Should You Fold or Hang Clothing in Your Closet?

Did you ever wonder if you should hang or fold a piece of clothing? Well, I always get this question when I work with clients. Some items should be folded, others it is OK to hang them. I found that it really does depend on the fabric, how delicate the item is, and how often you wear it. This post talks about specific clothing items to fold or hang in the closet and additional tips to keep in mind when making up your mind.

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Is it better to fold or hang clothes?

The answer depends on the item, its material, and how often it is used. Some items, if worn every week, can easily be hung without damage. In comparison, other items that are only worn in particular seasons may get damaged because they were hung for too long. Below, I listed most of the items you have in your closet to determine which items should be hung and which should be folded.

How to Store Knit Sweaters or Thick Button-Down Sweaters?

Always fold them if you do not wear them often. Store on a shelf - stack no more than 5 on each other. No towering sweater piles, please! This will only squish the other sweaters and possibly fall on you when you want an item on the bottom. To help keep these piles separated on the shelves (Affiliate Link), you can easily add dividers to the shelves (Affiliate Link) between each pile. Some clothing shelf dividers (Affiliate Link) are for wood shelves (Affiliate Link), and others are for wire shelves (Affiliate Link). Some are made with rubber-coated wire, and others are made with acrylic. Below are some examples I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate).

Shelf Dividers for Sweaters set of 8

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How to Store Thin Knits or Thin Button-Down Knits?

Thinner sweaters usually do not get humps on the shoulders, so you can hang them. However, it's best to hange on the thin knit sweaters you wear often on padded hangers (Affiliate Link). Below is an example I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link). Feel free to buy them there, too.

Padded Clothing Fabric Hangers for Clothing - Ivory, Set of 12

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How to Store Work Pants or Dress Pants?

To minimize wrinkles, hanging work pants and dress pants in your closet is a good idea. Placing them in the lower section of the closet works nicely to fill the space near the bottom of the closet. If you have space, you can use the pants hangers or fold the pants on a hanger. If you want to save space, you can buy a pants space-saver hanger to hold several pairs of pants on one hook. Below is an example of this I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate).

Pants Hangers Space Saving - European Beechwood Hangers

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How to Store Jackets/Blazers/Vests?

Now, let's move on to storing jackets, blazers, and vests. These items are usually not worn as often, so keeping them in good condition will save on costly dry cleaning bills.

These items need to be hung always! If you don't wear them often, get some covers to protect them from dust. You can find blazer protector products (Affiliate Link) that cover the shoulders to protect them from dust. Or, you can find garment bags (Affiliate Link) to help you keep the items dust free. Below are a few I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link). Here are examples from Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate) you can buy.

Garment Bags for Hanging Clothes, 40" Suit Bags for Closet Storage,10 Packs

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Garment Bags, Clear Suits Covers with 4" Gussetes 3 pack

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There are different lengths, so be sure to measure how long your jackets are before buying one. You can also find garment bags (Affiliate Link) that work great for several jackets in one.

To buy one of these garment bags (Affiliate Link), lay all the items on top of each other, and with a tape measure (Affiliate Link), measure the length, width, and height of the pile to buy the right size for all the jackets.

How to Store Cotton T-Shirts / Shirts?

Hang or fold, depending on your preference. I like to fold workout shirts and hang nicer cotton shirts so they are less wrinkled.

How to Store Capri, Jeans, and Yoga pants?

You can hang or fold these items on the shelf or in drawers. If you have room in your closet, be sure to group the type of pants in groups, like workout clothing, leisurewear, or casual wear. This will help you find them quickly.

How to Store Button-Down Blouses?

Always hang button-down blouses. They stay less wrinkled if you hang them. It is best to group them in one section inside your closet, preferably near your dress pants and blazers.

How to Store Shorts?

Now, on top of shorts. Folding and placing shorts on flat shelves (Affiliate Link) or drawers is usually the best option for short pants. Hanging shorts is more difficult unless you want to use pants hangers.

How to Store Nightgowns and PJ's pants sets?

The next item to store is nightgowns and PJs. Folding and placing PJs on shelves (Affiliate Link) or in drawers is usually best for these items. It doesn't matter too much if these items get wrinkled. There is no need to hang these items unless they are super special to you. I like places these items together so I can easily find them at night.

How to Store Dresses?

Now, let's discuss how to store dresses. Always hang dresses on a higher rod to prevent them from dragging on the floor. Group the dresses by season or type of material, especially if you have different seasons throughout the year.

How to Store Camis and Undergarment Shirts?

Next, it is time to talk about camis and undergarment shirts. If these items are casual, you can easily fold them and place them in a drawer. However, if they are nicer, camis, placing them on hangers with anti-slips or velvet-covered to stop them from slipping off the hangers. Below is an example of one I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link) (affiliate).

Hangers/Premium Velvet Hangers 50 Pack - Non-Slip Clothes Hangers

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How to store underwear?

The next item that needs to be discussed is the underwear. All underwear should be folded and placed in a drawer or bin to organize the items. I prefer a shallow drawer and standing the items upright to see what and how many I have for quick easy access. However, I have seen people toss clean underwear in a bin and pull from them as needed. Either way works for most people.

How to store socks?

Socks (Affiliate Link) are hard for some people. They can easily be left in a pile and not stored at all. First, you must know that they are usually folded to keep them together. We talk a lot about different ways to organize socks (Affiliate Link) in my post, How to Organize Socks Once and For All {Sock Organization Options}. In this post, I show various ways to fold the socks (Affiliate Link).

How to Keep My Closet Looking Organized and my Clothes Lasting Longer?

Placing the different types of clothing in the right areas of your closet will definitely help your closet look organized and prevent your clothing from wearing out too quickly. But there is more to that. Below are some tips to make your closet look better and your clothes to last longer:

Pick hangers that match throughout the closet for visual consistency. This will give you a more unified look and fewer distractions when you enter your closet.

If you do not use your sweaters often, you can get a box like these from Amazon (Affiliate Link)(affiliate) to help keep them protected and clean. Pick one with a zipper or lid; this helps reduce dust on them.

When you decide which items to fold and which ones to hang, come back and visit the posts below for where to place them in your closet.

WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR ORGANIZED CLOSET

HOW TO STORE CLOTHING IN REALLY SMALL SPACES

Considering these fold-or-hang clothing tips will help you make your closet functional and more enjoyable to use. I hope this post helps you decide which items should be folded and which should be hung in your closet. Please share it with your friends and family.

What type of storage items do you use in your closet to protect your clothes? Please leave a message below.