If you have not thought about hangers before, I am here to tell you that they can make a huge difference in your closet life! In about 90% of the homes I have organized, people have the wrong size or style of hanger for their clothing. I am talking about the reason behind all the clothes that fall to the bottom of your closet never to be seen again! The shirt you wore a few months back but cannot find and you are getting paranoid that people are coming in and stealing from your closet. You know what I am talking about. Having way too many clothes crammed in your closet is another reason you can’t find things. When one side of a shirt is coming off and is squished between two other items, it is like the black hole and you just cannot see it. Are you one of those parents who still hang on to the kid sized hangers hoping to get a little more use out of them (guilty once) even though their kids are wearing teen or adult sized clothing? The only way a larger size shirt can successfully stay hung on a kiddie hanger is if you put it in the closet v e r y c a r e f u l l y and never touch it again!
Do yourself, your clothes and closet a favor and invest in some decent hangers. They do not have to be super expensive, as there are all types that will do the job. It comes down to function first and then personal preference in the world of hangers.
- PURPOSE– The first thing you need to do is figure out what you are trying to hang such as: casual shirts, dress shirts, suits, dresses, skirts, sweaters, pants, and so on. This step will be the most time-intensive because you need to figure out what you are folding or hanging (or donating). You may need to designate seasonal clothing bins and these items if you are short on space. Another option is to buy rolling garment racks with dust covers to hold off-season items. Once you figure out how many of each you need, you can move to the next step.
- SIZE– Straight up, buy hangers that fit your clothes. If you have wide openings on your shirts or your shoulders are broad you need hangers to support that.
- TYPE – You will need hangers for each type of clothing that you have. These would include: Shirts, dresses, pants, skirts, sweaters, suits, belts, scarfs, ties, lingerie, travel (folding). Not everyone will need all of these depending upon your circumstances.
- FEATURES – Hangers come with many features, such as, do you want it to swivel? Do you want them notched? Do you need clips on them? Padded or No padding?
- STYLE – When you start looking at style, ask yourself questions. Is it important to have everything match? What color do I want? What you are hanging? There are many styles such as: Plastic, Velvet, Bamboo, Fabric, Wooden, Metal, Wire and Satin. Bamboo and wood are great for heavy items such as suits. Many people like to use satin for their lingerie. It all comes down to preference and please don’t forget function.
- COLOR – If you go with plastic or fabric you will have many more options for color than wood or metal. If you want a more uniform look wood or velvet could be a great choice.