clothes, review the space you have, where they’ll be stored and the types of clothing.
For most, the main clothes storage area in the home is the bedroom. A combination of different storage will be the most effective approach, helping you to maximise the use of space and accommodate various types of clothing.
Common clothes storage includes hanging rails, shelves and drawers. If you have a built-in wardrobe, this will likely already incorporate these three elements but if you don’t have built-in storage, then using a combination of these will help you keep your clothes organised and looking their best.
Other rooms may also benefit from clothing storage, such as the entrance or by the front of the house, the utility or laundry room, or even the garage. Whether you choose wall-mounted, freestanding or mobile storage will depend on your requirements and preferences.
Combine different storage types to maximise your space and to suit requirements for various garments and accessories.
Featured above, L-R: 5 Tier Light Duty White Wire Shelving Unit, Gloss White Heavy-Duty Clothes Rail and Cube Shelving
Which clothes should you hang or fold?
A few clothing types can be stored either hung up or folded. However, most garments will need to be stored one way or the other.
Dresses, shirts and skirts are best stored by hanging them up. Most occasion or eveningwear benefit from this as they’re often made from lightweight or delicate materials that wrinkle easily. Other formal garments like jackets, maintain their structured shape better when hung.
Match hanger finishes to create a cohesive look across your clothes storage.
View Clothes Hangers range.
Avoid hanging up heavy knitwear, as they can be prone to warping or stretching, particularly around the neckline; instead, try folding these. This is a good rule of thumb for other heavier garments such as hoodies and sweaters. Activewear should also be folded as the stretchy material can become distorted if hung on a hanger.
Some types of clothing can be stored either way. Jeans, while typically heavier garments, can usually be hung without issue either on hangers with clips (if not too heavy) or folded over a hanger with a rod. The thicker material helps jeans to hold their shape but not warp or stretch like other types.
T-shirts are another type of garment that you can often store in either way. Hanging them up usually results in fewer wrinkles but if you’re concerned about stretching around the neckline, opt for hangers with broad shoulders to prevent distortion.
How to maximise your clothes storage?
Using a combination of hanging storage, shelves and drawers will help you make the most of your space and maximise your clothes storage.
Once you’ve set up storage, you can organise your wardrobe in a way that suits you best. This could involve grouping similar types of clothing, keeping frequently paired items together, or you could even sort by colour. Choosing the right hangers is essential for optimising your hanging space and ensuring that your clothes look their best. Even small things like facing all the hangers in the same direction can help keep clothes neat.
Using storage baskets or storage boxes for shelves can keep items organised and stop them from tipping over. Baskets can be used to group similar items, making it easier to find what you’re looking for.
When it comes to folding clothes for drawers, there are several methods you can choose from. You could roll your clothes, stand them upright, or stick to traditional ‘stacking,’ each with its advantages and disadvantages. While stacking is quick, it makes it difficult to see items underneath, so you may need to lift everything out to get what you want. Rolling or ‘’standing’ clothes means that everything is visible, but you just need to take care when rolling or positioning, so they stay flat, minimising wrinkles.
Use Storage Baskets in drawers and/or on shelves to help you organise.
What clothing storage options are there?
For wardrobes or bedroom storage, adding a clothes rail can be a quick and effective solution. A wall-mounted hanging rail is useful if you want to create or upgrade built-in storage, or a clothes rail is a great option that can be expanded using components if needed. Clothes rails with wheels are particularly convenient when rearranging a space or moving garments between rooms.
clothes rail is useful if you're looking for a temporary or mobile clothes storage option, for settings like accommodation or venues.
Larger hanging and shelving options, like clothes racks, have a robust, industrial design, fitting well into utility rooms or garages. Clothes rack shelves can be adjusted to create a taller/longer hanging section, which is useful for storing awkward items like wetsuits or bulky outdoor coats.
If you have the space for built-in storage but currently lack it, consider a unit that offers an all-in-one clothing storage solution. Having rails and shelves, along with the option to add helpful and unique add-ons like shoe racks, trouser racks, and baskets can help create a well-organised, singular place for storing clothes.
Flexx Shelving is a versatile, all-in-one storage range, with accessories like baskets and trouser racks that can be added, alongside rails and shelves.
Sometimes, you may not need a large unit or clothes rail. For example, a wall-mounted hanging rail or a hat and coat stand can be just what you need by the front entrance or reception area, allowing you to quickly grab your coat and bag while keeping the floor clutter-free.
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