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Closet Organizing | Kitchen & Closet Organizing

11 Best Hangers for Closet Organization and Smart Storage

This post is about the best hangers for closet organization including insights on wire, plastic, velvet, and wooden hanger types.

Types of Hangers

This post is going to answer the biggest closet question of ALL time. . . what are the RIGHT hangers to use? 

If you’re unsure if you should have wire hangers, or velvet hangers, or plastic hangers, or wooden ones, I will break it all down so that you can learn how to choose the best hangers for closet organization. You might just be surprised!

By the end of this post, you will be a hanger expert (and will likely want to upgrade the hangers in your closet!).

Let’s dive into how to choose the best hangers for closet organization.

closet hangers

Wire Hangers: The Basic Yet Functional Choice

You’re probably thinking professional organizers hate wire hangers. To be honest, I don’t mind them for certain types of clothing. They are very thin so they rank high for maximizing the space in your closet. Also, they are the least expensive hanger. Sometimes you can even get a free one if you take your clothes to the dry cleaner.
But they do have a bad reputation for a reason. The main problem with wire hangers is they can snag on clothing and they also tangle really easily. Also, they’re not strong enough for coats, suits, or heavy clothing. And, I’m sure we’ve all experienced how easily a wire hanger can get pulled out of shape.

Wire Hanger Pros

  • Inexpensive
  • Great at saving space
  • Can get them for free (sometimes!)

Wire Hanger Cons

  • They snag clothing
  • Tangle easily
  • Not strong enough to hold heavy clothes
  • Get pulled out of shape

I’m okay with keeping wire hangers on clothes like men’s dress shirts, t-shirts, or polos, but that’s about it.

clothing hangers

Plastic Hangers: The Popular and Colorful Option

Are wire hangers or plastic hangers better? A common question is whether wire or plastic hangers are better. Plastic hangers are very popular and they come in lots of colors and varying degrees of thickness and strength. They are also affordable, costing around 50 cents for a basic plastic hanger.

However, if you’re looking for the best space-saving hangers, plastic hangers are not for you. They are bulky and take up a lot of space. Additionally, they can snap easily under the weight of heavier clothes.

There are some plastic hangers that I do recommend if you want to go the plastic route. These hangers have clips for skirts or pants and they are quite durable. They’re also less likely to tangle because of the swivel hook that’s attached.
The swivel hook is actually the reason why I like these plastic hangers. The hook allows you to hang all your clothes facing the same way whereas with a regular plastic hanger, you have to remember to have everything pointed in the right direction when you’re hanging your clothes up. The swivel hook also helps reduce hanger marks on your clothes.
Clear Hangers with Swivel Hook
Clear Hangers with Swivel Hook

What I use and the favorite in clothing stores...

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Plastic hanger pros

  • Various colors, strengths, and thickness
  • Inexpensive
  • Swivel hook plastic hangers are great quality

Plastic hanger cons

  • Bulky and not space-saving
  • Can snap under heavy weighted clothes
pants hanger
Pro Tip

For hanging jeans, I recommend that you clip them along the bottom seam and hang it the long way. This reduces marks, and if there is a mark, it’s less visible because it’s at the bottom.

 

Wooden Hangers: The Durable and Elegant Choice

Wooden hangers typically have the best durability out of all the hangers. There is also an option to get them with the entire suit hanger or just by themselves with the clips. I find the wooden hangers are the best option for not leaving marks.
Now, if you’re shopping on a budget, wooden hangers are NOT for you. I once had a client request to have all wooden hangers in their closet and it cost over $750. That was just for one closet.
Wooden hangers range between $1 per hanger to $10 per hanger.
But, with that said, not only are they durable, but they are beautiful. I highly recommend them for coats and business suits. I use them in my coat closet because they don’t break or stretch and they are very sturdy for the heavier weight of a coat. They also help maintain the shape of a suit, which is highly necessary for the longevity of your expensive clothing. However, they simply are not the best hangers for closet organization or space-saving. Wooden hangers are very thick, which is why they are good to use on specific closets like suits and coats.
best hanger

Wooden hanger pros

  • Durable
  • Don’t break or stretch
  • Holds heavy clothes
  • Beautiful, especially when suits are hung on them

Wooden hanger cons

  • Very expensive
  • Bulky and not space-saving

Velvet Hangers: The Space-Saving Marvel

If you’re looking for the best hangers for closet organization, velvet hangers are probably the number one recommended hangers by Professional Organizers. In fact, this is the number one hanger that I personally recommend to my clients.

The reason why they are so highly recommended is that the hangers are very slim and take up way less space in your closet compared to a plastic or wooden hanger. Velvet hangers also come in lots of colors and numerous brands are selling them in stores and on Amazon. This velvet hanger is for shirts and this velvet hanger is for suits.

Velvet hangers can also come with attachable clips for things like pants. Although I recommend using hangers with clips, a lot of my clients love the velvet hangers because of their slim qualities and the additional hanging rod for pants. Also, a velvet hanger is less likely to leave marks on clothes.

However, you will want to make sure you are getting quality velvet hangers. Some of the hangers from cheaper brands break easily at the top. A better-quality velvet hanger is less likely to break. Additionally, some people don’t like how the velvet sometimes sticks to the clothes or is a little clingy when you’re hanging your clothes on them. For some people, they really like that clingy aspect of the hanger, so it’s all personal preference.

Velvet hanger pros

  • Slim and holds clothes in place with velvet material
  • Affordable
  • No marks on clothing
  • Extra bar for pants

Velvet hanger cons

  • Some people don’t like the clingy material
  • Cheap brands can break easily
Mismatched Hanger
Pro Tip

If you’re keeping clothes for sentimental reasons and not wearing them, consider folding and storing them to prevent hanger marks.

When you buy something we recommend, we may get an affiliate commission — but it never affects your price or what we pick.

This post was about the best hangers for closet organization.

Choosing the right hanger for your clothing closet set-up will help keep your closet looking organized and functioning better. Whether you opt for wire, plastic, velvet, or wooden, each type has its unique benefits and drawbacks.

{Related Posts: The Best Way to Organize Clothes in a Small Closet}

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