Clothes storage solution
11 Clothes Storage Ideas When You Have No Closet
Instead of stressing out, think outside the closet. We’ve compiled 11 innovative clothes storage ideas that will completely transform your space.
What do very old homes and small, ultramodern apartments sometimes have in common? A troubling lack of closet space and clothes storage.
Don’t panic: In these situations, you may have to deconstruct how you think about clothing storage. You’re going to literally live with your decisions, so home decor and design become part of the equation, too. It’s an interesting challenge, but one that can offer unique and colorful results.
Need some help getting started? We’ve compiled 11 innovative clothing storage ideas to help you see your closet situation (or lack thereof) in a whole new light.
How to Store & Organize Clothing Without a Closet
No closet? No problem. Here are 11 smart clothes storage ideas to try when you’re short on space:
1. Repurpose An Old Trunk
“A great way to store items is to use a wood trunk,” home blogger Jackie Hausler says. “Not only are trunks stylish, but they also hide items that would normally be out and about, making a room cluttered. “
Wooden trunks come in all shapes and sizes and are a great option when you’re looking for a storage solution that keeps clothes tucked away and out of sight. What’s even better? With a little love, you can transform any trunk to match your room’s decor.
“I took an old trunk I found at an antique store and brought it back to life with some wood stain and upholstery fabric,” she explains. “Now, it is as good as new and can be used for a variety of storage options. I think it is the perfect hideaway for accessories like hats and purses! Put it at the foot of your bed, or in your living room; trunks look wonderful in any room you choose!”
2. Add a Shelved Rack or Storage Bench for Shoes
Don’t have a hall closet near your garage to store shoes, coats, and other outdoor accessories and necessities? Depending on how much space you have to play around with, a shelved rack or storage bench could be a great option to add some additional storage compartments.
“If you have a spot outside your door to the garage (most of us do), where you can set up a simple shelf, this is a great spot for shoes to rest before kids cross the threshold,” Samantha, a professional organizer, National Association of Professional Organizers member and home blogger says. “This means shoes will always be exactly where you look – the first time. No more searching around the house. No more not finding a match.”
You can also use the rack as a home for your socks. Assign each member of your family a bin and fill it with their socks, keeping those easy-to-misplace pairs together and ready to go whenever anyone heads out the door.
PRO TIP: Put a chair or two near the rack, if you have the space. This helps discourage the practice of putting on or taking off shoes in other rooms of the house, which can easily lead to mud, dirt, leaves and other grime getting tracked onto clean floors or carpeting.
Read Also: How to Use the Four-Box Technique When You Have Too Much Stuff3.
Try a Wardrobe RackIf you simply want to mimic a traditional closet, a clothing rack is an affordable option that could work in just about any space. (You can find one at IKEA for as little as $12.99!)
Sure, this means your clothing will be more on display than in a traditional closet, but with some creativity and organization skills, wardrobe racks can provide your room with an adorable boutique-style visual display. After all, fashion is one of the best ways to express yourself and your personality— so why not display it all in a way that feels fun and inspiring?
If your clothing rack is small, be strategic about how you fill it to get the most out of your space.
“A MUST is to use all of the same hangers, professional organizer Jennifer Ford Berry says, “and they MUST be slimline if you are short on space.”
You can also double your hanging space by using pop-can tabs. Slide your first hanger’s hook through the top of the tab and hand a second hanger from the bottom.
4. Use the Space Under Your Bed
The space under your bed may have been a little scary when you were a kid, but there’s no reason to be afraid: we’ve checked, and there are no monsters. The space beneath your bed is a great place to organize and protect your shoes and handbags when you’re not using them.
It’s also an excellent spot to store heavy sweaters since you’ll avoid those unwanted stretched-out shoulder marks often caused by hangers.
To take advantage of this under-bed space, we recommend using rolling storage drawers, short plastic bins, and other under-the-bed storage containers that fit nicely in this small space. All you need to do is neatly fold each piece of clothing you’re planning on storing and tuck them away until the next time you need them.
