3 Helpful Tips to Enhance Closet Space: Hanging vs. Folding
When you open your closet, you should feel good about what you own and find what you need with ease. However, closets can be complicated because they have many categories, seasonal items, sentimental items, and they just seem to accumulate a lot of stuff.
Common problems include overcrowded rods, piles of clothing, and messy shelves. Often people will purge their space and then question whether or not they should fold or hang certain items. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of hanging vs. folding and when each is most appropriate…
1. How to Determine Which Clothes to Hang
Categorize and sort your hanging shirts and blouses, pants, skirts, dresses, and jackets. You could even organize them by color within each category.
Make sure you hang anything delicate (silk) and prone to wrinkle (linen). Depending on your space, you can also hang jeans and long sweaters. Jeans can be folded over a pant hanger or clipped into a skirt hanger. I tend to fold a long sweater over the bottom of a pant hanger, so the knitwear doesn't get stretched.
When working with a client, I assess the space to determine how much hanging space is available. I like to hang as many items as possible, as it is easy (and quick) to keep a closet rod neat.
Pro Tip: Switch all of your hangers to slimline or non-slip. They take up less space, your clothes don't slip off, and matching hangers look great!
2. Functional Folding Tips
You can place folded clothing in drawers or on shelves. Your folded clothes should also be categorized and sorted.
Your daily basics, such as socks and underwear, should be folded and placed in drawers, as should your t-shirts, workout clothes, loungewear, and sleepwear. But, again, it depends on your space. For example, I had a client who hung all of her white, black, and grey t-shirts that she wore with sweaters and blazers but folded t-shirts with logos.
Fold gloves and scarves into a drawer or a basket in your coat closet. I love file folding clothes in drawers (fold them in thirds and stand them up). It is easy to see what you have, and your drawer stays neat because you are not rummaging through piles.
Pro Tip: Sweaters, sweatshirts, and jeans work well folded on shelves but only pile them 4-5 high. Too high a pile topples over, and then the cluttered shelf creeps in.
3. Pro Organizer’s Priceless Advice
Every client and every closet is unique. However, there is always a solution and a method, whether it be folding or hanging, that will improve the functionality of your closet. I will find the perfect solutions to maximize your space and allow for long-term maintenance by working with you.
Not sure if your closet is working for you? Schedule a consult with me today.
Warmly,
Leslie