To Hang or Fold? A Guide to Clothing Storage

A minimalist approach to developing an organized, inviting closet has taken hold recently. This trend, known as a "capsule wardrobe," emphasizes paring down your closet to key pieces of versatile, high-quality pieces you love wearing. This modern approach pushes back against the traditional concept of building and managing an extensive selection of clothes.

However, it is equally important to think about the best ways to store these capsule pieces so that they are always ready to wear. Some garments require hangers, and some should be folded.

Simply throwing every item into drawers won't protect them from creasing or getting caught on other garments. Your essential clothing items require a specific care strategy to ensure their longevity.

Folded Clothes

What to Fold

Some clothes are best stored by folding them. These items include:

Casual Tees
Seasonal Clothing
Activewear
Loungewear
Pajamas
Underwear
Socks

We recommend folding your tops using the KonMari way to maximize storage space and easily distinguish which shirt is which. This method involves laying a shirt flat, visualizing the vertical center, folding both sides with the sleeves folded back, and then folding the shirt in half twice more.

The result? A top that stands on its own, allowing for easy identification.

Seasonal clothing can be folded similarly as casual tees but involve folding longer sleeves in the shape of a triangle.

It's important to remember these articles of clothing should also stand on their own if they were folded correctly. This easy identification process is at the heart of the KonMari method.

For bottoms, the folding process is similar. Pants can be folded lengthwise in half, then in half again, and then in thirds. Tank tops are folded lengthwise in half and then folded again into thirds.

Underwear and socks also have a specific process. Sports bras can be folded by tucking in the straps, folding in half and then folding in half again.

Lastly, socks can be paired together and folded into thirds and stored flatly in that way.

Hung clothes

What to Hang

Clothes best stored on hangers include:

Blouses
Dresses
Pants
Skirts
Jackets/Coats/Blazers
Belts, ties, and longer fabric accessories

These items would wrinkle and crease easily if folded. Also, clothing items you use on more of a day-to-day basis benefit from hanging due to clear visibility, allowing for quick selection during busy morning routines.

Using the correct hangers in a closet is just as important! You want your garments to keep their shape and look their very best, and cheap wire or plastic hangers can do more damage than good!

As a rule of thumb, keep in mind the following hanger type rules:

Padded hangers work best for satin, silk, taffeta, velvet and chiffon.
Curved hangers best help keep the shape of coats, jackets, suits, and blazers.
The best skirt hangers will have clips that will not leave a mark and can hold most styles and sizes.
Dress pants can be hung with clamping hangers or folded on wood options.

Martha Stewart has an excellent guide on what type of hangers to use for hanging different articles of clothing.

For Items You Hang, Choose Butler Luxury

When searching for the best way to store and preserve your valued clothes, Butler Luxury offers an extensive collection of storage options for the discerning shopper.

Their shop contains everything from garment covers to hangers for each type of garment in your closet. All products are made with only the highest-quality materials and are trusted by professional tailors, luxury hotels, and museums across the globe.

Shop with confidence and begin your clothing storage update today!