If your bed is too low to the ground to fit storage underneath it, opt for simple bed risers (they’re not just for dorm rooms!) or even repurposed shipping pallets. You can find many stylish options online, or opt to keep your storage drawers hidden with a longer bed skirt.
5. Hang Accessories on Wall Hooks
When storing your belongings and organizing your closet, it’s easy to let accessories like hats, scarves, and jewelry become an afterthought. And if you’ve accumulated a bunch of different accessories over the years, you already know that things can get really cluttered really quickly.
Instead of tucking these items away, why not embrace your flair by making them a part of your room’s decor?
You can easily use Command hooks, wall organizers, or even just a handful of thin nails to display and organize your jewelry— if you can situate it in an aesthetically pleasing way, even better! When it comes to trickier items, like tights and scarves, a simple clothes hanger will do the trick. Simply tie each item in a knot around the hanger and put it on display. The hanger also fits nicely on a detached clothes rack!
6. Install a Picture Ledge
If you’re lacking in floor space and looking for a creative way to open up new clothing storage opportunities, a repurposed picture ledge could be a great option.
You may not expect it, but picture ledges are incredibly versatile and easily customizable when creating additional clothing storage in your home. Simply install one on any open wall, and attach a strong rail to its underside. So long as it’s nice and secure, this will let you hang hooks for clothes, bags, jackets, and more in any room that needs a little extra storage space.
You can also choose to screw in cup hooks to the bottom, allowing you to hang lighter items, like tank tops or necklaces. And don’t forget the top! You can use the upper ledge to hold sunglasses, handbags, or shoes.
Read Also: 5 Tips to Shorten Your Laundry Routine to 20 Min a Day7. Rethink Your Bookcase
If you’ve got a bookcase in your home, it’s natural to fill it with books, of course. But if your home severely lacks clothes storage options, we challenge you to rethink how you see those shelves.
Instead of shelving books and housing trinkets in this space, you can use it to store t-shirts, pants, sweaters, and any other clothing items that work well folded.
What’s great about this hack is it keeps your clothes on display and easy to grab— you won’t have to worry about rummaging around drawers to find your favorite cozy sweatshirt or go-to party necklace since it will all be easily visible.
Don’t like keeping all of your items exposed? Simply install a rod and hang decorative curtains to cover them up!
Repurposed bookshelves are also a good place to keep your jewelry, shoes, and accessories organized, like Samantha from Simply Organized did. Jewelry organizers can often be beautiful on their own, and they look great as a focal piece on the bookcase in Samantha’s closet.
8. Use Your Vertical Space
Are you running low on floor space? Just look up! Another great way to fake a closet is by hanging a clothes rod from the ceiling.
How to Create a DIY Hanging Clothes Rack
If you’re interested in creating this super simple clothes storage hack in your space, here’s a quick DIY tutorial.
First, install strong hooks to your ceiling, and attach a strong rope to dangle below both of them.
You’ll want to tightly tie your rope along a rod as long as the distance between the two hooks allows. This will give you a place to hang your wrinkle-prone items that can’t be folded away.
If your space is tall enough (and your rope is strong enough), you can also add another rod below your first one to double the hanging space.
Not only does this help give you additional space for clothing storage, but it can also function as an attractive focal piece in the room, giving it an incredibly unique look and feel. Just be sure to get your landlord’s approval first if you’re in an apartment!
9. Take Advantage of Other Rooms
Who says your clothes have to stay in your bedroom? If your living room, dining room, home office, or even your hallways have extra storage space that you aren’t necessarily using, take full advantage by utilizing these areas for clothes storage.
And don’t be afraid to get creative with it! You can easily conceal your items in plain sight using versatile pieces of furniture in multiple ways.
Could the dresser you’re not using double as a TV stand or side table? Maybe you could store some hats, gloves, scarves, or other winter accessories inside your ottoman? The possibilities are endless.
10. Rotate Your Clothing Seasonally
Courtesy of A Hume Country Clothing
If you’re working with a tiny closet, another great way to cut down clutter and maximize your space by cycling out your clothes that are out of season.
