Organisation & Storage Ideas | Scarfs & Belts

These are the most trickiest accessories to find a storage solution for in my opinion. There is so many different fabrics, sizes, weight, colours AND storage space.

I suggest spending a considerable amount of time working out what doesn't work for you and what options are available. For example you may like the look of the vintage boxes/ dishes but are always in a rush when getting ready, so fumbling through many items in a boxes may not be practical.

Always plan for the space you have not want. Allow for some room for your collection to grow so it doesn't quickly not work for you. Having unity in colour and style of pieces (bins, dividers, buckets) adds cohesion to your room and based on appearance is easier on the brain especially to process.

Firstly determine which out of the two you wear more and want to be more prominent or easier to get too. Now it's time to look at some space options; hanging for those who have more wardrobe space, shelf for those who more likely have an built wardrobe and drawer options for those who have more floor space/ chest of drawers.

Hanging Options - medium to large collections or closets/ small vertical space

Look for slim options that condense lots of clothes which is great for large collections or small spaces. It makes a very good job of utilising vertical space. The length of the hanger is determined by the longest scarf/ belt so beware it may interrupt a shelf or rack below it possibly creasing delicate scarfs/belts.

There are now specialised hangers available, that make the items easy to slip on/off. They vary in the design but are modified off a generic clothes hanger. Some have holes to loop the items through, prongs to drape belts from by the buckle and horizontal rods for easily slip off.

Another 'hanging' option is to loop scarfs around a towel rod. This can be screwed on the back of a closet door for a clean look if wall space is limited. Even stacking the rods down the door helps to maximise space. It also works similar attached to the wall for those who have a separate dressing room, just be careful of dust collecting this way.

DIY option:
1. Hook plastic shower curtain rings onto a normal shirt hanger and loop your scarfs through these rings. Hang either item over an 'S' shaped hook thats hooked on the rod.

2. Screw two hooks into a wall or door. Use a thin plastic pipe or wooden rod and lay over two hooks and loop scarfs over this. This way the rod is easy to lift up and remove the item wanted.

Cons: I have found that with a collection of 10 scarfs this option gets bulky and difficult to reach the back of the hanger without disrupting surrounding clothes. For me, pulling a hanger out every time to reach the back is time consuming and defeats the purpose. Delicate silk scarfs won't be able to use any hanging system. Soft belts may not benefit so well with this option either depending if they fall off with movement of the hanger.

 

Shelf/Open Options - small to medium collections or built wardrobes with shelving/ horizontal space

A small collection can benefit from these options as it's easier to maintain, durable and utilises space under hanging clothes. Keep in mind your lifestyle and personality when choosing an organisation option; for those who are busy/ lazy, cute storage bins may be a good option. Efficiently is what we're after.

Shelves are perfect for open storage boxes (with no lid), folded items or vertically stored items in an open box. Store scarfs, folded colour coordinated either stacked or vertically in an open shallow box. They are visible, neat and easy to maintain. Belts can be neatly looped one by one in a coil pattern.

Open boxes now come in a range of patterns and material to add more style to the wardrobe. These are perfect for a visible area such as the high shelf in a built wardrobe. These are very affordable and due to the durability perfect for larger collections. They act like a portable drawer on the shelf, easy to slide in and out and reach the back items.  Even 'trays' that are acrylic can offer a seamless wardrobe look.

For open spaces where there is more floor space, those boxes with lids can still benefit from this and are perfect for open spaces such as under the bed. Bonus organisation if the lid is clear and the tub is labelled with the contents.

Cons: Colour folded scarfs may start becoming a hassle and lose the neat-just-folded appearance if a favourite scarf is second from the bottom. Shelf space can become insufficient with a larger collection. Boxes can easily be unhelpful if everything is chucked in and mangled. The coiling of hard belts may show damage over a period of time with no wear so thats something to consider.

Drawer Options - small collection or built wardrobes with drawers/ chest of drawers

This is an more out of sight option, where items don't have to be perfectly folded/ looped/ stacked. It's a great option for those who don't care how neat their belts and scarfs to warrant maintaining this. Drawers are perfect for a small collection if this is apart of a built wardrobe system or in a chest of drawers.

Look for drawer dividers to help seperate and better see each individual item and store them this way. This option is great to incorporate other small items like jewellery in single drawer.

DIY option: Have individual wood planks customised to the length and height of your drawer to easily manage the two different items.

Cons: The coiling of hard belts may show damage over a period of time. A specialised divider may limit the use of the rest of the drawer if not entirely full. Can easily be unhelpful if everything is chucked in and mangled.