Solutions for Storing Your Clothes Without a Closet or Dresser

As professional organisers, we love discovering new ways to get creative with clothing storage and over the years we have come up with some fantastic solutions for organising clothes and accessories without the need for a traditional closet.

Our motto; no dresser, no problem!

Keep reading to discover some of our favourite solutions for keeping your clothes, shoes and accessories in top condition when you don’t have access to a closet, a dresser or a designated space for clothes storage.

From neat and discreet options to beautiful displays to storage tips and tricks, these eight solutions are sure to get you thinking differently about your clothing storage!

Use open shelving

One of our favourite ways to store clothing without a dresser is by utilising open shelving. Use the lower, easier to access shelves to store file-folded clothes and the higher, more difficult to reach shelves to display accessories such as handbags.

Be sure to colour coordinate items to create a beautiful, eye catching display of all your favourite pieces!

Add a freestanding hanging rail

Some form of hanging space is usually essential for storing clothing, so why not add a chic looking hanging rail to your bedroom and use it to display your favourite hanging pieces.

This can either be a freestanding, portable rail that can be moved around as you please or you may choose to attach one to the wall or ceiling!

It might be a good idea to choose a rail that incorporates some shelving too; this way you’ll be able to store more clothes or some shoes and accessories too!

Build a shoe storage wall

Shoes collections can be challenging to find room for if your wardrobe space is limited or you don’t have dedicated dresser space for them. One of our favourite tricks to overcome this problem is to create a shoe wall using stackable shoe bins. Not only are they super practical, keeping pairs neatly contained, they look great too and can be a real feature on a blank wall!

File-fold clothes into bins

File-folding clothes into bins is a brilliant way to store clothes without a dresser as it ensures items are easily accessible and takes up far less space than hanging.

If your hanging space is limited, you should only hang items that absolutely require it. Folding items such as jeans, t-shirts and knitwear is much more space efficient.

The file-fold is our favourite as it is space-saving, allowing items to be stored vertically rather than stacked; this makes it much easier to view and find exactly what you’re looking for.

Placed on open shelves, the bins can act as drawers and can be easily moved around as seasons change.

Hang accessories

When you’re trying to store clothing without a dresser and space is at a premium, every surface becomes a valuable storage solution!

Add hooks and rails to create a display of accessories such as scarves and ties. Not only will they look great, they’ll be easy to locate in the morning rush!

Use cube storage for smaller items

Without dresser drawers, it’s easy to feel at a loss when deciding how to store smaller items such as underwear in a neat and organised way.

That’s where cube storage comes in! Use the cubes to neatly store categories of clothing e.g. socks, bras, swimwear etc.

Place the cubes on open shelving or inside a cupboard - wherever you can access them easily - remember, you won’t want to have to reach up to a high shelf every time you want a pair of socks!

Add under bed storage

Under bed storage is an excellent solution when clothing storage space is limited. Use it to store out-of-season or lesser worn clothes, shoes and accessories.

Under bed storage boxes come in a variety of shapes and designs meaning you’ll be able to find ones that match with the aesthetic of your bedroom.

However, it is worth remembering that it can get dusty under there so ensure your storage boxes have lids and pull out boxes every now and then to dust.

Utilise accessory organisers

Accessories can be particularly difficult to store when there is no designated dresser space for them. More often than not, they end up stuck in a box and inevitably go unworn or unused.

Investing in some organising solutions will ensure your accessories stay in great condition and are always at hand when you need them!

Place them on open shelves or on a dressing table and be inspired to accessorise your outfits everyday!

What items to hang and what to fold?

A question we often get asked is whether it is better to hang or fold clothes?

This is a great question and an especially important one to consider when figuring out how to store your clothing and accessories without a dresser.

The first thing to do when organising your clothing without a wardrobe or dresser is to decide which items get the hanger treatment and which are better off tucked away inside bins or on shelves.

Items to hang

The following clothes always belong on a hanger:

Jackets

Jackets are usually bulky items of clothing and if you try to fold them inside bins they will become creased and potentially damaged. Additionally they will take up large amounts of space so they are always best hung.

Blouses

Blouses tend to crease very easily so to avoid this and extra time irony be sure to keep them on a hanger.

Most dresses

The majority of dresses will need some form of vertical hanging space. The only exception are heavy jumper dresses (or other dresses made of a heavy material) which can end up stretching when on a hanger.

Trousers

You should plan to hang all trousers (both casual and dress). Depending on the height and width of your hanging space you can hang them with clips from the waist or fold them over the hanger. The only exception to this rule is jeans which can be easily file-folded on shelves or inside bins.

Flowy fabrics

Any item made of a flowy fabric such as chiffon or silk should be hung. These items don’t do well stuffed inside a bin or on a shelf (they can be very difficult to fold neatly!) and take up minimal space when hanging.

Linen

Linen is always best on a hanger as it can become very easily creased. As linen requires ironing to look its best, you’ll save yourself a lot of time hanging linen items straight away after ironing.

Items to fold

The following clothes should always be folded:

Activewear

Anything you wear to workout should be folded. The materials of these items are easy to fold efficiently whilst they can get stretched out when placed on a hanger.

Thick jumpers

Thick jumpers, wool or other, all always best folded, both to save space and to maintain their structural integrity.

Items to hang or fold

The following items can be hung or folded depending on the storage space you have available and your personal preference:

Jeans

Jeans are the easiest trousers to fold as the thickness of the material allows them to hold their shape when folded. You may prefer to hang your jeans for easier accessibility, in which case folding them over the hanger is the best way.

T-shirts

T-shirts are such an easy item to store without a dresser as they can be folded, hung or stacked on shelves. If you want minimal creases, hanging can eliminate them almost completely.

However as most modern t-shirts have some stretchy fibre in them they can even be virtually crease free after folding.

Time to get creative with your clothes storage solutions!

Organising and storing your clothing with a dresser needn’t be a difficult task!

As our solutions show, by making a few smart choices about what works best for your items and space, you can have your clothing collection organised in an efficient way and looking great in no time at all!

At Homefulness we have supported many clients in optimising their wardrobe storage to make selecting outfits and maintaining organisation so much easier!

Check out this wardrobe how-to guide for some more in-depth guidance on organising your clothing and accessories the Homefulness way. Whether you have a purpose built wardrobe solution or a creatively improvised space, there is an organisation system that will work for you!

If you need help with clothing storage solutions, don’t hesitate to get in touch, Homefulness is here to help!