Let’s face it: You’re probably not going to use your winter coat and wool sweaters during the summer months. And on the flip side, you’re not breaking out your sundresses and flip-flops when there’s over an inch of snow on the ground. So why let them take up precious space?
Taking an afternoon at the beginning of each season to switch out your wardrobe can help give you more clothes storage space to work with on a daily basis. Simply place any clothing, shoes, or accessories that are out of season in sealed plastic bins, trunks, or even suitcases, and leave them in a safe and dry area in your home until you need them again.
To make things easier on yourself when the seasons change, we also recommend labeling the outside of your bins so you don’t forget what’s inside.
Is it okay to store clothes in cardboard boxes?
While cardboard boxes are a decent temporary storage solution for clothing (not to mention a cheap option during the moving process), they’re not ideal for long periods of time. It’s generally a good idea to store clothes in sealed plastic bins or air-tight containers as they provide better protection against damaging elements like moisture and unwanted pests.
11. Consider Purchasing a Wardrobe
It may seem like a no-brainer, but don’t forget that you can always purchase your own exterior closet if you’re hard-pressed for clothes storage in your home.
Sure, buying a wardrobe or an armoire might not be the most creative option, but it’s simple, straightforward, and gets the job done if you’re short on time and have the budget to spare. Bonus points if you can thrift one to save some money!
Investing in a wardrobe, armoire, or any other piece of furniture that functions as an extra closet also means that you’ll be able to take it with you whenever you move into a new space.
Adding clothing storage for your future home or apartment could be incredibly helpful down the line, especially if you live in a big city where large closets are hard to come by.
Try These Clothes Storage Solutions for Small Spaces
If you believe you’ve found the house or apartment of your dreams, don’t let a lack of closet or clothes storage stress you out or prevent you from moving in.
With some affordable supplies, time spent planning ahead, and just a little bit of creativity, you’d be surprised by how much clothes storage you can create for yourself! No matter how much space you’re working with, these tips should help you find new ways to properly store your clothes, shoes, accessories, and other wardrobe essentials.
Have a life-changing clothes storage hack you’re dying to share? Leave your best tips in the comments below to keep the conversation going!
This post was first published on 3/14/2016, was revised on 9/11/2017, and updated on 10/11/2022 to provide new information.
11 Clothes Storage Ideas to Transform Your Closet
Keeping your clothing and accessories organized and tidy can be a daunting task, but living with a messy closet can cost you time and added stress with unnecessary clutter. With one afternoon and a few of these storage ideas, you can turn an overstuffed mess into an organized functional closet!
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Closet Storage Solutions: Decluttering
Closets tend to be a catch-all solution for storage, a place to put things and forget about them. So to make the most of your space, start by decluttering your closet and then your home.
Go through your wardrobe and remove items you no longer wear, no longer fit, or are no longer your style. If you have trouble saying goodbye, remember your clothes can find a new home by donating, selling and handing-down to friends and family. Next, set aside clothing you can store seasonally and rotate in as the seasons change.
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Family Handyman
Clothing Storage Solutions: Turn Your Hangers
Once you’re gone through your closet and weeded out the unused items, turn all hanging clothing with the clothes hanger facing outward. After wearing an item, return it to the hanging rod with the hanger facing the back of the closet. After one year, all articles of clothing still facing outwards were not worn, and you can consider getting rid of them.
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Closet Storage Ideas: Store Unused Hangers in a Magazine File
Keep loose hangers from falling to the ground and untangled in a magazine storage container. This way they’re ready and easy to transport for laundry day. Keep the rest of the items on the closet floor in a storage bin or tote, making it easier to pull out from closet corners or clean behind.
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Closet Storage Ideas: DIY Tiered Hangers
Short on closet space? Use a lightweight piece of chain to stagger hanging stuff in tall closets for an easy way of storing your clothes.
Just loop the first link of the chain over the first hanger, and hang subsequent hangers on every other links after. Hang up to six shirts for the rod space of one.
