Storing Sweaters: Fold? Hang? Other?

I purchased 4 light-weight sweaters recently - same make, same model, different colors. The fabric makeup is 53% cotton, 40% nylon, 7% rayon. They wrinkle quite easily.

On blogs, IGs, etc., closets are often shown with folded sweaters stacked on shelves. But when I do this they get wrinkle lines where the sweater is folded and the sweaters at the bottom of the stack are REALLY wrinkled from the weight of the others. This is a particular problem with these new sweaters, but the same happens with my cashmere sweater although not near as bad.

I've moved them off shelves and have them "hung" using the method shown here: https://unefemme.net/how-to-hang-sweaters.html. But I'm not sure this will solve my problem as the sweater is still folded, and I'm seeing that I still get some fold lines (although not as much as when they are folded and stacked).

So... how do you store sweaters so they don't get wrinkles or fold lines? [Or maybe I am just forever doomed by the fabric content. ]

1 year ago

phoebe

Active Member

I turn mine inside out and fold them once horizontally across the middle and then fold the sleeves across.

Roberta

Veteran

I tried the folded hanger method, but it was so fussy to put them on and take them off the hangers that I quit immediately. I agree that the weight of stacking them is a problem, so I try not to have more than three sweaters in a stack. This uses a lot of shelf space, but oh well. And I also accept that I might have to give a sweater a light press with an iron before I put it on.

Indigoprint

I mostly fold mine. Wrinkles usually hang out pretty fast..by the time I leave the house or if I am super organized I pull it out the night before and drape over a chair. For sweaters that I do not mind if they stretch in length I hang inside out on a hanger then my shoulders will push out the little hanger divits when I wear it.

Jonesy

I fold and stack, and then if I think of it, I take the sweater I plan to wear out of the stack the night before and drape it over a chair or hang it in the bathroom when I shower. If all else fails, I give it a light steam.

SarahD8

I Marie Kondo fold my knitwear and keep it in drawers. Most of mine is cashmere or wool, and doesn't tend to crease overly much -- if it does, that's a sign that I'm not wearing that piece enough!

The Cat

I fold my sweaters (lightly and softly) and often have 7 or 8 in a stack. Wrinkles in my sweaters will seldom be a problem, as they are soft and usually disappear shortly after I am dressed (because of body heat, activities, and/or other clothing layers, I think). I never iron sweaters, but I often iron woven items like blouses and button-front shirts.

Irina

My lighter weight sweaters and all cardigans I hang on velvet hangers. Those include cashmere and merino wool. Heavy, thick sweaters are rolled, I keep them in drawers.

kkards

You could try tissue pair inside the fold, but my guess is this fabric is just wrinkle prone.

LaPed

I fold mine and keep them in an under-bed rolling drawer, but mine are all cotton or wool/cashmere, and don't seem that prone to wrinkles. If I had the problem you describe, I think I would try rolling them. IME hanging always results in awkward little bumps, but I haven't splurged on "nice" hangers, so...

I fold mine in 3 sections vertically then roll or fold again in 3 sections. I don't stack them on top of each other, but next to each other. I haven't had any fold lines.

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Anonymous

I generally keep them in drawers, but hang the dressier ones. If they get wrinkled I toss them in the dryer with a wet rag before wearing.

Stagiaire Fash

JP’s reply is what I was going to suggest.

Janet

(website)

Oh lord, I would not have the patience to do that folding hang. Call me lazy. I fold and stack most of my knitwear because that’s the kind of storage room we have (limited drawers and those hold sleep/lounge, underwear, socks). I hang sweaters that tend to crease badly — I just hang them like woven shirts and I use those thin velvet hangers so they don’t tend to leave shoulder bumps or stretch terribly. I’m sure the sweater police would arrest me, but honestly I’ve had very few problems with knitwear stretching out from hanging.

jussie

Lightweight fine guage sweaters and cardis I hang on normal hangers, because I do find they crease. I have to be careful that the hangers are smooth because once or twice I got some permanent lumps in the shoulders from a certain shape of hanger. I actually find basic metal hangers are ok though. Medium and heavy weight knits I fold in a drawer.

Helena

I hang using the method shown in that link for the finer ones; thick ones gets folded and stacked.

Allora

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions!

All my sweaters are lightweight so I think I might just try hanging them normally on my velvet hangers. That's how I would prefer to store them as I have virtually no drawer space and very limited shelf space. And that should keep them as wrinkle- and crease-free as possible.

I did see one blog where the person hung her sweaters as normal, but inside out so any potential hanger bumps would be on the inside of the sweater. I might try that although wondering if that method might create dimples or indentations on the outside side of the sweater.

I might also try that dryer/wet rag method to work out any wrinkles as suggested by suntiger. Better than dragging out my iron or steamer.

Oh... missed it... just noticing indigoprint said she does the hang inside-out method, too!

Jaime

I would love to hang but do not have the hanging space so I mostly roll or fold but not as neatly as shown above.

I have done the inside-out hang too! Works well. Sometimes if I think a sweater has been hanging too long, I’ll take it out and check it, and then flip it inside out to rehang.

cat2

I know it’s supposed to be a sin, but I don’t have much shelf space and hang my sweaters on my velvet hangers. I have not noticed any hanger bumps. I do carefully wash them and dry them flat on a mesh screen.

Cee

I used to fold and then hang sweaters over the rung of a thick coat hanger.

Except for cowlnecks... 'Cause hangin's too good for 'em !!

Style Fan

I fold my sweaters and stack them on shelves in my closet. I don't notice any wrinkles. If there were some, I would hang the sweater up the night before.

Zaeobi

Not about jumpers per se, but I just saw this useful hack about using the paper tube from kitchen roll* to prevent hanger creases:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=.....ontinue=50 (I've already edited the URL to skip directly to 50 seconds along, where that hack begins).

*Despite the video's title, I doubt toilet paper tubes are quite that long, lol?)

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