Want A More Functional Closet? Try These 6 Simple Solutions

closet problems

Having a functional bedroom closet can make all the difference when it comes to your morning routine, but itโ€™s often easier said than done! From space constraints to organization, trying to keep your closet in check can feel like a never-ending battle.

But you should find it a little easier after reading todayโ€™s blog post! Because today weโ€™ll be exploring 6 common closet problems, as well as simple solutions that will help you avoid those problems in the future.

And as always, your input is most welcome! If you have any brilliant closet tips that help make your life easier, share them with us in a comment at the end of this post! :-)

Check out another closet organization hack in action in my video at the end of the post!

6 Annoying Closet Problems & How To Solve Them

closet problems

Closet Problem #1: Dresses Slip Off Their Hangers

Lightweight dresses are great for staying cool when itโ€™s hot out, but they sure can be a pain to hang! Lighter fabrics donโ€™t grip hangers very well, so eventually gravity wins out and your dress ends up in a puddle on the floor.

Thatโ€™s why many lighter dresses come with thin straps sewn to the inside. When you hang your dress, those straps are meant to be looped over the neck of the hanger to prevent it from slipping off. Neat, right?

But even if your dress doesnโ€™t have sewn-in loops, you still have options for keeping those dresses on their hangers. I’ve got several easy DIYs that turn a regular hanger into a non-slip hanger!

closet problems

Closet Problem #2: Hanger Marks On Skirts

It seems like every option for hanging skirts in your closet leaves them with some sort of mark afterward. Folding skirts over a hanger bar leaves that line across the middle, while hanging them from a hanger with clips leaves indentations where the clips were!

But thereโ€™s an easy way to work around those clip marks โ€” turn your skirt inside out before clipping it to the hanger. That way, any marks that the clips leave behind will be hidden once you put the skirt on!

As a bonus, hanging your skirts inside-out will protect the exterior from the side effects of friction in your closet, like pilling and damage to beading or stitching.

closet problems

Closet Problem #3: Not Enough Closet Space

While Iโ€™m sure most of us would love an expansive walk-in closet to work with, we have to work with the closets we have! Luckily, there are several tips and tricks you can use to make the most of your limited closet space:

  • Thread one end of a soda tab onto the hook of your hanger, then hang another hanger from the other end. This is a great way to save space on your closet rod, and itโ€™s a useful way to keep pieces of an outfit together too!
  • Add a few shower rings to a hanger for a convenient storage solution for tanks, camisoles, scarves, hats, sunglasses, and other accessories.
  • Donโ€™t forget to make good use of the highest shelves! If you have a hard time reaching them, keep a step stool in your closet to make those shelves more easily accessible.
hanging clothes

Closet Problem #4: Shoulder Bumps On Sweaters

Some sweaters tend to stretch out or develop unsightly shoulder bumps when hung the usual way. As someone with an extensive collection of cardigans, I was highly motivated to find a better way to hang my sweaters!

And Iโ€™m happy to report that I found one, in the form of the hang-fold method. To avoid stretching or bumps, learn how to hang-fold your sweaters here.

hanging clothes

Closet Problem #5: Slacks Slip Off Their Hangers

Just like light dresses, slacks also present a challenge when it comes to keeping them on their hangers. My favorite solution to the problem of slippery slacks happens to be an old tailorโ€™s trick, and Iโ€™ve been using it in my own closet ever since I learned about it!

Learn how to use the Savile Row fold to keep slacks on their hangers here.

hanging clothes

Closet Problem #6: Stretched Out Necklines

If you hang shirts by inserting the hanger through the neck hole, thereโ€™s always a risk of stretching out the neckline of your shirt. Instead, insert the hanger through the bottom of the shirt. That way, you donโ€™t have to pull on the neckline at all, and your shirts will keep their shape longer!

Do you have a favorite tip or hack you use in your closet?

YouTube video
If you like to hang your clothes, like I do, here’s a tip that saves closet space!

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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4 Comments

  1. For me a major factor in closet organization is deciding which clothing items should be hung up in the first place. Dresses, skirts, “real” pants (as opposed to sweats/yoga pants), dress tees, blouses – yes! Everything else goes in a dresser drawer. Most of my sweaters – including cardigans, which I have a ton of as well – I consider too heavy to hang up so these are folded and rolled to be placed in a single layer so that I can see them all at a glance. I do have a couple of wool hoodie dresses that are too bulky for a drawer so I hang them as pictured here.

    The other main factor is what type of hanger to use. For the other things I hang up, I try to use wire hangers only with the dress tees and lighter blouses (arranged by collar/no collar, sleeve length and then color) to minimize the shoulder marks. Otherwise I use tube hangers (the ones made of colored plastic) or wood if I can find them. My husband’s jeans are very heavy and bend the plastic hangers over time so we use just the wooden pant hangers for these. For dresses I try to use hangers with the shoulder “notches” to hold straps or otherwise keep them from slipping off.

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  2. The hang-fold ( or fold-hang) sweater trick is pure genius!! I wish clothing stores would adopt it…it’t one thing to poke out the shoulders of my own sweaters, but to buy them that way is adding insult to injury. Thanks Jillee!

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  3. Hi Jillee
    Just curious not to be rude, I just wonder if you are one of those perpetually cold people. I notice you always have a sweater on and that you have at least eleven sweaters hanging on your rack.
    Keep up the great tips enjoy reading them and learn something new. Thanks.
    Virginia

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I would imagine that Jillee simply likes to be well-dressed for the camera and a cardigan is a great way to add “polish” to an outfit. I probably have more than 11 cardigans in my sweater drawer…

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.

Leave a Comment

4 Comments

  1. For me a major factor in closet organization is deciding which clothing items should be hung up in the first place. Dresses, skirts, “real” pants (as opposed to sweats/yoga pants), dress tees, blouses – yes! Everything else goes in a dresser drawer. Most of my sweaters – including cardigans, which I have a ton of as well – I consider too heavy to hang up so these are folded and rolled to be placed in a single layer so that I can see them all at a glance. I do have a couple of wool hoodie dresses that are too bulky for a drawer so I hang them as pictured here.

    The other main factor is what type of hanger to use. For the other things I hang up, I try to use wire hangers only with the dress tees and lighter blouses (arranged by collar/no collar, sleeve length and then color) to minimize the shoulder marks. Otherwise I use tube hangers (the ones made of colored plastic) or wood if I can find them. My husband’s jeans are very heavy and bend the plastic hangers over time so we use just the wooden pant hangers for these. For dresses I try to use hangers with the shoulder “notches” to hold straps or otherwise keep them from slipping off.

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  2. The hang-fold ( or fold-hang) sweater trick is pure genius!! I wish clothing stores would adopt it…it’t one thing to poke out the shoulders of my own sweaters, but to buy them that way is adding insult to injury. Thanks Jillee!

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
  3. Hi Jillee
    Just curious not to be rude, I just wonder if you are one of those perpetually cold people. I notice you always have a sweater on and that you have at least eleven sweaters hanging on your rack.
    Keep up the great tips enjoy reading them and learn something new. Thanks.
    Virginia

    Please log in or create a free account to comment.
    • I would imagine that Jillee simply likes to be well-dressed for the camera and a cardigan is a great way to add “polish” to an outfit. I probably have more than 11 cardigans in my sweater drawer…

      Please log in or create a free account to comment.