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Clothing Storage Solutions: Robe and Wall Hooks
Hooks are a great storage solution for closets, and you can even make your own hooks if you don’t want to spend more money. Use decorative robe hooks on narrow walls to hang clothing that can be worn again before washing. This keeps clean clothes from piling on the ground and getting wrinkled or dirty. Or hang tomorrow’s outfit and save yourself a few minutes in the morning deciding what to wear.
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Closet Storage Ideas: Hang Things on the Door
Don’t forget the door when counting your closet space! Try an over-the-door shoe organizer on the backside of a closet door to organize scarves, belts and other accessories. Or of course, shoes too!
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Closet Storage Ideas: Consider Fabric Bins
Keep accessories like belts and ties off the floor and organized in divided fabric storage bins like these.
They’re sized for smaller closet shelves. Bins can stack to save space, and work great for jewelry and accessories too.
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Family Handyman
Closet Storage Ideas: Double-Duty Furniture and Storage
Look for furniture that has multiple functions, like a storage bench at the end of your bed for bulky bags and purses, a full-length mirror that houses jewelry and accessories, or a bedframe with built-in drawers.
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Clothing Storage Solutions: Utilize Unseen Floor Space
Use under-the-bed storage boxes to store lesser-worn items, like seasonal clothing or shoes. Keep spare sheets and bedding under guest beds (Here are a few tips on how to properly store your bedding). If your bedroom is carpeted, look for storage boxes on wheels to make access easier.
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Closet Storage Solutions: Maximize Drawer Space
By folding shirts one extra fold and sandwiching (instead of stacking), you can fit more into each dresser drawer and have a better visual of what’s inside.
This folding technique is perfect for t-shirts, tanks, workout gear and children’s clothes. The more clothing you can store in a dresser, the more room you’ll have in your closet.
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Closet Storage Ideas: Utilize Wasted Space
If the sides of your closet are deeper than the door opening, it can be hard to see and reach hanging clothes in the very back. Instead, build perpendicular shelving or hang rods to maximize the space. Store bulky items like sweaters on the shelves and hang lesser-worn clothing like formal wear on the rods.
Originally Published: May 20, 2019
10 smart clothes storage solutions - INMYROOM
Tips
Want to keep everything in its place, but don't know how to? Today we will share with you the secrets of space organization and proper storage of clothes
When furnishing an apartment, one of the most important and difficult tasks is to fit everything you need in a limited space.
A great helper in this matter will be a large closet or a spacious dressing room - they will help save as much free space as possible and provide convenient access to the necessary things. With the help of our tips, create your own storage system that will meet all your needs.
1. Two - better than one
If you store clothes on hangers, then there is no point in having a lot of shelves. One possibility is to add more space for storage - make two rods for short things instead of one.
2. New Purpose
A basic bookcase or shelving unit with adjustable shelves is ideal for storing multiple shoes and bags. The most used items should be at eye level, but what you wear less often, store at the very bottom.
3. Pulling forward
Many cabinets and wardrobe systems can be upgraded with drawers or shelves to store underwear and other small items of clothing. Shoes will not get lost in the back rows and will always be in sight. Thus, the capacity is almost doubled.
4. Doors down
In a small apartment, you can increase the space by refusing to swing doors. Replace them with something softer and take up less space, such as thick curtains. Install a ceiling rail around the perimeter of the cabinet, on which hang the curtains to the floor.
5. Reaching up
Make use of all the space available in the closet: very often the space above the ceiling is left unused, although one more shelf can be placed there. Use it to store unused or seasonal items in wicker baskets or boxes.
6. Hooks to help
Hooks and hangers help you make the most of all the walls in your closet. They can be fixed on any surface with a special double-sided adhesive tape. Attach hooks to inside cabinet doors and hang scarves, handkerchiefs, and small bags.
7. Divide and Conquer
Use drawer dividers to keep things in order. Convenient sections with small divisions of about 15x15 cm, in which you can store underwear, jewelry, watches, belts, ties and other small items.
