10 Tips to Store Clothes Without Needing a Closet
For many of us, space can be tight. Though it may be uncommon, it’s not unheard of for an apartment or home to lack a proper closet or at least one of adequate enough size to hold all of your belongings.
Fortunately, you have plenty of options available for how to store hats, t-shirts, and any other clothing articles that might not have a closet to call home. We at Prestige Storage have compiled a list of ten items that will provide alternatives for how to store clothes without a closet, so you can remain neat, clean, and orderly in your living space.
#1—Use Under-Bed Storage
Never doubt the usefulness of vertical space. If you have a bed that’s lifted off the floor, that’s a great location to store clothes and keep them organized. Use clear, plastic bins to store items such as sweaters, jeans, and t-shirts in different locations beneath the bed. This will make it easier to find what you’re looking for and keep your clothing organized.
If you don’t have clear bins, then make sure to label them for easier navigation, and don’t overstuff the bins, as that can damage your clothes and make them difficult to store.
#2—Get Creative with Wall Space
Utilize wall space by installing hooks or hanging a rod to create a makeshift clothing rack. This is a great way to store seasonal clothing or items you don’t wear often, especially regarding how to store hats or purses.
You can also use wall space to store shoes. Install shelves to keep shoes organized and out of the way. If you have a lot of shoes, consider investing in a shoe rack that can be mounted on the wall.
Finally, don’t forget about using walls to store accessories. Hang belts or scarves from hooks, or use baskets or bins to keep jewelry and other small items organized. By getting creative with your clothing storage, you can make the most of your limited space.
#3—Utilize Empty Suitcases
Let no potential space go to waste. Suitcases are great for storing out-of-season clothing or clothes you don’t wear often. Plus, some types can be stacked on top of each other to save space.
To use suitcases for clothing storage, especially how to store shoes, simply line them with plastic bags or old sheets and fill them with your clothes. Be sure to label the outside of the suitcase so you know what’s inside. Once they’re full, just stack them in a closet or under a bed.
If you have a lot of suitcases, you can even color-code them for different types of clothing. For example, use blue for winter clothes and green for summer clothes. This will make it easy to find what you’re looking for when you need it.
#4—Repurpose a Bookshelf
A bookshelf is an easy and accessible piece of furniture to repurpose for clothing storage. It can be used to store out-of-season clothes, extra bedding, or even shoes. By adding a few hooks or baskets, a bookshelf can be easily transformed into a functional and stylish storage solution.
Here are a few tips for repurposing a bookshelf for clothing storage:
Choose the right location. A bookshelf is typically narrow and tall, so it’s important to choose a spot that won’t block walkways or impede traffic flow in your home.
Consider the height of the shelves. If you plan on storing taller items like boots or coats, make sure the shelves are high enough to accommodate them.
If you have a bookshelf that’s built into the wall, you’ll have to contend with those limitations, but at least you don’t need to worry about it taking up floor space!
#5—Create a Makeshift Closet with a Screen or Divider
If you’re determined to have a closet space, go makeshift with a screen or divider. To do this, simply place a divider or screen in a corner of your room and hang your clothes on it. You can also add shelves above the divider or screen to store folded clothes or other items. If you want, you can even add curtains around the divider or screen to make it look more like a real closet.
#6—Hang Clothes from the Ceiling
A creative, vertical-savvy method to store clothes without a closet is by hanging them from the ceiling. You can accomplish this using hooks, hangers, or even rope, as long as you’re mindful that whatever you use is sturdy and won’t fall down. Don’t overburden any particular installment with too much weight.
#7—Invest in a Clothing Rack
It seems simple because it is. With a clothing rack available, you don’t need a closet or even anything with shelves (though, some racks do come with shelves, if that’s your preference). You can think of a clothing rack as a lightweight dresser. They are usually light enough and mobile enough that you can relocate them as needed if a new, better spot becomes available for it. An excellent alternative for how to store clothes without a closet, and there are tons of modern, stylish clothing racks on the market.
#8—Door Shoe Hangers
A great way to store shoes (or even how to store sweaters and other slightly larger items) is a door shoe hanger. An over-the-door shoe hanger does not necessarily need to be only for shoes, though they are obviously good at accommodating those. You can use a shoe hanger to store anything that will fit in it, which would include most types of apparel, if you roll up your clothing save for really big items like hoodies or jackets.
#9—Use an Ottoman
An ottoman with built-in storage is an excellent option for organically increasing your clothes storage space while also improving your interior design. These can come in many shapes, colors, and sizes, so if possible, find one that matches your existing decor and/or would provide additional seating or a footrest. This way it functions as physical support, and you can stuff it full of clothes you’d like to have near but out of sight.
#10—Add a Full-Size Dresser
Saving the most substantial for last, we recommend that if you can afford it, purchase (or build) a full-size dresser, equipped with several shelves so you can store your clothing in an organized manner. A good dresser adds significant value to the cosmetic and utility of any room. With a dresser of adequate size, you may not even need anything else on this list, assuming you don’t have too much of a wardrobe to begin with. They also often have flat tops, so you can decorate them with photos, lamps, plants, books, and more.
Dressers are really the end-all-be-all choice for alternative clothes storage, so if you want to know how to store clothes without a closet, we definitely encourage considering this option.
Hunt Down a Storage Unit
At the end of the day, sometimes you just don’t have enough space—sometimes not even for the items that are supposed to increase it! Whether you need somewhere to store seasonal clothes or that clothing rack you don’t have the square footage to put anywhere, Prestige Storage has a unit with your name on it.
We’ve equipped each of our facilities with all the security, customer service, and cleanliness accommodations you could hope for, so you know that when your belongings are with us, they’re in the best of hands. Take a look at our storage facility finder to hunt down the location closest to you, so we can help lift some of your stress today!