A humble clothes rail solved the lack of hanging space in my tiny bedroom – these are the best ones available at Amazon

Short on storage space? My rail transformed my clothing chaos

Open shelving and closet system on left and back wall pictured. Very neat, tidy and uncluttered with wicker baskets along the top, matching wooden hangers and no overcrowding of neutral items on rails
(Image credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to clothing, I am definitely someone who has far too much – and with limited space and only drawers as a storage solution, I was struggling with a chaotically messy bedroom and a 'floordrobe'.

Without wishing to shove my long dresses, jackets and jeans into a drawer, I decided that a more sleek and permanent solution was necessary, and decided to take the plunge on a clothes rail.

Not only did this solve my storage woes when it comes to organizing clothes, it also transformed the way I choose my outfits, making my mornings more manageable.

My clothes rail solved my lack of hanging space in my tiny bedroom

My clothes rail is freestanding, making it portable and easy to assemble, or fold flat as needed. They're a great closet organizer alternative, and are the simplest way to maximize clothes hanging space

Mine rail is wooden, with a canvas box at the bottom where I store all my bulky, winter jumpers. I love this Bamboo Clothes Rack with Storage Box available at Amazon, which is similar.

As I lack vertical storage in my closet, I gathered up all of my long dresses and jackets. As a bit of a clothes hoarder, these are something I have a lot of. I then put all of these onto velvet hangers to stop my clothes from slipping.

I recommend the bestselling Utopia Home Velvet Hangers available at Amazon, as they are sturdy with a slim design to save-space. You can also use the ingenious HOUSE DAY Space Saving Hanger Hooks available at Amazon to increase the hanging capacity of your rail by three times.

The best clothes rails available at Amazon

If you're feeling inspired to invest in a rail, these are my top picks.

What else clothes rails are great for

Children's bedroom with floral wallpaper

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

'When we moved into a rented home after selling up and moving to a new area, I didn't want to invest in freestanding and costly closets that wouldn't then fit in our forever home,' says Punteha van Terheyden, head of Solved at Homes & Gardens.

Instead, van Terheyden opted for a large clothes rail from Amazon, which had a shelving rack above and below to store her and her husbands clothes, such as the Neprock Wardrobe Closet available at Amazon.

'It was phenomenally sturdy and fantastic, doing it's job for 18 months without a hitch,' adds van Terheyden. 'When I listed it to be sold on Facebook Marketplace, at 70% of its original price, it was snapped up in just two hours.'

Once moved, van Terheyden then had a fitted closet built for her new house, but used a smaller clothing rail in her then four-year-old daughter's room – which she found ideal for organizing children's clothes and bringing her kids bedroom storage ideas to life.

'It was in lieu of a closet because her room was relatively small, taken up by a large 'house bed,' and I wanted her to have room to play,' she says. 'It was cream, cute, affordable, and did the job for her until she was seven, when we moved it to our guest room so friends and family had a space to hang their items when staying over.'

Empty space in a closet is something every guest room needs to stay organized, so this is a great alternative if the closet in your guest room is full, or if you don't have one at all.

All prices correct at the time of publication.

FAQs

Why do people hang up clothes?

The main reason to hang up clothes is to keep them looking their best – preventing against wrinkles and protecting the shape of structured clothing.

Therefore, it's the best way to organize coats and store blazers, evening dresses and shirts, as well as anything silk, chiffon or linen, which will crease easily. Did you know you can steam wrinkled clothes without a steamer if you're ever in a pinch?


There are several other clever, space-saving ways to use vertical storage around the home, such as utilizing over-the-door storage, perfect for a closet, or adding hanging hooks for outerwear.

News Writer

Ottilie is new to Homes & Gardens, having recently finished a Master's in Magazine Journalism at City, University of London. She produces content for the Solved section on the website, focusing on clever tips and tricks to keep your home beautiful, organized and clean. She also has an undergraduate degree in English Literature and History of Art from the University of Edinburgh, where she developed a love for inspiring interiors and architecture.