8. A name for everything
Baskets and boxes are ideal for storing rarely used or seasonal clothes. So that the search for the right thing does not turn into a hassle, stick labels with the name of the contents on them. You can also purchase boxes with a transparent wall through which you can see where everything is stored.
9. Everything in view
To make the most of the room, consider an open wardrobe. It will not be difficult to make it - attach several rails and shelves to the wall or ceiling, or use a ready-made mobile rack for clothes. Outfits for the next week will always be at hand, and beautifully selected clothes will become a real decoration of the room.
10. No more
Do not forget to use even the smallest and seemingly uncomfortable space. Shelves can be arranged in any narrow opening - they will not take up much space, but you will have additional storage space.
Where to store clothes: 17 alternatives to the dirty laundry basket
Looking at the interiors in glossy magazines, you will certainly notice: all the master's clothes are located either in the dressing room or in the laundry basket.
Is the whole world already living by the rule "once put on - and in the wash"? Something is not right here.
The question of clothing storage, or rather, “where do you store worn (in the sense of worn, not worn) clothes” causes sincere bewilderment in many people: what is the problem? Clean - in the closet, dirty - in the washing machine (in the basket for dirty laundry), everyday - on a chair by the bed (on an exercise bike or on a Swedish wall, as an option). However, there is another, rather numerous category of citizens for whom the voiced question is not at all idle. People with a delicate sense of smell are irritated by traces of foreign odors on fresh clothes, others are infuriated by exposed underwear. Therefore, disputes on the topic “whether this is a far-fetched problem” are meaningless.
Let's look at it rationally. The concept of “once put on and washed” is harmful, first of all, for clothes: water procedures shorten the life of things, spoil the fabric and look.
Is it worth sending an expensive dress to the dirty laundry basket if there is not a spot on it? Are you ready to spend all your evenings ironing? In addition, there are clothes that we don’t wash, but dry-clean, you won’t do this with a jacket every day.
SEE ALSO…
A delicate question: Where to store the laundry that you did not have time to wash
Architecture Architecture
Returning all worn items to the closet with clean clothes is also wrong. A foreign smell quickly permeates clothes: if you hang a smoky shirt in the closet, fresh shirts hanging nearby will smell like tobacco in the morning.
In summary: used clothes should not be stored together with clean clothes. But sending it directly to the machine is more expensive for yourself. What to do, where to store clothes?
Read also ...
Where the freshness goes: fight with a musty smell in dressing rooms and cabinets
Traacie Butler Design
Transform Home
Department in the closet 9000 , but no longer perfectly clean clothes in a dressing room or closet, but isolate it from washed things. It is best to allocate a separate compartment in the closet with its own door for “second freshness” things. A compromise is to free up a separate shelf, highlight a retractable trouser rack. On a common bar, fresh and worn can separate things in covers. Finally, casual clothes can be hung on hangers in the "non-core" department - on racks near shoe shelves or on cabinet doors.
SEE ALSO…
Good question: When is the best time to have a closet and when is it better to have a walk-in closet?
Built-in Wardrobe: Things to Consider Before Calling the Measurer
Katleen Roggeman
Separate Wardrobe
A separate wardrobe is ideal for storing clothes you have already worn. It can be quite small - in one or two sections - so it does not take up much space. The closet can stand either in the bedroom or in the hallway - depending on where you are used to changing clothes. It is also logical to store home clothes there.
A closet for not fresh things can be purely nominal - for example, like this half-open section in the photo. It is designed for the hallway, but it will also look organic in the bedroom, especially if the interior is decorated in a Scandinavian style.
SEE ALSO
How to survive in an apartment with a tiny or non-existent hallway
Adam Miller Homes
The Phoenix Photography
floor coat rack Most often they are made of metal, but there are also wooden ones. Floor hangers come in the form of a rack with hooks and in the form of a bar on supports. The latter, of course, is more convenient, because it allows you to carefully hang clothes on coat hangers and clips.
SEE ALSO…
All on the shelves: expensive and convenient or cheap and cheerful?
