For the closet nerds: hanging pants epiphany

I have been doing wardrobe editing and hope to post more about that soon.

But, in the process I made a change in pants-hanging and clothes-rod usage. (Nerd alert).

I've always hung up my pants, even jeans ( I hang almost everything), but for decades I hung them folded in half on those open-ended trouser hangers. Loved them. Collected ones that were most functional.

They were easy for me to use but a key thing is they fit into my system of almost all double closet rods (meaning upper and lower, not front to back). I wear mostly separates, so having double rods for almost every foot of rail space, except for out-of-season coats and just a few dresses, was not only sensible but it maximized my storage space. And more was always better.

In addition. though those closet-candy pictures often show pants hanging on a bottom rail (bottoms on the bottom), I most always used the top rails because the pants had a lower profile and did not tend to block light as much or be "in your face" as do the shoulders and sleeves of jackets and blouses, in the spaces I have,

Enter pandemic and the rise of loungewear and also more casual pants. Enter winter and running very cold so adding more fleece- lined indoor pants as well as lined hiking pants. And changing pants during day for outdoor vs indoor, or temp changes.

So beginning in the spring I started hanging my loungewear pants "capsule" lengthwise, by the waistband, in a small full-length section for --part of my pandemic coping and also convenient after a long day working in the yard.
Then more comfy everyday pants, and now in winter I have puffy fleecy pants.
I realized that most of the pants I wear now, including "real" pants and jeans, are a lot different from my big array of work trousers that hung so nicely folded..

So this month during a big pants and trouser edit/culling session, I decided to bite the bullet and made a large convenient section of full-length hanging pants ( using clamp hangers), including jeans and the dressier and "work trousers" I'm keeping.

Oh, the fear of the unknown and losing part of my double-hanging crutch!

So far I'm really liking it. The pants are easier to identify, and it is surprisingly easy to riffle through them or arrange a different lineup; the disparate fabrics all work with clamps.
I think I might coming out even, because thicker pants take up more room when doubled on a hanger than did a lot of my work trousers. Plus I arranged a boot tray on the floor under, since now there's room for that. (I usually store all my shoes up higher where I can see them, but like to have rougher walking shoes and such down).
I did the same thing for summer pants in the spare closet, by making more "long hanging" room there also. I wanted to have the same system to make it easy to swap pants in and out with seasons, crazy weather events or to do outfit creation.ever

I have been making some adjustments in where some other things go, and how to maximize lighting.
For the true closet nerd, you know there are "issues" with where things hang, how much they stick out, block light to lower rods; vying for what to put in the "the best part" of the closet. I've cleared a drawer for off-season storage of my heavy winter puffy pants--they do not need to take up hanging space all year. More editing is needed also. But we shall see. It is not a permanent structural change.

Perhaps some of you are already using this system, or tried it and gave it up. Comments and experiences welcome!

3 years ago

Anonymous

I’ve never hung pants folded over a hanger as I couldn’t manage to keep a crease from forming at the fold . That said , I did have an aha moment when your wrote about the visual space vis a vis longer and “ bigger” blouses and jackets . You’re right .

Joy

Veteran

Most of my pants are hung full length. Sometimes I flip the bottom of the legs over the hanger in order to hang them in. Shorter area. Most of my jeans are rolled in a drawer or on a shelf under other items of that color. I like this method and hope someday to have all hung with clips. I need some new hangars. You are right. It is easier to find what you want. A very few are hung with or next to matching jackets.

unfrumped

lisa p - right!
I used thicker hangers, some of them spongy , and never had a problem - never hung pants folded on Huggables- and for more delicate fabrics, I did use some hangers outfitted with those bigger rounded adapters.

Kate

I hang my pants full length. I never liked folding them over a hanger because of creasing as Lisa mentioned; plus, I found them too bulky doubled up. I only wish I had the space to hang my jeans. I’m in the midst of a wardrobe evaluation/purge, and hope to gain some extra closet space. Tomorrow’s task is to tackle the sock drawer(s). I am very afraid...

Wow, love for full- length hanging! That’s great.
The closet- candy pics usually feature the thinnest, crispest pressed pants also, to look so spare and serene.

slim cat

Unfortunately I don't have the full space of closet available - storage bins sit under my hanging section ( except a very small space for a few dresses - mine and my daughter's ). I do have the pants/jeans hanging on the same level as tops for better visibility as you nicely explained .
Fluffy home pants rolled/folded usually.
Before- when we were living in a house with more space I did hang my pants in the open way by waistband.

Jaime

(website)

Wow. I am impressed! I do prefer to hang things because I am very visual and like to see it all, but do not have the closet space luxury to do so. I roll/fold my jeans and hang a few dressier trousers lengthwise with my dresses. But blocking light is next level and I aspire to be able to think about that one day !

rachylou

Oh I know the light blocking problem so well... so well! Sadly, my closet is two-turns-of-the-century ago, from when people had four items of clothing total. Getting dressed is an excavation project...

lyn67

Hah, Rachy...mining can be very fulfiling-as you can find some gems you never remembered you have!:-)

Liesbeth

Great post. I currently hang my pants over regular hangers but we're planning a new closet and I'd LOVE to go for your old system ;). You've outlined the pros and cons in great detail. I don't have 'bulky' pants really so still yearning to maximize space this way!

Liesbeth, hope your project turns out great.
I like my old system too- the new one is just working better for me right now.
As I described, I gravitated toward the pants hangers with slightly heavier “ arms” though the lighter weight ones may look like they take uo a smidge less room.
My choices for various types of hangers are a combination of how they treat the clothes plus a LOT about how they “ feel” when I get clothing out or hang it back up.
That’s why I don’t use Huggable hangers except for some out- of- season hanging storage.

Vildy

I hang pants by the waistband but I used to, when I cared more :D,
hang them by the legs so the weight would pull them nice and smooth.
I also used to hang them doubled with a slit paper towel roll core over the bar.

I like flocked hangers for as much as possible, otherwise, simply because I can grab things or shove them back in and the shoulders
of things stay where I've carefully placed them.

I have the light problem, too. Much of my main closet is double hung and I like your experience that trousers block the light less. I now have the bottom rod removed and have winter coats hanging. Where I had them before, in a different tiny closet, it was hard to see them.

I love short over the outer part of the door cantilevered rods for, say tops and bottoms for ease of coming up with new combinations.

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Helena

So true about how much cleaner pants are than shirts, jackets, etc. on the hangers. Great post; thanks for sharing your process. Love a good closet re-org!

Vildy, good points.
I “ let” DH have the closet door for ties, so I don’t use OTD stirage in our shared closet.
I did indulge in a free- standing clothes rack in spare BR , for outfit creation and travel capsules.
I appreciate the “ curve” of flocked hangers and always use curved hangers for my tops to avoid misshapen shoulders. But I got these Okla curved plastic hangers and then added flocked tapes to the shoulders. Now Container Store doesn’t have them ( in store, at least) so this may be how I limit my wardrobe— only as much as I have hangers for!

Ledonna N.

I really enjoyed reading this I hang my pants as well but i fold as I don't mind the fold. I need to see everything or I will forget.

Thinking on it- but our stability balls are crammed in my tiny closet so probably a bad idea for me!

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