Marrimor
Zhenya Zhdanova
Valet
Separate type of floor hanger - floor coat hanger (valet hanger). This device is usually designed for one set of casual clothes and is located in the bedroom by the bed. Such hangers are individual, that is, each member of the family will need their own hanger. Usually, a pair of crossbars for storing trousers or skirts comes with hangers, sometimes there is also a shelf for watches or glasses.
Adam Miller Homes
Mannequin
Floor hangers with hangers can be replaced with mannequins - real tailor or decorative. Yes, you can’t hang a lot of clothes on them (this is not only a minus, but also a plus), but they look colorful. More colorful - only "model of the human skeleton educational, medical."
Beach Bungalow Designs
raumwelten architektur moebel design
Hangers can be not only floor-mounted, but also wall-mounted. Pull out the hooks of their standard hangers, pass the cable through the holes, fasten the hangers with knots - and the original hanger is ready. It rises and falls by the cord, like a flag.
SmartFurniture
Jerrica Zaric Interior Design, LLC
Hooks and handles
Hooks are also suitable for hanging hangers with clothes on. They can be inconspicuous so as not to catch the eye, or, on the contrary, bright - acting as a decor. Assorted hooks “scattered” on the wall are a fashion trend. The cabinet handle is also a hook. It is convenient to store a school uniform on it.
SEE ALSO...
Hook-and-loop: Unexpected attachment points for regular hooks
ilumus, llc.
Pause Design Inc.
Wall bar
Bars, which are attached to the wall like a home horizontal bar, are sold in many furniture stores. You can easily hang on them a set of ironed shirts and trousers for a week. This measure allows not only to get closer to the ideal order, but also to unload the closet with clean clothes.
This rod is easy to deploy and “hang” from the ceiling.
Katleen Roggeman
Tomás da Silva
Didn't find the same in the store, no problem. Rope, a metal tube (or a round piece of wood) and two anchor hooks are all you need for a hanging rod.
Finally, if you are going to show off your clothes, let it be the highlight of the interior. Instead of a standard rod, you can use a strong dry branch from the forest.
"Lost and Found" Creative Gift Shop
By the way, interesting hangers can be chosen for this occasion.
Organized Living
Hanger on the door
Special hangers that are put on the door, or just hooks screwed to the canvas from the side of the room - such devices will help not only store worn clothes, but also hide them from prying eyes (when the door is open ).
SEE ALSO
Condensed: Ways to store things in a rented apartment
Martyn Clarke Architecture
Creative Arch
Niche
If half a meter is left between the wall and the side wall of the cabinet, drive the vacuum cleaner and dumbbells out of there. There is no better place to store home or work clothes. A few hooks, a barbell, a basket or a rail - and now nothing irritates the demanding eye.
SEE ALSO…
Housing tailoring courses: Ideas for custom wardrobe room placement It can be painted, stained, glossy or matte varnish. And you can leave it as it is - a shabby life, winds and rains.
Lucy Call
In a brutal loft, you can also afford clothes on a ladder. However, be careful - so we will roll down to the chair.
Otto von Berlin
Melander Architects, Inc.
Panels for clothes
Places for clothes highlighted by panels on the wall legitimize the right of dresses and pants to annoy your eyes. Such panels can be painted in the style of the room, pasted over with photo wallpaper.
Bernard Touillon Photographe
Screen
If your hand reaches for a gun when you see clothes on a chair and even shirts on a hanger look like visual garbage, cover them with a screen.
Curtains
Hooks and rods with everyday clothes can be covered with curtains. Just in case you haven't decided to use a niche between the wall and the closet.
Chest or basket
For sweaters, jeans, overalls and other things that are not in danger of being wrinkled, closed baskets are also suitable - wicker is better to provide ventilation.
Betty's Room, LLC
The Yellow Cape Cod
What else to look for?
In the departments for dressing rooms, pay attention to hanging modules for storing things in several sections (hung on a bar), racks from open wardrobes (they come with different hooks, and even a mirror, as in the photo), wall rails from the same place (on they are convenient for attaching baskets), folding hooks, hangers with a clip, hanging shelves with a bar and panels with hooks.
